Removal of alum from Iron-Age wooden objects by an applied electric field

Iben Vernegren Christensen; Lisbeth M. Ottosen; Poul Jensen; Inger Bojesen-Koefoed; Hartmut Kutzke; Susan Braovac; Tom Sandström; Mikkel Chrsitensen

Removal of alum from Iron-Age wooden objects by an applied electric field

Iben Vernegren Christensen, Lisbeth M. Ottosen, Poul Jensen, Inger Bojesen-Koefoed, Hartmut Kutzke, Susan Braovac, Tom Sandström, Mikkel Chrsitensen

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Abstract

In this paper removal of potassium, sulfate and aluminum ions from waterlogged alum treated wood with the use of an applied electric field is described. An electric DC field was applied across the wood for 4-20 days. At the end of the experiments sulfate had moved as expected towards the anode and potassium had moved towards the cathode. One experiment showed that after 20 days only 10% of the sulfate and 8% of the potassium was left in the wood. Aluminum tended to be removed more slowly and even after 20 days only minor amounts of aluminum were removed from the wood. Total removal of alum was not obtained in the experiments reported here, but the high conductivity and the transport of the measured ions due to the electric field indicates that an applied electric field as a method for removal of alum and other unwanted ions from treated wooden objects warrants further investigation.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the 11th ICOM-CC Conference on Wet Organic Archaeological Materials
Publication date	2010
Publication status	Published - 2010
Event	11th ICOM-CC Group on Wet Organic Archaeological Materials Conference - East Carolina University, Greenville, United States Duration: 24 May 2010 → 29 May 2010 Conference number: 11

Conference

Conference	11th ICOM-CC Group on Wet Organic Archaeological Materials Conference
Number	11
Location	East Carolina University
Country/Territory	United States
City	Greenville
Period	24/05/2010 → 29/05/2010

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@inproceedings{c5b692c4a98a44ef95ff0ec37718581d,

title = "Removal of alum from Iron-Age wooden objects by an applied electric field",

abstract = "In this paper removal of potassium, sulfate and aluminum ions from waterlogged alum treated wood with the use of an applied electric field is described. An electric DC field was applied across the wood for 4-20 days. At the end of the experiments sulfate had moved as expected towards the anode and potassium had moved towards the cathode. One experiment showed that after 20 days only 10% of the sulfate and 8% of the potassium was left in the wood. Aluminum tended to be removed more slowly and even after 20 days only minor amounts of aluminum were removed from the wood. Total removal of alum was not obtained in the experiments reported here, but the high conductivity and the transport of the measured ions due to the electric field indicates that an applied electric field as a method for removal of alum and other unwanted ions from treated wooden objects warrants further investigation.",

author = "Christensen, {Iben Vernegren} and Ottosen, {Lisbeth M.} and Poul Jensen and Inger Bojesen-Koefoed and Hartmut Kutzke and Susan Braovac and Tom Sandstr{\"o}m and Mikkel Chrsitensen",

year = "2010",

language = "English",

booktitle = "Proceedings of the 11th ICOM-CC Conference on Wet Organic Archaeological Materials",

note = "11th ICOM-CC Group on Wet Organic Archaeological Materials Conference, ICOM-CC WOAM ; Conference date: 24-05-2010 Through 29-05-2010",

}

Christensen, IV, Ottosen, LM, Jensen, P, Bojesen-Koefoed, I, Kutzke, H, Braovac, S, Sandström, T & Chrsitensen, M 2010, Removal of alum from Iron-Age wooden objects by an applied electric field. in Proceedings of the 11th ICOM-CC Conference on Wet Organic Archaeological Materials. 11th ICOM-CC Group on Wet Organic Archaeological Materials Conference, Greenville, North Carolina, United States, 24/05/2010.

TY - GEN

T1 - Removal of alum from Iron-Age wooden objects by an applied electric field

AU - Christensen, Iben Vernegren

AU - Ottosen, Lisbeth M.

AU - Jensen, Poul

AU - Bojesen-Koefoed, Inger

AU - Kutzke, Hartmut

AU - Braovac, Susan

AU - Sandström, Tom

AU - Chrsitensen, Mikkel

N1 - Conference code: 11

PY - 2010

Y1 - 2010

N2 - In this paper removal of potassium, sulfate and aluminum ions from waterlogged alum treated wood with the use of an applied electric field is described. An electric DC field was applied across the wood for 4-20 days. At the end of the experiments sulfate had moved as expected towards the anode and potassium had moved towards the cathode. One experiment showed that after 20 days only 10% of the sulfate and 8% of the potassium was left in the wood. Aluminum tended to be removed more slowly and even after 20 days only minor amounts of aluminum were removed from the wood. Total removal of alum was not obtained in the experiments reported here, but the high conductivity and the transport of the measured ions due to the electric field indicates that an applied electric field as a method for removal of alum and other unwanted ions from treated wooden objects warrants further investigation.

AB - In this paper removal of potassium, sulfate and aluminum ions from waterlogged alum treated wood with the use of an applied electric field is described. An electric DC field was applied across the wood for 4-20 days. At the end of the experiments sulfate had moved as expected towards the anode and potassium had moved towards the cathode. One experiment showed that after 20 days only 10% of the sulfate and 8% of the potassium was left in the wood. Aluminum tended to be removed more slowly and even after 20 days only minor amounts of aluminum were removed from the wood. Total removal of alum was not obtained in the experiments reported here, but the high conductivity and the transport of the measured ions due to the electric field indicates that an applied electric field as a method for removal of alum and other unwanted ions from treated wooden objects warrants further investigation.

M3 - Article in proceedings

BT - Proceedings of the 11th ICOM-CC Conference on Wet Organic Archaeological Materials

T2 - 11th ICOM-CC Group on Wet Organic Archaeological Materials Conference

Y2 - 24 May 2010 through 29 May 2010

ER -

Removal of alum from Iron-Age wooden objects by an applied electric field

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