Purafil Protects the Edgar Degas wing of the National Gallery of Art

Purafil Inc., the leading manufacturer of air filtration systems for the removal of odors and gaseous pollutants, recently provided the National Gallery of Art (NGA) in Washington, D.C. with numerous Purafil Corrosion Classification Coupons (CCCs) and Purafil OnGuard® 2000 Atmospheric Corrosion Monitors to classify and monitor the environment of the Edgar Degas wing of the museum.

The Edgar Degas wing of the NGA houses nearly 50 original wax and mixed-media sculptures by Degas, including the most well-known of his sculptures, Little Dancer, Aged Fourteen. These sculptures, which are made from a mixture of beeswax and modeling clay, are off gassing and decaying their bronze casting – deteriorating from the inside out.

Purafil’s CCCs, a passive monitoring technology, are housed within the cases housing Degas’ sculptures to determine the concentration and types of gases originating from the sculpture material. Purafil’s OnGuard® 2000 Atmospheric Corrosion Monitors are used within the wing to continually measure the real-time effects of corrosion, as well as temperature, relative humidity and differential room pressure. Once a thorough assessment has been completed, Purafil will be able to identify the problem gases and establish a solution to remove those gases from the air.

For over 30 years, Purafil has developed air cleaning systems that eliminate, control and provide real-time monitoring of corrosive, odorous, hazardous and toxic gases. Purafil maintains nearly 20,000 installations in cleanroom, commercial, industrial, preservation and water-wastewater treatment settings worldwide.