Abstract: An anoxic treatment process which eliminates organisms such as insects, fungi and/or microbes from fine art objects such as paintings includes filling an enclosure placed around the object, flushing the enclosure of oxygen by applying an inert gas such as argon, and/or helium separately or in combination, and maintaining selected conditions of pressure, temperature, humidity and ph (acidity) for a selected period of time, typically on the order of several weeks. In one practice of the invention, infrared spectra are monitored to determine when all live organisms have been eliminated from the object, by measuring respiratory by-products from the organisms to determine when all have been eliminated. The by-product measurement system may utilize a Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy system (FTIR) to monitor carbon dioxide and/or methane.