That Acidic Smell

[HeyMoe]

We all have those comics that have that acidic, vinegry, odour.

 

- What causes it?

- Is it a precursor to something else? ie. Does it mean that the paper will turn brittle sooner than a book without the smell.

- Is it something to be concerned about?

(Something I'm looking to buy off eBay is described as having the smell.)

 

Thanks.

 

[FFB]

The cellulose chains that form the paper break down in the presence of moisture, heat, light, and atmospheric pollutants, thereby forming acids (this is called "acid hydrolysis"). It is those acids that you are smelling.

 

And yes, it is bad for the paper. In general, it means that it is in a state of decay worse than a book that does not have the smell. If you spray the pages with a deacidification spray such as Bookkeeper, you can get rid of the smell and arrest the acid hydrolysis, as well as impart an alkaline reserve to the paper. But Bookkeeper spray is expensive and you have to be careful when you use it.

[Ze-man]

It could also be a result from mothballs,paint/solvents stored nearby,B.O.

 

Who knows.

 

But it can possibly carry over and make your other books smell too.

 

I would stay away personally.

 

 

[HeyMoe]

What's funny is that I don't see it used often when describing the condition of a book. (Especially on eBay.)

 

Thanks guys.

[buttock]

You were right about it smelling like vinegar (acetic acid).

 

Here's a great summary from the LOC.

[Makmorn]

There are some cheaper methods to help remove the smell, they work to various degrees depending on the odear. One method is to use cedar chips that you can buy at the grocery store in the pet isle (for rabbit or other small animal cages) and put it in a plastic storage container along with the book, it takes a week or so but most of the smell will be gone, probably not all of it though. Also, coffee can help pull the smell out of a book, plus the book smells like Starbucks once it's done. I had some old books (not comics) with odor and these methods helped a lot, and it was cheap. That said, they still had a slight odor, just not nearly as bad.

[nocutename]

I am surprised that a seller listed the books that way. I have been saddled with too many books from ebay with this horrific smell. My advice is to stay way from them. They will make your other books smell if you store them together. They are not pleasant to read either because the odor is intense.

 

I have tried the baking soda technique and it only worked on books that have the old comic book smell that is a bit musty from age. But acid smell or oil smell did not work using the baking soda in a box and I stored them for a few months. I will try the cedar chips though as the Baking soda technique takes a few months to work it at all.

[Dick Pontoon]

The cellulose chains that form the paper break down in the presence of moisture, heat, light, and atmospheric pollutants, thereby forming acids (this is called "acid hydrolysis"). It is those acids that you are smelling.

 

And yes, it is bad for the paper. In general, it means that it is in a state of decay worse than a book that does not have the smell. If you spray the pages with a deacidification spray such as Bookkeeper, you can get rid of the smell and arrest the acid hydrolysis, as well as impart an alkaline reserve to the paper. But Bookkeeper spray is expensive and you have to be careful when you use it.

 

Careful in what way, applying it too heavily? What are the ramifications if one isn't careful?

[Makmorn]

He is probably refering to the chance of having the ink run, or adhesives soften in a squarebound.

 

http://apps.webcreate.com/ecom/catalog/product_specific.cfm?ClientID=15&ProductID=23774

[FFB]

The cellulose chains that form the paper break down in the presence of moisture, heat, light, and atmospheric pollutants, thereby forming acids (this is called "acid hydrolysis"). It is those acids that you are smelling.

 

And yes, it is bad for the paper. In general, it means that it is in a state of decay worse than a book that does not have the smell. If you spray the pages with a deacidification spray such as Bookkeeper, you can get rid of the smell and arrest the acid hydrolysis, as well as impart an alkaline reserve to the paper. But Bookkeeper spray is expensive and you have to be careful when you use it.

 

Careful in what way, applying it too heavily? What are the ramifications if one isn't careful?

 

Don't overapply it, don't apply it unevenly, don't get it on the cover or else it'll leave a chalky residue.

[divad]

What's funny is that I don't see it used often when describing the condition of a book. (Especially on eBay.)

 

Thanks guys.

 

Generally, sellers don't disclose "stinky" books . . .

 

It is a real pet peeve of mine, and as FFB states, it is a serious indicator of advanced degradation of newsprint.

[HeyMoe]

These methods are surely only getting rid of the smell, not the cause.?

 

I am surprised that a seller listed the books that way. I have been saddled with too many books from ebay with this horrific smell. My advice is to stay way from them. They will make your other books smell if you store them together. They are not pleasant to read either because the odor is intense.

 

I have tried the baking soda technique and it only worked on books that have the old comic book smell that is a bit musty from age. But acid smell or oil smell did not work using the baking soda in a box and I stored them for a few months. I will try the cedar chips though as the Baking soda technique takes a few months to work it at all.

[nocutename]

These methods are surely only getting rid of the smell, not the cause.?

 

I am surprised that a seller listed the books that way. I have been saddled with too many books from ebay with this horrific smell. My advice is to stay way from them. They will make your other books smell if you store them together. They are not pleasant to read either because the odor is intense.

 

I have tried the baking soda technique and it only worked on books that have the old comic book smell that is a bit musty from age. But acid smell or oil smell did not work using the baking soda in a box and I stored them for a few months. I will try the cedar chips though as the Baking soda technique takes a few months to work it at all.

