Preventive conservation strategies for sustainable urban pollution control in museums.

The last 40 years have seen major changes in the sources and concentrations of urban pollution (nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, hydrogen sulphide and particles). During this time, research has advanced our understanding of the impact of pollutants on objects in urban museums. As a consequence, pollutant control has become an important aspect of preventive conservation. There is also increased awareness of the need for pollution control strategies that are sustainable at an organizational and global level. This paper, prepared by a chemist, a conservator and two building scientists, reviews strategies for minimizing the impact of urban pollution on museum collections. The results of new research funded by the UK government identify current (1999) internal pollution levels in both naturally ventilated and air-conditioned museums with particle and gaseous filtration, in relation to external concentrations, ventilation strategies, and the characteristics of the internal fabric and finishes of these buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]