AIC 53rd Annual Meeting

The presence of pesticide residues in art historical collections has been researched for decades with increased activity in recent years as more museums are actively testing collections objects and sometimes working spaces. While much information has been shared on detection methods, there is less discussion of next steps, i.e., the development of safety programs to guide staff in how to safely interact with such collections. The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum rapidly accelerated assessment and response activities in this area in 2023. Object detection methods were standard (detection of inorganic pesticide residues via portable X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy). But unique collaborations and creative resource employment expanded the ability to test facilities for both inorganic and organic contaminants. Even more so, these collaborations aided the development of robust safety programs which employ industrial hygiene methods of mechanical and administrative controls. Partnering with safety professionals bolstered conservation staff’s operating ethos that testing data should drive any response. Personal protective equipment use was formalized and expanded, cleaning regimens were mechanized, signage and logs were used to underscore new training, barriers to compliance were removed, waste removal was formalized, industrial hygiene workflows were employed and new internal guiding documents were developed. Partnerships transformed this process: with industrial hygienists, government organizations, museum, and university colleagues. Collaboration was critical to advancing these efforts as existing industrial hygiene models could be leveraged rather than creating such programs from scratch.