04 · The artifact
Mercuric chloride residue
Should the next person to open this folder be wearing gloves?
- Status
- Specified, unbuilt
- Field
- Empty — nobody is doing this
- Who wants it
- Collections staff, institutional health and safety.
Why it matters
Historic sheets were treated with mercury salts against pests. Residue shows as characteristic staining and is a handling hazard. A model that flags it is an occupational-safety tool, and it opens every door in the field.
What it needs
Verified positives, which conservation labs hold.
State of the art
Detection is chemical and destructive. Visual screening is unexplored.
Next head
Imaging intake QC →