Hazardous Heritage

Hazardous heritage

How to handle potentially dangerous heritage

A guide

Knowledge of materials today is far more advanced then what researchers knew roughly 100 years ago. As a result, museums are faced with collection items that consist of toxic materials and substances. In the collections of the War Heritage Institute, there are collection items that may pose a health risk to the staff and visitors of our museums.

Not all objects are easily identified as potentially dangerous and not everyone is aware of what could be potentially dangerous. Below you can find an overview of potential hazards, how to identify them and how to protect yourself from possible health risks. 

Currently, mainly the objects of the textile and small equipment collection have been examined.

Table of content

Heavy metals | Old pesticides  | Medical equipment  | Chemical warfare equipment  | Asbestos

Please note: due to allergies, our staff sometimes wear better equipment than necessary in the photos. Always take into consideration your own health. Be sure to read our recommendations and adapt when necessary!

Heavy metals are a group of minerals that can be classified as metals or metalloids. These minerals differ from normal metals as they have a higher density and have the ability to (bio)accumulate easier inside tissue. It’s the build up of these heavy metals that can cause a wide range of effects from decreased mental function, to kidney, liver, and lung damage.

Heavy metals were applied to objects in different ways. Lead and cadmium were often used to colour the enamel of medals and badges. A similar process used heavy metals to colour textiles. A well-known example is the use of arsenic or chromium to give textiles a green colour. In addition, heavy metals could also be present on their own within a collection in the form of plates, bowls, metallic constructions, etc.

1. Arsenic | Arsenic (As) is a metalloid found in the Earth’s crust. It can be found in combination with other minerals.
2. Lead | Lead (Pb) is a metal that occurs naturally combined with sulfur and rarely in its pure metallic form. Lead has a blue-gray colour and is soft and malleable.
3. Antimony | Antimony (Sb) is a metalloid that occurs naturally combined with sulfur (Sb₂S₃ – stibnite). Antimony has a silvery-white colour.

Read more about it here!

Within the heritage sector, we have been and continue to be confronted with insects. Today, within the War Heritage Institute, we use Integrated Pest Management to monitor and control the amount of insects that might damage our collection.

In the past however moth balls containing naphthalene (C₁₀H₈) have been used within some of our display cases. For this reason, the smell of naphthalene is still present in some of our display cases and on some of the objects.

1. Naphtalene | Naphthalene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and occurs naturally in coal tar.

Read more about it here

The War Heritage Institute's collection also contains a small collection of medical equipment, including surgical items. One of the dangers associated with these collection items is accidental stabbing or cutting with these collection items. These types of accidents can be avoided by wearing cut-resistant gloves and by storing and labeling the pieces correctly.

Another risk with this collection is the exposure to chemicals used in the medical profession. The risk is especially high in the nineteenth-century collection, where medication was kept in glass bottles. These often contained medications that are considered addictive today, such as morphine and cocaine, as well as chemicals that are carcinogenic.

1. Chromic acid | Chromic acid (H₂CrO₄) is an inorganic acid used today in chromium plating, coloured glass, and ceramic glazes.
2. Sulfanilamide | Sulfanilamide (C₆H₈N₂O₂S), is part of the sulfonamide group and has a white to yellowish-white colour.
3. Mercury chloride | Mercury chloride (HgCl₂) is an inorganic colorless to white salt.

Read more about it here

Equipment used for chemical warfare include protective equipment such as gas masks and suits, as well as gas detection kits for gases, medication, and auto-injectors in case of exposure to chemicals, etc. The main risk with these collection items lies mainly in the fact that it is not known for sure which chemical reagents are involved.

1. Unknown chemicals | The presence of chemicals that are undefined so it is not known what risks are associated with their manipulation. For example, the chemical detection kits.
2. Unknown substances | Medical equipment used when exposed to chemicals such as an auto-injector.
3. Asbestos | Equipment used for protection against chemicals.

Read more about it here

In the past, asbestos has not only been used in buildings but in a wide variety of objects. Because of this, objects containing asbestos have found their way into museum collections.

1. Asbestos | Asbestos is a natural mineral that can appear as chrysotile (Mg₃Si₂O₅(OH)₄), crocidolite (Na₂(Fe₂Mg)₃Fe₂Si₈O₂₂), amosite ((Fe₂+,Mg)₇Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂), tremolite (Ca₂(Mg,Fe₂+)₅[OH|Si₄O₁₁]₂), actinolite (Ca₂(Fe₂+,Mg)₅[OH|Si₄O₁₁]₂), and anthophyllite ((Mg,Fe₂+)₇Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂.).

Read more about it here