How long does it take for Byne's disease to show up on the shells?

Carol
-----Original Message-----
From: John Jacobs <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thursday, June 17, 1999 9:46 PM
Subject: Re: Bynes disease


>Bynes disease is a very serious problem to shell collectors and museums.
>The Bishop Museum in Honolulu replaced their wooden cabinets with metal
ones
>a few years back because of this problem.  They also replaced their old
>cardboard boxes with archival quality boxes.  Land shells are particularly
>susceptible because of their thin shells.  Wood, acidic paper and cardboard
>boxes can eventually cause Bynes disease.
>
>I've seen Bynes disease.  Once a shell has it, it's too late; the shell is
>permanently damaged.
>
>John
>
>John & Cheryl Jacobs
>Seffner, FL
>[log in to unmask]
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Thursday, June 17, 1999 5:09 PM
>Subject: 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