Scientists from LP3 Conservation in France spent countless hours caring for each artifact and removing bacteria, salt and acid build-up that had formed while the objects rested on the ocean floor.
Scientists follow a careful process to remove rust and salt deposits from each recovered artifact.
Once removed from the water, the artifact is cleaned with a soft brush and placed in a foam- lined tube of water. At the lab the artifact is washed repeatedly in de-ionized water to leach out contaminating surface salts. Metal objects are placed in chemical baths and wired to a negative battery terminal. A positive cage covers the object and connects to a positive terminal. Scientists have recently begun to use electric currents to remove salts from paper, leather and wood.