Connecting to Collections Care

After finding some signs of rodent activity in one of our historic barns, our environmental compliance team called in a pest contractor to sanitize the building. I'm concerned about the chemicals they are proposing, and would love to get input on whether these are something I should raise more concerns about, especially since we have a number of wood and metal farming implements in the barn that are on loan from another institution. The chemicals include chlorine and ammonia compounds, which I know we don't use for cleaning around artifacts because of the potential effects of fumes on the objects. (They are not proposing to apply anything directly to the objects.) Would anyone be able to tell me if I should start making more of a fuss about this? Here are the ingredient lists:

DSV disinfectant:

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS:
Octyl Decyl Dimethyl Ammonium Chloride .... 1.650%
Didecyl Dimethyl Ammonium Chloride .......... 0.825%
Dioctyl Dimethyl Ammonium Chloride ........... 0.825%
Alkyl (C14, 50%; C12, 40%; C16, 10%)
dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride........... 2.200%
INERT INGREDIENTS ...................................... 94.500%
TOTAL .............................................................. 100.000%
EPA Reg. No. 10324-80-64405 EPA Est. 64405-TN-1

Sniper disinfectant:

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS:
Chlorine dioxide ……………………………………………………………………….........0.200%
Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Chloride N-Alkyl (60% C14, 30% C16, 5% C12, 5% C18)……0.085%
Ethylbenzyl Ammonium Chloride N-Alkyl (68% C12, 32% C14) Dimethyl.……….………..0.085%
Other Ingredients…….…………………………………..………………………………....99.630%
Total…….…………………………………………………….…………………………..100.000%

Hi Carolyn, 

Introducing chlorides to an environment that has historic wood and metal objects is a concern, especially if those objects are on loan. However, the percentage of active ingredients in each pesticide mentioned is low. If possible, moving or covering the historic implements with plastic sheeting during treatment is a good protective measure - just to ensure that there is no direct contact with the pesticide. After treatment, I think it would be a good idea to make sure the barn is well ventilated. 

After finding some signs of rodent activity in one of our historic barns, our environmental compliance team called in a pest contractor to sanitize the building. I'm concerned about the chemicals they are proposing, and would love to get input on whether these are something I should raise more concerns about, especially since we have a number of wood and metal farming implements in the barn that are on loan from another institution. The chemicals include chlorine and ammonia compounds, which I know we don't use for cleaning around artifacts because of the potential effects of fumes on the objects. (They are not proposing to apply anything directly to the objects.) Would anyone be able to tell me if I should start making more of a fuss about this? Here are the ingredient lists:

DSV disinfectant:

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS:
Octyl Decyl Dimethyl Ammonium Chloride .... 1.650%
Didecyl Dimethyl Ammonium Chloride .......... 0.825%
Dioctyl Dimethyl Ammonium Chloride ........... 0.825%
Alkyl (C14, 50%; C12, 40%; C16, 10%)
dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride........... 2.200%
INERT INGREDIENTS ...................................... 94.500%
TOTAL .............................................................. 100.000%
EPA Reg. No. 10324-80-64405 EPA Est. 64405-TN-1

Sniper disinfectant:

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS:
Chlorine dioxide ……………………………………………………………………….........0.200%
Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Chloride N-Alkyl (60% C14, 30% C16, 5% C12, 5% C18)……0.085%
Ethylbenzyl Ammonium Chloride N-Alkyl (68% C12, 32% C14) Dimethyl.……….………..0.085%
Other Ingredients…….…………………………………..………………………………....99.630%
Total…….…………………………………………………….…………………………..100.000%

Hi Carolyn, 

Introducing chlorides to an environment that has historic wood and metal objects is a concern, especially if those objects are on loan. However, the percentage of active ingredients in each pesticide mentioned is low. If possible, moving or covering the historic implements with plastic sheeting during treatment is a good protective measure - just to ensure that there is no direct contact with the pesticide. After treatment, I think it would be a good idea to make sure the barn is well ventilated. 

After finding some signs of rodent activity in one of our historic barns, our environmental compliance team called in a pest contractor to sanitize the building. I'm concerned about the chemicals they are proposing, and would love to get input on whether these are something I should raise more concerns about, especially since we have a number of wood and metal farming implements in the barn that are on loan from another institution. The chemicals include chlorine and ammonia compounds, which I know we don't use for cleaning around artifacts because of the potential effects of fumes on the objects. (They are not proposing to apply anything directly to the objects.) Would anyone be able to tell me if I should start making more of a fuss about this? Here are the ingredient lists:

DSV disinfectant:

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS:
Octyl Decyl Dimethyl Ammonium Chloride .... 1.650%
Didecyl Dimethyl Ammonium Chloride .......... 0.825%
Dioctyl Dimethyl Ammonium Chloride ........... 0.825%
Alkyl (C14, 50%; C12, 40%; C16, 10%)
dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride........... 2.200%
INERT INGREDIENTS ...................................... 94.500%
TOTAL .............................................................. 100.000%
EPA Reg. No. 10324-80-64405 EPA Est. 64405-TN-1

Sniper disinfectant:

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS:
Chlorine dioxide ……………………………………………………………………….........0.200%
Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Chloride N-Alkyl (60% C14, 30% C16, 5% C12, 5% C18)……0.085%
Ethylbenzyl Ammonium Chloride N-Alkyl (68% C12, 32% C14) Dimethyl.……….………..0.085%
Other Ingredients…….…………………………………..………………………………....99.630%
Total…….…………………………………………………….…………………………..100.000%

Hi Carolyn, 

Introducing chlorides to an environment that has historic wood and metal objects is a concern, especially if those objects are on loan. However, the percentage of active ingredients in each pesticide mentioned is low. If possible, moving or covering the historic implements with plastic sheeting during treatment is a good protective measure - just to ensure that there is no direct contact with the pesticide. After treatment, I think it would be a good idea to make sure the barn is well ventilated. 

After finding some signs of rodent activity in one of our historic barns, our environmental compliance team called in a pest contractor to sanitize the building. I'm concerned about the chemicals they are proposing, and would love to get input on whether these are something I should raise more concerns about, especially since we have a number of wood and metal farming implements in the barn that are on loan from another institution. The chemicals include chlorine and ammonia compounds, which I know we don't use for cleaning around artifacts because of the potential effects of fumes on the objects. (They are not proposing to apply anything directly to the objects.) Would anyone be able to tell me if I should start making more of a fuss about this? Here are the ingredient lists:

DSV disinfectant:

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS:
Octyl Decyl Dimethyl Ammonium Chloride .... 1.650%
Didecyl Dimethyl Ammonium Chloride .......... 0.825%
Dioctyl Dimethyl Ammonium Chloride ........... 0.825%
Alkyl (C14, 50%; C12, 40%; C16, 10%)
dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride........... 2.200%
INERT INGREDIENTS ...................................... 94.500%
TOTAL .............................................................. 100.000%
EPA Reg. No. 10324-80-64405 EPA Est. 64405-TN-1

Sniper disinfectant:

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS:
Chlorine dioxide ……………………………………………………………………….........0.200%
Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Chloride N-Alkyl (60% C14, 30% C16, 5% C12, 5% C18)……0.085%
Ethylbenzyl Ammonium Chloride N-Alkyl (68% C12, 32% C14) Dimethyl.……….………..0.085%
Other Ingredients…….…………………………………..………………………………....99.630%
Total…….…………………………………………………….…………………………..100.000%