2025 Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) symposium
Location
Dr. Ken Budke Family Auditorium, Schindler Education Center, University of Nothern Iowa
Presentation Type
Open Access Poster Presentation
Document Type
poster
Abstract
Museum collections can contain a range of materials including rock and mineral specimens. However, the ability of museum curators to correctly identify geological samples and assess associated risks is largely dependent on their background. Exposure, which can be thought of as a combination of the concentration of a hazardous material and the amount of time that material is in contact with living tissues, should be minimized to ensure the safety of museum staff and visitors. While best practices for minimizing exposure to radioactive or toxic minerals are widely available, it is challenging to find similar recommendations for the safe handling of asbestos minerals. Such practices would list appropriate safety precautions with a goal of maintaining museum collections when possible. In this study, we analyzed eighteen mineral samples from the UNI Museum that had previously been identified as being potentially asbestos- bearing. We also present temporary best practices to aid in identifying asbestos minerals to minimize asbestos exposure.
Start Date
1-8-2025 11:00 AM
End Date
1-8-2025 1:30 PM
Event Host
Summer Undergraduate Research Program, University of Northern Iowa
Faculty Advisor
Alexa Clements
Department
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
Copyright
©2025 Madelyn Wilson, Alexa Clements, Nathan Arndt, and Lee S. Potter
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Wilson, Madelyn; Clements, Alexa; Arndt, Nathan; and Potter, Lee S., "Silent Hazards: Safety and Risk Protocols of Potential Hazardous Museum Specimens" (2025). Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium. 21.
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/surp/2025/all/21
Silent Hazards: Safety and Risk Protocols of Potential Hazardous Museum Specimens
Dr. Ken Budke Family Auditorium, Schindler Education Center, University of Nothern Iowa
Museum collections can contain a range of materials including rock and mineral specimens. However, the ability of museum curators to correctly identify geological samples and assess associated risks is largely dependent on their background. Exposure, which can be thought of as a combination of the concentration of a hazardous material and the amount of time that material is in contact with living tissues, should be minimized to ensure the safety of museum staff and visitors. While best practices for minimizing exposure to radioactive or toxic minerals are widely available, it is challenging to find similar recommendations for the safe handling of asbestos minerals. Such practices would list appropriate safety precautions with a goal of maintaining museum collections when possible. In this study, we analyzed eighteen mineral samples from the UNI Museum that had previously been identified as being potentially asbestos- bearing. We also present temporary best practices to aid in identifying asbestos minerals to minimize asbestos exposure.
