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Aims: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of ambient or altered environmental conditions on the inactivation of SARS‐CoV‐2 applied to materials common in libraries, archives and museums. Methods and Results: Porous and non‐porous materials (e.g. paper, plastic protective book cover) were inoculated with approximately 1 × 105 TCID50 SARS CoV‐2 (USA‐WA1/2020), dried, placed within test chamber in either a stacked or unstacked configuration, and exposed to environmental conditions ranging from 4 to 29°C at 40 ± 10% relative humidity. The amount of infectious SARS‐CoV‐2 was then assessed at various timepoints from 0 to 10 days. Ambient conditions resulted in varying inactivation rates per material type. Virus inactivation rate decreased when materials were stacked or at colder temperatures. Virus inactivation rate increased when materials were unstacked or at warmer temperatures. Conclusions: SARS‐CoV‐2 at ambient conditions resulted in the inactivation of virus below limit of quantitation (LOQ) for all materials by Day 8. Warmer temperatures, for a subset of materials, increased SARS‐CoV‐2 inactivation, and all were

Micro-samples of loose dust, paper and paper from areas of pages with accumulated dust were obtained from a collection that was on open display in an historic library with significant levels of particulate pollution. The present study examines the origin of these dust particles and their ingress into the library books. The samples were analysed using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). Qualitative point SEM-EDS was used to identify the characteristics and origins of individual particles, while bulk analysis was achieved by rastering the electron beam over whole samples. The inorganic fraction of the dust comprised 30–40% calcium sulfate, 10–20% sodium chloride and around 50% silicon dioxide, aluminosilicates, iron oxides/hydroxides and calcium carbonate. The ratios of these components were variously maintained as the dust penetrated between the pages of the book, suggesting that in some books sodium chloride moved as a solid, and not in a solution. This preliminary study suggests that SEM-EDS is a useful tool, not only in the determination of the identities of dust particles and their origin, but also in estimating the relative amounts of dust species and the extent to which they have moved into the book. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper material produced after about 1850 contains additives that cause progressive acidification of the cellulose matrix, which can result in severe degradation of the material and simultaneous deterioration in its strength properties. This problem has affected whole stocks of libraries and archives, in response to which the process of 'mass deacidification' has been developed. In this study, the structure and chemistry of the active reagent used in the main variant of this process has been identified as magnesium n-propoxycarbonate. The reagent, introduced in an inert fluorinated solvent, neutralizes acids in the paper matrix and simultaneously deposits a reserve of alkaline magnesium salts that counteract re-acidification. At the same time, it is much less alkaline than the magnesium alcoholates so that alkali-induced degradation reactions of cellulose (β-alkoxy elimination) are avoided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research project presents the history and characteristics of traditional Korean books and bookbinding. The article also discusses some aspects of Chinese books and bookbinding that bear a particularly important relation to Korean books and form the origins and development of bookbinding in East Asia. The style of Korean bookbinding had developed under the influence of China, but its uniqueness can be recognised in paper, printing techniques, bookbinding materials and decoration. The Korean scroll constituted the majority of book formats until the twelfth century. Concertina binding had been used extensively for Buddhist texts since the middle of the Goryeo period. Side-stitched binding became the predominant binding style in Korea from the thirteenth century, long before it became popular in China. Paper mulberry was the dominant material for book paper. From the fourteenth century, the most distinctive feature of Korean publishing was the use of movable metal type, coexisting with the earlier woodblock printing. Yellow dyed, embossed, decorative covers and red thread add to the visual characteristics of Korean books. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents experimental analysis and numerical modeling of hygroscopic moisture buffering by paper and books. First, a literature review of moisture transport properties of paper is presented. Experimental work on two paper types includes SEM analysis of the paper structure, determination of sorption isotherms and water vapor permeability measurements. A hysteretic model for paper is presented, which is based on the measurement of the main adsorption and desorption curves. It is shown that the water vapor permeability in a hysteretic model is dependent on the moisture content and not on the relative humidity. Books consist of several paper sheets with air layers between the sheets. To take the air layers into account, a parallel transport model is proposed to determine the effective moisture transport properties of books taking into account the air layers. The dynamic hygroscopic behavior of small book samples was measured. It is shown that, although the water vapor permeability of different paper types can be quite different, the effusivity of a book highly depends on the presence of the air layers and can therefore remain comparable for different paper types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capillary zone electrophoresis was used for a comprehensive characterisation of several classes of degradation products from old books. Using different methods with direct and indirect UV detection, three categories of organic compounds were investigated, namely low-molar mass organic acids, aromatic lignin derivatives, and simple carbohydrates. The occurrence of these compounds in paper depended on the state of degradation and on the type of pulp. Formic, acetic, glycolic, succinic, and lactic acids originated from holocellulose degradation. In lignocellulosic papers, acetosyringone, 4-hydroxyacetophenone, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, vanillin, vanillic acid, furoic acid, and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid were attributable to the lignin fraction. These two classes of compounds could be analysed directly from the aqueous extracts of papers. Glucose and cellooligomers formed through cleavage of the cellulose chain, while the hydrolysis of hemicelluloses yielded mainly pentoses among which arabinose and xylose were the most abundant. The carbohydrates were derivatised with 4-aminobenzoic acid ethyl ester prior to analysis. All the organic compounds identified were found in a panel of papers from various origin (rag, kraft, and groundwood pulps) and diverse states of deterioration, whether naturally or artificially aged. The production of these compounds was followed during the accelerated ageing of the papers and an attempt to pointing to possible molecular indicators of paper degradation was made. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article presents a study, which applied thermographic diagnostics to the study of ancient books. In particular, the technique was tested as an evaluation tool for the state of conservation and for analyzing the structural details of some parchment bindings. With the help of thermographic analysis it was possible to detect the presence of damage, which could not be detected by optical or mechanical analysis, to test the adhesion state of the different parts of the bindings and to analyze the techniques employed for the assembly of the binding and the book-block.

The article discusses several ways on how to make capacitors from common materials. The materials used include a roll of aluminum foil, sheets of paper, and a book. The types of capacitors that were created and discussed include parallel plate capacitor, radial electrolytic capacitor, and two-plate book capacitor.

Presents short notices on the list of papers and books which apply quantitative techniques to ecology.