Table 1
Disinfection processes excluded from the literature review together with the reasons for rejection. [1] Chin et al., 2020, [2] Pastorino et al., 2020, [3] Patterson et al., 2020. Disinfectant rejection was determined through consultation with material-specific conservation experts.
| DISINFECTANT PROCESS | CONTACT TIME | REASON FOR REJECTION |
|---|---|---|
| Hypochlorite and chlorites (chemical) | 10 minutes [1] | Chlorine anions can produce permanent damage to surfaces in short periods of time or with prolonged use. |
| Quaternary Ammonium compounds (chemical) | 10 minutes [1] | Could result in damage due to salting, are often strongly acidic or alkaline and leave residues. |
| Heat/Steam at 92’C | 15 minutes [2] | The high temperature and sustained time period required for deactivating this virus (92°C for 15 minutes) is not safe for historic materials. |
| UVC light (254nm) | 5 minutes [3] | Potentially damaging to historic textiles, paper, wood and pigments. Also requires specialist knowledge and PPE for use. |
| Ozone fogging (chemical) | Unknown | Currently insufficient evidence for efficacy against viral particles and effect on heritage surfaces. Also requires specialist knowledge and PPE for use. |
Table 2
Persistence of SARS-CoV-2 on surfaces. Source of persistence data [1] Carraturo et al., 2020, [2] Chin et al., 2020, [3] van Doremalen et al., 2020, [4] Warnes et al., 2015, [5] Striegel, 2020.
| SURFACE | PERSISTENCE OF SARS-COV-2 ON SURFACE (HOURS) |
|---|---|
| Ceramic (glazed) | 120 [1] |
| Ceramic (unglazed) | 120 [1] |
| Glass without applied surface coating | 94 [2] |
| Glass with applied surface coating | 94 [2] |
| Iron | 120 [1] |
| Stainless steel | 48 [3]–168 [1] |
| Bronze & Brass | 72 [4] |
| Plastic | 72 [3]–168 [2] |
| Stone | 72 [5] |
| Textiles | 48 [2] |
| Wallpaper | 3 [2] |
| Wood | 48 [2] |
Table 3
Surface compatibility with disinfectants. In the case of generic designations such as ‘plastic’ the selection of disinfectant should be compatible with the specific material. Disinfectant suitability was determined through consultation with material-specific conservation experts.
| DISINFECTANT SUITABILITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| SURFACE | ALCOHOLS | PEROXYGEN COMPOUNDS | SURFACTANT/DETERGENT AND WATER |
| Ceramics (glazed) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ceramics (unglazed) | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Glass without applied surface coating | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Iron | ✓ | ||
| Stainless steel | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Copper | ✓ | ||
| Bronze and Brass | ✓ | ||
| Painted, oil based paint | ✓ | ||
| Plaster (lime) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Plaster (Plaster of Paris, fibrous) | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Plastic | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alabaster | ✓ | ||
| Stone and Concrete | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Wood (no applied surface finish) | ✓ | ||
| Wood (wax finish) | ✓ | ||