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Re: Nuking Mold



Back when microwave ovens were relatively new, someone came up with the idea that libraries could microwave books that were returned to them in hopes of killing any insects that had taken up residence in the books. This was actually recommended for a while, until someone with some scientific knowledge pointed out that the microwaves could also dry out the adhesives in the books, causing them to come apart.

I just did a search and found the following:

http://orpheus-1.ucsd.edu/preservation/microwav.html

which points out that "The literature shows that microwaves do not kill all mold spores, and will only kill active mold if heated to a point that also damages the object itself. Many books have metal components (some book bindings, etc.) that can cause sparking and fire, ultimately causing damage to both the item and the oven. Adhesives may also melt and will weaken the binding."

AND

http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/library/hous2/samplers/mf2180.htm

which begins: "Poor advice on how to handle water-damaged historical documents has been
                          found in some older extension materials. One such recommendation suggested
                          using a microwave oven to dry water-soaked paper. DO NOT DO THAT! If
                          you have any information that suggests this, please discard it and replace it
                          with the following information."




Christine Crawford-Oppenheimer
Special Collections Librarian/Archivist

(note change of address as of May 2000)
Culinary Institute of America
1946 Campus Drive
Hyde Park, NY  12538
(914) 451-1757 or (845) 451-1757
c_crawfo@culinary.edu

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