Elmer's and Titebond have formaldehyde in them to extend shelf life.  It
does go away in time.

Latex?  A few years ago I spoke with Phil Ward, Canadian Conservation
Institute, about this.  He told me that they were still detecting
outgassing from latex paints after 18 months.

What it comes down to is be reasonable.

Soda pop, (Coca Cola, etc.) contains a bit of formaldehyde.  Potatoes,
during digestion, create ethyl alcohol (why do people become tired afer
eating a plate of fries?).

The air around us contains more chemicals than I would like to enumerate.

The important thing is to provide an escape path and reasonable air flow.

The alternative is to keep artifacts in storage.

It is true that cases can be built which mitigate against air-borne
pollutants, but most institutions cannot afford them.

Given that, what is the problem?

Exhibit artifacts for a short period of time, and sleep peacefully.

Jack C. Thompson
Thompson Conservation Laboratory
Portland, OR

jct@Reed,edu