This study investigates the complex mixture of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released by and accumulated within a collection of historic medicinal, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic artifacts housed at the National Museum of American History (Smithsonian Institution). In recent years, staff have become concerned, both for the safety of the objects and for personnel working in the collection, about strong unremediated odors accumulating within several storage cabinets. Museum staff also wondered if non-odorous off-gassing might need remediation. Solid-phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis (SPME–GC–MS) was used to identify VOCs present in the storage room housing the collection. Over 160 compounds were detected and identified overall. Among these, 49 appeared to be directly related to ingredients used in the manufacture of many collection items. The results of the study suggest that SPME–GC–MS can be a strong tool for the rapid screening of multicomponent museum collections exhibiting off-gassing problems, before the pursuit of other more tedious analytical approaches. Additionally, the study reveals valuable insight into the characteristic volatile emission of historic medicinal, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic artifacts, increasing understanding of, and decision-making for, similar collections of objects. Eventually, it is hoped that this information can be used to inform mitigation strategies for the capture and reduction of VOCs in collections storage areas.

本研究调查了美国国家历史博物馆（史密森学会）收藏的历史医学、制药和化妆品文物中释放和积累的挥发性有机化合物 (VOC) 的复杂混合物。近年来，无论是为了物品的安全还是为了收藏品的工作人员，工作人员都开始担心在几个储藏柜中积聚的强烈的未经处理的气味。博物馆工作人员还想知道无味的排气是否需要修复。固相微萃取结合气相色谱-质谱分析 (SPME-GC-MS) 用于识别收藏品储藏室中存在的 VOC。总共检测和鉴定了 160 多种化合物。在这些当中，49 似乎与用于制造许多收藏品的成分直接相关。研究结果表明，在采用其他更繁琐的分析方法之前，SPME-GC-MS 可以成为快速筛选存在排气问题的多组分博物馆藏品的强大工具。此外，该研究揭示了对历史医学、制药和化妆品文物的特征性挥发性排放的宝贵见解，增加了对类似物品收藏的理解和决策。最终，希望此信息可用于为收集存储区域中捕获和减少 VOC 的缓解策略提供信息。研究结果表明，在采用其他更繁琐的分析方法之前，SPME-GC-MS 可以成为快速筛选存在排气问题的多组分博物馆藏品的强大工具。此外，该研究揭示了对历史医学、制药和化妆品文物的特征性挥发性排放的宝贵见解，增加了对类似物品收藏的理解和决策。最终，希望此信息可用于为收集存储区域中捕获和减少 VOC 的缓解策略提供信息。研究结果表明，在采用其他更繁琐的分析方法之前，SPME-GC-MS 可以成为快速筛选存在排气问题的多组分博物馆藏品的强大工具。此外，该研究揭示了对历史医学、制药和化妆品文物的特征性挥发性排放的宝贵见解，增加了对类似物品收藏的理解和决策。最终，希望此信息可用于为收集存储区域中捕获和减少 VOC 的缓解策略提供信息。该研究揭示了对历史医学、制药和化妆品文物的特征性挥发性排放的宝贵见解，增加了对类似物品收藏的理解和决策。最终，希望此信息可用于为收集存储区域中捕获和减少 VOC 的缓解策略提供信息。该研究揭示了对历史医学、制药和化妆品文物的特征性挥发性排放的宝贵见解，增加了对类似物品收藏的理解和决策。最终，希望此信息可用于为收集存储区域中捕获和减少 VOC 的缓解策略提供信息。