Below is a response to a question on the Registrars Committee listserve about the use of Vikane on collection material.


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Hi Amanda,

Here are a few thoughts on your topic.
Vikane (trademark term for sulfuryl fluoride) and methyl bromide are the two fumigants that have been used to treat pests in museum collections recently. Of the two I believe that Vikane is the preferred fumigant (I believe that methyl bromide can react with compounds containing sulfur - sulfuryl fluoride doesn't really seem to react with basically anything).
Luckily it is also the one that I am personally familiar with.
During the collections move of the Smithsonian Institutions - National Museum of the American Indian we used three treatments to eliminate potential infestation of collections materials - Low Temperature (Mary Lou Florian will haunt your dreams if you call it freezing [not a high enough moisture content to actually freeze]), CO2, and Vikane. The three are listed in the order of the volume of objects that were treated with each.
It is true that the trend is away from chemical treatments but choices need to be made based on practicality and the truth is each method has its own best use.
Vikane in particular is used in cases where the objects were too large to easily fit into a freezer or "bubble".
It also has the advantage of being much faster than either Low Temp or CO2 (or Nitrogen anoxia as far as that goes).
The most up to date information that I have is that it leaves no residue on collections material.
I would mention that I also know that it is currently in use by at least one other Smithsonian museum. It's advantages include speed and the fact that it has a high rate of penetration making it effective for even very thick organic objects. Also there are not the potential complications related to humidity change that can go along with the use of CO2 - which is also happens to be pretty hazardous to human folk as well as insects.

One of limitations in the use of Vikane to consider is the need to remain within a specified temperature range for it to be effective, so if you are fumigating outside or in a trailer you might have seasonal issues.
Probably of more importance though is that it is a restricted chemical that may have prohibitively complex restrictions in many urban areas. I have heard of museums sending collections materials in tractor trailers to be treated in other areas that permit its use. Luckily in many parts of the country, this is really not an issue. In some areas though you may have to provide 24 hour supervision of the area where the gas is in use to prevent accidental exposure to individuals who could be there without authorization.

Having dealt with these methods myself in the past, I would recommend that anyone weighing the use of these options consult directly with conservators who deal with these issues on a regular basis. You might want to start with contacting the OSG (Objects Specialty Group) at AIC.

I mention this because I have read descriptions of the use of preventive IPM treatments (low temp in particular) on listserves that were totally inaccurate. Presumably the comments were based on what someone was taught "back in the day", but in many cases I feel confident in saying that the what they describe was not accurate even when they were originally instructed.
If you have any specific questions that I could help with or if you have trouble contacting a conservator, don't hesitate to communicate directly and I can provide a contact or two.
Best regards,

Ashley