REopening
Archives, Libraries,
and Museums
News > Test 6 is underway
Five materials that are commonly found in furnishings and exhibits of archives, libraries, and museums were selected for the sixth REALM lab test. Battelle researchers will apply a quantity of infectious COVID-19 virus to each item and then place the items unstacked in a test chamber that maintains standard office temperature and relative humidity, with no additional light or airflow. The test will measure how much virus remains after 1 hour, and then after 2, 4, 6, and 8 days under those environmental conditions. The findings from Test 6 can inform prevention and decontamination tactics for handling furnishings, equipment, and exhibits that include these materials.
The marble was provided by the National Park Service, the powder-coated steel was provided by the Library of Congress, and the laminate was provided by Metropolitan New York Library Council. The other materials were procured as samples from vendors.
The items include:
The test began on October 8, 2020, and results are expected to be released in late-November.
Also available are several materials to help support the interpretation and use of REALM project resources. These materials include: