Private

WOODWORMS? GET RID OF THEM THROUGH THE VELOXY^®

RGI bioSteryl Tech Ltd is an Engineering Company specialised on Cultural Heritage that is known and appreciated globally due to its anoxic treatments against infesting insect. RGI basically works in the field of Cultural Heritage, such as Conservation Institutes in general and Restores. RGI provides various products and services in order to meet the needs of these Institutes and Restores which both work in diversified and numerous environments and treat a lot of artworks

In fact RGI manufactures innovative and effective equipments for treating and the preservation of artworks against infesting parasitic insects (typically woodworms). Moreover a wide range of services are provided through the machines that are produced and sold by RGI. RGI Services and Products stand out as they are effective, ecological, harmless to people and artworks, ease to use and inexpensive.

For these reasons, RGI services and products attract even Private Customers, particularly those who care about ecology and want to avoid any damage or trauma to the artworks which own and love.

Among the services that RGI successfully provides to private customers, generally at their location, there are the ANOXIC DISINFESTATION against infesting insects and the DISINFECTION AGAINST MICROORGANISMS (viruses, bacteria, fungi, molds, etc.).

DISINFESTATION AGAINST WOODWORMS AND PARASITIC INSECTS IN GENERAL.

Regarding disinfestations against parasitic insects (such as woodworms), RGI has developed the VELOXY^® System for more than ten years, which is a reference for the most prestigious Museums and Institutions around the world that deal with conservation and preservation of Cultural Heritage. This method, also known as anoxic method (without oxygen) allows dramatically eliminating parasites, eggs and even larvae with 100% efficiency, without using chemicals that are supposed to poison them.

Damages caused by many insects (including the most popular WOODWORMS) on artworks made of wood, paper, fabric and organic materials are usually serious and irreversible.                                                                                               The various commercial chemical products against woodworms, are only palliative treatments and totally ineffective.      In fact the parasites’ hideouts are long and winding, therefore difficult to reach by liquid products and consequently eggs and larvae can easily survive.

It must not be forgotten that artworks impregnated with potentially toxic substances, tend to release them slowly in the preservation environments. Moreover, when that happens to pieces of furniture which are used for storing clothes and household goods that could come into contact with people, the risk will increase.

The VELOXY^® System (VEry Low Oxygen) was developed and manufactured by RGI bio Steryl Tech as a result of the SAVE-ART Research activity, funded by the European Union, which was run by Cultural Heritage institutions and laboratories of four countries: Italy, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom. The experimental results, obtained through the SAVE-ART project, allowed certifying the anoxic treatment protocol to which all operators refer to.

This new method is simply based on the atmospheric air, which is made of nitrogen (about 80%) and oxygen (nearly 20%). The Veloxy method consists in separating the oxygen from the air, leaving the treated artworks in contact with just nitrogen. Since the nitrogen is completely inert, it does not have any effect on materials. Oxygen-free environments are both lethal to any organisms and completely harmless to people and materials.

Treated materials are isolated, from the atmospheric air, through tailored enclosures made of transparent gas tight plastic film that prevents artworks from being in contact with the oxygen. The nitrogen is sent to the enclosures through the VELOXY^®, creating an oxygen-free atmosphere.

Treated artworks must be left for about 22/23 days in this oxygen-free atmosphere, in order to eliminate completely the parasites at each stage of their life. This treatment is harmless both to people and artworks.

Many museums, archives and libraries worldwide have decided to adopt this new method that, in contrast to traditional treatments, does not cause any alteration to artworks.

Infesting insects tend to attach wooden FIXED STRUCTURES, such as window frames, beams, floors, ceilings. It is difficult to treat these structures using the anoxic method, as they cannot be sealed inside gastight enclosures. However, RGI has gained long-standing experience and skills about these complex situations. Please, do not hesitate to contact us and we will find a specific solution for each specific problem.

WHY IS THE VELOXY^® METHOD HARMLESS?

Through the VELOXY^® Method, treated artworks must be left in an anoxic atmosphere, i.e. an oxygen-free environment and saturated with nitrogen, a completely inert gas that makes up the 80% of the atmospheric breathable air.  

Moreover, the VELOXY^® System allows treating artworks at the same TEMPERATURE and RELATIVE HUMIDITY of the environment where they are left. Obviously, it prevents artworks from being damaged.

It cannot be said about methods that require using chemicals or substances not related to the materials of the artworks.

Even less, it cannot be said that thermal methods are harmless. They can be based on either cooling treatments (using a lower temperature that the atmospheric one) and heating treatments.

Cooling treatments are usually expensive and special attention is required during the cooling and heating phases.

The same can be said about heating treatments, in terms of costs and thermal hazard. In fact, they imply artworks to be heated to about 50°C or more and kept to these temperatures for a predetermined period of time.

As MICROWAVES are cheaper than other thermal treatments, they may be INEFFECTIVE like demonstrated by some scientific studies. Basically it is mostly due to the fact that microwaves tend to be orientated toward the same directions of wooden fibres. Sometimes, this problem can be solved by increasing either the treatment time or microwave intensity.

Moreover, microwave treatments entail temperature gradients in different parts of treated artworks. In fact, it may occur that some parts of a treated artwork reach and exceed 90°C and other parts are slightly higher than the ambient temperature. Consequently, artworks may be subject to STRUCTURAL STRESS when being treated through microwaves.

DISINFESTATION TREATMENTS AGAINST MICROORGANISMS (MOLDS, ETC.)

Disinfection treatments are aimed at eliminating microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, spores, in order to prevent people from being infected and objects or environments from being contaminated.

In particular, RGI provides customers with two different services:

1. Disinfestations treatments against mold, spores and similar infesting microorganisms;

2. Selling of the ABIOS^®, which is a machine, designed and patented by RGI, used for the sterilisation   of enclosed environments.

Concerning DISINFECTION SERVICES, RGI has developed some eco-friendly methods that are effective against fungal species, without using dangerous chemicals. When dealing with mold, firstly it is required a careful and deep examination to determine accurately its species. In fact, fighting against a fungal colony is always difficult, mostly because of their different levels of resistance and different species’ behaviour. 

For these reasons, it is crucial to perform an inspection or, at least carry out a phytopathologic analysis, so that it can be determined the most suitable treatment. However, it has to be stressed that it must always be created the most suitable temperature and humidity conditions as; in general fungal attacks are due to bad environmental conditions (wet heat).

The ABIOS^® is a machine, designed and recently patented by RGI, which allows eliminating up to 99.98% of biotic activity in closed environments. Basically the particulate – that carries viruses, bacteria and microorganisms in general – is processed through UV rays by the ABIOS^®. Unfortunately, a secondary effect of UV rays is the production of ozone, particularly toxic to people. It can be prevented through specific lamps. Apart from that, the ABIOS^® has been equipped with specific catalysts that allow eliminating the ozone from the outgoing air.

The ABIOS^® is an ideal solution for the objects protection, thanks to its unique sterilising properties.

Moreover, the ABIOS^® is very useful in creating a healthy and sterile environment for anyone who frequents that environment, regardless it is either a house or a public place.

If you require any more information about the ABIOS^®, please, do not hesitate to visit its webpage.

 

 

Commercial Information

Please, do not hesitate to contact us if you require any information, our references or further details about our machineries: it will be a real pleasure for us.

To obtain a free quote, it is just required to specify the main data (artwork dimensions, environment’s dimensions, etc)but, in case of special circumstances, we would like to remind our availability to perform a free survey at your Organization.

You can contact us directly or filling out our contact form by clicking here

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