Archives decontamination by gamma irradiation

The treatment of archives with gamma irradiation is an efficient and environmental friendly alternative for biological decontamination of large volume of archives. It substitutes the use of chemicals for conservation and contributes to safer workplaces. This work is targeting documents from recent archives where the value of information is not obsolete and may become an important historical and cultural testimony. For a successful treatment, an optimal absorbed dose has to be established. An excessive dose may damage papers and an insufficient one will not reduce bioburden to the desired level. An interdisciplinary team was performing various physical and chemical tests in order to evaluate deterioration of paper at high doses. In the case of natural disaster, it is not excluded the “emergency” treatment for documents in immediate danger of total destruction.