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Health and Safety Issues with Geological Specimens

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Health and Safety Issues with Geological Specimens Conserve O Gram September 2006 Number 11/11 Health And Safety Issues With Geological Specimens This is an expansion of the section entitled controlled by temperature and relative humid- Health Hazards in Geological Storage Areas ity but other storage conditions may affect in COG 11/2. See also COG 2/11 Health and the process also. While it is NPS policy that Safety Risks of Asbestos and NPS Museum collections are stored in metal cabinets, it is Handbook, Part 1, Chapter 11 and Appendix H, known that some materials such as wood, dif- Curatorial Health and Safety. ferent coatings, adhesives and sealants used in the construction of storage cabinets and dis- Many parks have historical or abandoned play cases will emit acetic and other carboxylic mines and park collections may include repre- acids that can react with different minerals. In sentative minerals or ores. The general impres- some cases only the mineral will be damaged sion that “rocks” are inert, strong, and durable but in other cases there may be associated is not applicable to all minerals. There are health hazards with the by-products of the approximately 3600 different mineral species chemical reaction. (types) that have been described. Only a small subset pose a potential health hazard. It is Toxic Gases important to know which minerals are present in the collection and their chemical composi- Some minerals may release toxic gases or tion. This allows you to identify those that may vapors. Since specimen cabinets are designed pose a potential health hazard, and that require to be fully sealed from the outside, these gases special precautions for storage and handling. cannot escape. If the cabinet is left closed for Proper identification is therefore the first extended periods of time the concentration of step. Indications that a specimen is chemically these gases can become high. An individual active may include deterioration or changes in will become exposed to these high concentra- the specimen itself, specimen labels, storage tions when a cabinet is first opened. The types materials or changes in the interior of the stor- of gases that may be produced by a mineral age cabinet. The examples used in this COG specimen will depend on the chemical compo- are not an exhaustive list but are meant to be sition of the mineral. illustrative of potentially hazardous specimens. This COG does not address radioactive miner- A sulfide is a combination of sulfur with als which are discussed in COG 11/10. another element. Common sulfide miner- als include chalcopyrite (copper iron sulfide, The environment in which minerals are stored CuFeS2), galena (lead sulfide, PbS) and iron will determine their level of reactivity, potential pyrite (FeS2). Under some environmental off-gassing and other potential health hazards. conditions these minerals can react with water As in all museum collections, this is partially vapor and produce gases or vapors. Iron pyrite National Park Service Conserve O Gram 11/11 Conserve O Gram 11/11 National Park Service (FeS2) in a high humidity environment (greater Mineral Dust then 60%) can release sulfur dioxide (SO2) which in turn can combine with water to pro- In addition to gases the physical breakdown duce sulfuric acid. of some minerals can release particles that may be inhaled. Inhaling mineral dust may The element sulfur which can occur as a min- be more of a hazard than handling the speci- eral and in crystal form will, in an environment men. The amount of dust depends on how of high humidity, produce small amounts of friable the specimen is and how it is handled. hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas. Although only For example, handling of an asbestos mineral small amounts of H2S will form from the may release individual fibers that can become specimen reacting with the moisture in the airborne and inhaled. Although mineral dust air, it is a powerful odor producer and is the may not be a primary problem in museum dominating contributor to the odor of rotten collections, at times it may be important to eggs. Most specimens of sulfur, when kept use a good quality respirator when handling dry, do not emit a strong odor. H2S is a color- specimens, especially if they are being cut or less, transparent gas that is extremely toxic and trimmed. irritating with a characteristic rotten-egg odor at low concentrations but which is not detect- The best known examples of mineral fibers able at high concentrations. When present in that should not be inhaled are the asbestos- the blood it reduces the blood’s oxygen-carry- containing minerals. “Asbestos” refers to a ing capacity, thereby depressing the nervous small number of minerals that are formed of system. It is oxidized quite rapidly to sulfates flexible fibers. Asbestos can be subdivided into in the body therefore no permanent after- two major classifications of minerals: amphi- effects occur, except in those cases of acute boles and serpentines. All but