JAIC 53(4), 2014, pp236-251 Page 1 A model approach for finding cleaning solutions for plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) surfaces of collections objects CLARA MORALES MUÑOZ 1 , HELGE EGSGAARD 2 , JON SANZ LANDALUZE 1 , CHRISTIAN DIETZ 3 1 Department of Analytical Chemistry, Complutense University of Madrid 2 Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark 3 Stable Isotope Mass Spectrometry Facilities, Central Science Laboratory, University of Tasmania Abstract: Conservation of works of art created in plastic has become an important concern for museums and art collectors. However, the cleaning of these particular materials is still in need of further investigation. Due to the great variety of plastics formulations in art collections, it is difficult to develop a single treatment that will address the cleaning issues presented by all of them. The present work has focused on developing a surface cleaning treatment for a single commercially available plasticized PVC. This material possesses a typical cleaning problem, and the treatment development described in this study can serve as a model to provide guidelines for the investigation of cleaning methods for plasticized PVC objects. In this treatment development study, the effects of several cleaning solutions have been examined on the plasticized PVC. The saŵples’ suƌfaĐe, pƌioƌ to and after artificial photo-aging, was cleaned with several selected cleaning agents and examined by means of physical (visual examination and under magnification) and chemical techniques (attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and gas chromatography- mass spectrometry). Effective cleaning solutions for the plasticized PVC used in the study were found. In addition, a specific method to tailor cleaning mixtures for plasticized PVC objects has been developed by means of Hildebrand solubility parameters and the formulation of a Plasticizer Index calculated by quantitative measurements of the plasticizer obtained by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. Keywords: ATR-FTIR spectroscopy; Plasticized PVC; Cleaning of works of art. Corresponding author: CLARA MORALES MUÑOZ, email: moralesclara@hotmail.com This is a private copy of an unrevised and non proof read version on the Manuscript. Cite as: Journal of the American Institute for Conservation, 53 (4), 2014, pp 236-251. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1179/0197136014Z.00000000040 1 INTRODUCTION Plastics are complex materials that present an enormous diversity of chemical structures (Mills and White 1994). Several studies have already addressed the degradation and conservation of plastics (e.g., Blank 1990; Quye and Williamson 1999; van Oosten et al. 2002), but only a few have provided guidelines for their cleaning (e.g., Budden 1991; Morgan 1991; Shashoua 2008). It is unlikely that an ideal surface cleaning treatment exists for all situations, because of the wide variety of plastic materials, formulations, degradation mechanisms, type of soiling, and even the shape of the object. Instead, it is likely that individualized treatments will still need to be developed and evaluated, as is commonly done for other collection materials such as paints. Surface cleaning is usually a treatment to reduce soiling. In general, soiling is a combination of different substances and particles, such as fatty acids and triglycerides from human-based sebum (Tikka et al. 2004), natural oils, sand, insect fragments, fibers, skin, etc. (Hun Yoon and Brimblecombe 2001). Other types of compounds may also be encountered on the artwork surface, such as degraded adhesives and remains of previous restorations (Huys and van Oosten 2005), sticky tape and labels from storage, or degradation products formed during the natural aging of the object. The deposit of dust, degradation products, pollutants, etc., on the surface of a work of art may