Become progressively to oxygen scavenger treatment

By depleting atmospheric oxygen to Very low levels using reactive oxygen scavengers in an impermeable enclosure, a modified air composed almost entirely of nitrogen can be made. All developmental stages of insect pests can be eradicated if atmospheric oxygen levels within this enclosure are kept below 0.5percent for a period of 21 days.

What sets materials could be treated this way?

Most sets can be treated in This way with the notable exception of substances containing Prussian blue pigments or dyes. Prussian blue is extremely prone to fading and irreversible chemical change when put in anoxic environments.

• Construct an Enclosure with a low-permeability barrier film like Marvel seal 360, Aclar, Film-Pak, or Escal or Anoxibug System pre-made enclosures. All seams should be heat sealed and checked for leakage. The enclosure should be made big enough to accommodate a 20% decrease in volume of the enclosed air without damaging the item being treated. Care must be taken not to create the enclosure too big, because this can lead to an undesirable increase in the equilibrium moisture content of the enclosed item during therapy.
• Place the Object inside the barrier film enclosure combined with sufficient oxygen absorber based on oxidation of iron particles It is common practice to double or even triple the calculated quantity of oxygen scavenger needed to ensure effective treatment. Some practitioners advocate loosely wrapping the item to be treated in either washed muslin or acid-free unbuffered tissue. Some heat is generated as the oxygen scavenger reacts with oxygen, based on the speed of the response. Care has to be taken to disperse the packets out and to not put them directly on or alongside collections items.
• Carefully Pull air from the enclosure using a vacuum. Seal the last seam of the enclosure. Check the enclosure periodically for shrinkage during the first couple of days of treatment. If the enclosure has been constructed and sealed correctly, a 20 percent decrease in the amount of the enclosed air mass ought to be visible by the third to fifth day. Keep the enclosure sealed for 21 days or according to manufacturer instructions. After 21 days the enclosure could be opened, and the item can be removed.

Pros

• Relatively simple and inexpensive
• Suitable for a wide variety of collection materials
• Oxygen scavengers are not registered pesticides; no licensing is required

Note there are an assortment of products that may be used for tracking low-oxygen treatments. Some like the AnoxiBug Alert, a device manufactured by Hanwell for the Anoxibug system or the Mitsubishi Ageless Eye may create inaccurate or variable results. The 2020 study by Crowther and Breitung on the Assessment of low detection limits of a range of low-cost oxygen meters for anoxic treatments offers information which may be useful in deciding on a meter or analyser.