one form, chrys- exposure in which oxygen deprivation of the otile, are amphiboles. Chrysotile asbestos is the nervous system is prolonged. There is no fibrous variety of the mineral serpentine and evidence that repeated exposures to hydrogen is the most commercially important type of sulfide will result in accumulative or systemic asbestos. Other asbestos minerals include cro- poisoning. Effects such as eye irritation, respi- cidolite, a dark blue variety of the mineral rie- ratory tract irritation, slow pulse rate, lassitude, beckite, amosite, anthophyllite asbestos, tremo- digestive disturbances, and cold sweats may lite asbestos, and actinolite asbestos. Asbestos occur but these symptoms disappear in a rela- fibers have no detectible odor or taste. They tively short time after removal from the expo- are all solids that do not move through soil and sure. are insoluble in water. Mercury vapor is readily liberated from the Color will vary according to type, and metallic mineral cinnabar (mercury sulfide, HgS). The composition. Crocidolite has iron and sodium mineral may have elemental (liquid) mercury as its metallic elements and is the most color- associated with it and thus be dangerous to ful with a range of colors including shades of handle. Body temperature is often enough to lavender, blue and green. In general, asbes- vaporize the mercury out of the rock and this tos minerals that contain iron may display a gas can be absorbed through the skin. green color ranging from a hint of green to solid green depending upon the amount of 2 Health and Safety Issues with Geological Specimens Health and Safety Issues with Geological Specimens 3 National Park Service Conserve O Gram 11/11 Conserve O Gram 11/11 National Park Service iron present. Tremolite contains no iron, but mately respiratory failure. is part of a continuous mineral series with actinolite, in which iron and magnesium can If your collection contains asbestos minerals, freely substitute with each other. As a result, they can be secondarily stored in a sealable bag some specimens of tremolite may show a in order to prevent individual particles from hint of pale green. Chrysotile and tremolite, becoming airborne. The contents should be which in pure form contain no iron, tend to clearly marked on the bag. be white. Together with actinolite and antho- Handling Mineral Specimens phyllite they are grouped together as “white asbestos” and classified as UN2590 (under Some minerals may contain elements that are the United Nations chemical ID numbering toxic. The most common ones are system). Amosite and crocidolite are classi- Aluminum, Antimony, Arsenic, Beryllium, fied as UN2212. Amosite and crocidolite Bismuth, Bromine, Cadmium, Lead, Mercury, are considered to be extremely hazardous. Selenium, Thallium and Uranium. Chrysotile is more flexible and has been con- sidered to be less hazardous than either amosite Toxic metals that enter the body are not easily or crocidolite. Anthophyllite, actinolite and removed. They are persistent and cumulative in tremolite have been lumped with the “lesser their effect, often replacing nutrient minerals at evil” chrysotile under the UN Identification enzyme binding sites. Handle all minerals con- numbering system. All three of these amphi- taining these elements with care. Always wear boles also have non-asbestos forms associated neoprene gloves when handling minerals that with them in nature that are not harmful. See contain potentially toxic elements and always also COG 2/11. be sure to wash your hands when you are fin- ished as an added precaution. Health Hazards of Asbestos Collection Management Suggestions Laboratory experiments have identified three principal diseases resulting from exposure to As with any safety issues all potential health one or more of the asbestos minerals. These issues should be brought to the attention of are: the Park Safety Officer or the Regional Public Health Officer, and the Regional Curator. All • Lung cancer, which includes cancer of procedures and mitigation should be cleared the trachea, bronchus, and lung proper. through them. • Mesothelioma, a cancer of the pleural Label all cabinets housing such minerals with and peritoneal membranes which line the appropriate National Fire Protection Asso- the lung and abdominal cavities, respec- ciation (NFPA) Hazard Warning Symbol. This tively. will ensure that anyone opening the cabinet; • “Asbestosis”, a diffuse interstitial fibro- staff, visitors, and emergency personnel are sis of the lung tissue, often resulting aware of these potential hazards. after long exposure, which can lead to severe loss of lung function and ulti- 2 Health and Safety Issues with Geological Specimens Health and Safety Issues with Geological Specimens 3 National Park Service Conserve O Gram 11/11 National Park Service Conserve O Gram 11/11 Mineralogical Society of America 1015 18th Street, NW, Suite 601 Washington, DC 20036 (202) 775-4344 www.minsocam.org Also to learn more about managing mineral collections see: The Society of Museum Mineral Professionals http://www.smmp.net/ References Blount, A.M.
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