Two MA students in the UK have completed dissertations on this subject
in recent years, their results were published in Dust, Sweat and Tears:
Recent Advances in Cleaning Techniques published by the Textile Section
of UKIC. You can obtain a copy from UKIC at 109, The Chandlery, 50
Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7QY

Jenny Potter was a student on the Royal College of Art/V&A MA course -
she successfuly removed rust stains from de-accessioned pieces of 18thC
Indian chintz (with iron mordants) which had been badly stained after
becoming wet in storage in the second World War. They had been stored in
tin trunks. She used sodium dithionite in a Laponite gel and was able to
control the extent of the effect of the chelating agent very
successfully. This work is of particular interest since it was carried
out on a 'real' object. Jenny can be contacted at the British Museum -
Organic Artefacts Section, Department of Conservation, The British
Museum, Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3DG

Christina Margariti was an MA student at the Textile Conservation
Centre, University of Southampton. She wrote an excellent dissertation
on chelating agents and carried out some very good experimentation on
their application. Christina can be contacted at [log in to unmask] or
Conservation Directorate, Greek Ministry of Culture, 16-18 Amfias
Street, Gyzi, 114 75, Athens, Greece

Lynda Hillyer
V&A

>>> [log in to unmask] 10/03/2004 22:18:10 >>>
Hello all,



My colleagues and I are looking for information on the use, or
research
on the use of chelating agents in the removal of rust stains on cotton
or linen textiles.  We are sure that we have seen something on some
dist
list or another but our computers crashed recently and we lost all
e-mail records we had saved.  Any info would be greatly appreciated!



Thanks,

Carol Kropnick

Amann Conservation