Andy,

There's no bacteria involved and even known as "disease" it's just the
result of acid vapor reacting with calcium. There is a very interesting and
informative article issued in Festivus by Sally Shelton (as far as I know
she is not a relative of Doug Shelton), Director of Collections of San Diego
Natural History Museum, a specialist in Bine's disease. I interviewed her
for our shell club newsletter an year ago and she is very cooperative.

It's also interesting to know Bine's and Bine's disease story from the
beginning.

Ken, can you help us telling when Sally's article was issued in Festivus?

All the best,

Eduardo
Brasilia, Brazil

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Assunto: [CONCH-L] Bynes disease


At http://www.mailbase.ac.uk/lists/sea-site/1999-03/0031.html, Barry Kaye
wrote,
"Calcium carbonate is susceptible to 'Bynes disease' or 'Efflorescence X' -
basically, if stored in wooden cupboards or on wooden shelves in
unventillated stores, acetic or formic acid from the wood result in the
formation of hydrated calcium formates or acetates (the actual formula is a
bit more complicated). These new minerals appear as a white 'fluff' on the
surface of the ceramic (problem is very common with natural history
collections of shells, and results in white blotches, and damage to the
surface of the shell)."

Interesting. I'd like to hear more. Are bacteria involved? What can be done
about it?

Andrew K. Rindsberg
Geological Survey of Alabama