 

They don't get rid of the acid smell that you are talking about. Sad but true, not too many listing will state that there is a musty or acid smell. I purchase lots on ebay for readers and then flip them not really making a profit but keeps me reading cheaply. I have gotten more than once these acid smelling books. One set was so foul smelling that is it literally painful to read them. It is just my luck of the draw sometimes and I normally now inquire about any funky odor.

 

You are correct that these methods I mentioned will not revert the aging process or acidity of the books. I think you can use mircochamber paper to halt the process from going any further. The books I purchased were so cheap that it would not make sense to try it.

[Makmorn]

These methods are surely only getting rid of the smell, not the cause.?

 

The cause is usually exposure to moisture or humidity for a prolonged amount of time. (if you ever had dirty gym socks in a duffle bag for a few days, you get the idea). Most of the time it could be due to the fact the books were stored in a leaky basement or somewhere that was not climate controlled, some self storage facilities are climate controlled, most are not.

 

Regular books can actually grow a type of black mold on the pages that is very nasty, and can spread to other books. Leather bound books sometimes get a type of green mold that is similar to, or a form of the black mold, once again, very nasty. You can build a container with Lysol in a bowl below the book to kill the mold, but I have had very little success with moldy books. Sometimes if you just have the black mold on the edge of the pages, you can clamp the book and use a mild (10%) bleach solution and removed the mold from the edges of a book, but you have to be careful not to over do it, and do not unclamp the book before it is dry as the pages will wrinkle. That said, wrinkled pages are still better than moldy.

 

 

[HeyMoe]

Sad but true, not too many listing will state that there is a musty or acid smell. I purchase lots on ebay for readers and then flip them not really making a profit but keeps me reading cheaply. I have gotten more than once these acid smelling books. One set was so foul smelling that is it literally painful to read them. It is just my luck of the draw sometimes and I normally now inquire about any funky odor.

 

That's why the listing I saw that mentioned it stood out.

 

I suppose my next question would be: Is this allowed in the VG range?

[mtlevy]

I got a book that smelled like old lady perfume once...very strong..urgh

[FFB]

These methods are surely only getting rid of the smell, not the cause.?

 

I am surprised that a seller listed the books that way. I have been saddled with too many books from ebay with this horrific smell. My advice is to stay way from them. They will make your other books smell if you store them together. They are not pleasant to read either because the odor is intense.

 

I have tried the baking soda technique and it only worked on books that have the old comic book smell that is a bit musty from age. But acid smell or oil smell did not work using the baking soda in a box and I stored them for a few months. I will try the cedar chips though as the Baking soda technique takes a few months to work it at all.

 

They don't get rid of the acid smell that you are talking about. Sad but true, not too many listing will state that there is a musty or acid smell. I purchase lots on ebay for readers and then flip them not really making a profit but keeps me reading cheaply. I have gotten more than once these acid smelling books. One set was so foul smelling that is it literally painful to read them. It is just my luck of the draw sometimes and I normally now inquire about any funky odor.

 

You are correct that these methods I mentioned will not revert the aging process or acidity of the books. I think you can use mircochamber paper to halt the process from going any further. The books I purchased were so cheap that it would not make sense to try it.

 

Microchamber paper can slow down the process if the paper is relatively fresh, but if the paper is already smelling sharply acidic, Microchamber paper is not going to do much. The only option at that point is deacidification because the paper is already degraded and the acids within the paper are accelerating the degradation process. Microchamber paper captures and neutralizes acids that migrate out of the paper, but it does nothing to the acids that remain in the paper and attack the cellulose chains. Once the paper has degraded significantly, the only way you're going to arrest the process is to deacidify the paper and impart an alkaline reserve into the paper itself.

[Nostalgic Attic]

 

Don't overapply it, don't apply it unevenly, don't get it on the cover or else it'll leave a chalky residue.

 

Is there a way to get rid of the chalky residue if it is applied to the cover? I have a book that currently has that problem.

[Dick Pontoon]

 

Don't overapply it, don't apply it unevenly, don't get it on the cover or else it'll leave a chalky residue.

 

Is there a way to get rid of the chalky residue if it is applied to the cover? I have a book that currently has that problem.

 

Is it visible enough to show up in a scan? I'd like to see what it looks like.

[Ze-man]

 

Don't overapply it, don't apply it unevenly, don't get it on the cover or else it'll leave a chalky residue.

 

Is there a way to get rid of the chalky residue if it is applied to the cover? I have a book that currently has that problem.

 

Is it visible enough to show up in a scan? I'd like to see what it looks like.

 

Like atomized magnesium oxide(which I assume it what it's made of and is white and chalky in powder form) sprayed on a glossy surface because it was meant more for interior, newsprint type paper. Depending on how heavy handed they used the spray will determine how chalky it looks.

 

Aside from wiping it off(which I assume you tried already?) I am not sure. does the residue feel part of the cover now?, or more loose and gritty sitting on the surface?

 

Edit, just found this listed on Bookeepers website faq regarding being used on glossy paper.

 

This type of paper will absorb less alkaline buffer and will usually have a light coating on the surface as well. The surface material can be removed by wiping, and the paper will retain some alkaline buffer.