Evaluation of a method for treatment of iron gall ink corrosion on paper

Iron gall ink was the most widely used writing ink for paper from the Middle Ages to the twentieth century. Unfortunately, the ink ingredients contain corrosive transition metal ions and acids that cause severe damage to the paper carrier. New or improved paper conservation methods for iron gall ink stabilization are constantly sought. The aim of the study was evaluation of a recently proposed stabilization treatment, adapted to lower relative humidity, applied to various model and historical paper samples containing iron gall ink. The effect of stabilization treatment on paper samples during artificial thermal aging was followed by the determination of the molecular weight distribution by size exclusion chromatography and colorimetry. Migration of iron and copper compounds from the ink lines was monitored by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The results demonstrate that effective stabilization of iron gall ink-containing paper can be successfully achieved by interleaving with papers impregnated with the antioxidant tetrabutylammonium bromide and alkaline buffer under experimental conditions. Negative side effects of the stabilization treatment, such as migration of iron or copper ions from the ink lines and changes of color after the treatment and after accelerated thermal degradation, were limited, proving that the proposed stabilization treatment can be considered for future use by conservators.     

Iron gall ink-induced corrosion of cellulose: aging,degradation and stabilization. Part 1: model paper studies

Cellulose in historic paper documents is often damaged by the writing media used, especially iron gall ink or copper pigments. Degradation induced by iron gall ink is suggested to be a synergistic process comprising both hydrolytic and oxidative reactions. These processes were studied on very low sample amounts according to the CCOA and FDAM method, i.e. by fluorescence labeling of carbonyl and carboxyl groups in combination with GPC-MALLS, respectively. This study focused on preventive means to stop the deterioration induced by iron gall ink of cellulose and to prevent further damage, keeping in mind that a suitable conservation treatment has to hinder both, hydrolytic and oxidative processes, at the same time. A combination of the complexing agent calcium phytate and calcium hydrogencarbonate in aqueous solution was proved to give optimum results. To gain insight into long term stability, an aging step was performed after treatment and different ink modifications were tested. Recording the molecular weight distributions and the carbonyl group content over time GPC analysis verified for the first time the preventive effect of this treatment. This effect was not only seen for the ink-covered areas, but extended also to areas remote from the ink lines. Ink containing copper ions responded equally positively to the calcium phytate/hydrogencarbonate treatment as the iron gall ink papers did. Gelatine, sometimes used in a similar way due to an alleged cellulose-stabilizing effect did not have a beneficial influence on cellulose integrity when metal ions were present.     

Iron gall ink-induced corrosion of cellulose: aging,degradation and stabilization. Part 2: application on historic sample material

Degradation of cellulose in historic paper by iron gall ink is a synergistic process of both, acid hydrolysis caused by acidic ink ingredients and oxidation catalyzed by free iron and/or copper ions. The interplay of both reactions was studied according to the CCOA method on historic paper samples. Only minute amounts (few mg) of the samples were required to obtain profiles of naturally present and oxidatively introduced carbonyl groups, which was done by group-selective fluorescence labeling in combination with determination of the molecular weight distribution by GPC-MALLS. In the present study naturally occurring degradation pathways in historic sample papers have been investigated. Different extents of oxidatitive degradation were shown for paper with and without ink. A typical pattern of the molecular weight distribution in naturally aged papers was identified, the peculiar feature being a distinctive shoulder in the region of low molecular weight, roughly between 25,000 and 5,000 g/mol corresponding to a DP between 150 and 30. This pattern was a typical attribute of degraded natural samples: any artificial aging procedures aimed at modeling natural aging processes must thus attempt to reproduce this feature. Although the historic samples had been more severely oxidized than model papers, the inhibition of further oxidation and hydrolysis by the calcium phytate/hydrogen carbonate treatment was evident and could be proven for the first time on the molecular level. Also on plain paper without ink application the oxidation was suppressed and the molecular weight was stabilized on a high level.     

Comparison of Aqueous and Non-Aqueous Treatments of Cellulose to Reduce Copper-Catalyzed Oxidation Processes

Summary. The present paper examines oxidative degradation of cellulose catalyzed by presence of Cu¹⁺and Cu²⁺ ions in the context of historic paper conservation treatments. Aqueous treatments of degraded papers further spread transition metal ions, such as copper, across the fibre matrix, and therefore augment the detrimental effect of these ions. In the paper industry, the inhibiting effects of magnesium ions on metal-catalyzed degradation of cellulose contaminated with metal impurities have been observed. Also, magnesium compounds dissolved in alcoholic or aqueous solutions are generally used in paper conservation as deacidification agents. Paper samples with artificially produced copper corrosion served as mock-ups for examination and comparison of different treatments which focused on the inhibiting effect of magnesium and antioxidants. Analytical examination of molecular weight distribution, carbonyl content, carboxyl content, and surface pH was performed. Results show an inhibiting effect of magnesium on copper-catalyzed cellulose degradation, although less pronounced than expected.     

Emission of reactive oxygen species during degradation of iron gall ink

Iron gall inks are characterised by high contents of acids and transition metals, promoting degradation of cellulose due to hydrolysis and oxidation, respectively. Their chemical interaction with the environment is not well understood, especially in view of emissions of degradation products which could lead to spread of degradation processes.In order to study the emissions, we employed gas chromatography/mass spectrometry following headspace micro-extraction, and liquid chromatography following hydroxyl radical scavenging with appropriate probes. We also studied chemiluminescence of cellulose affected by ink degradation.We show that while the emissions of organic volatile degradation compounds by inks are less intense than those of surrounding paper, ink does promote the degradation of cellulose across big distances (from object to object). We were able to link this to emission of reactive oxygen species, probably hydrogen peroxide. Its emission from ink is considerably more intensive than from paper.     

Study of the copper effect in iron-gall inks after artificial ageing

Iron-gall inks consist of a mixture of vitriols (sulphates of certain metals), gall nut extracts and arabic gum. The association of the iron(II) sulphate present in vitriols, and the gallic acids present in the gall nut extracts induces, after exposure to oxygen, the formation of dark coloured compounds of ink. In addition to iron, this kind of inks contains other metals, such as copper, zinc, and nickel. Among them, copper could be considered the most important because, owing to its catalytic ability, it can be involved in the processes concerning formation and stability of iron complexes, which are responsible for the ink dark colour. For this purpose, four different iron-gall inks containing increasing amounts of copper sulphate were prepared according to a traditional receipt and applied on paper supports. The ink-stained paper specimens were subjected to an intense analytical program to investigate their chemical and physical modifications after artificial ageing (both temperature/humidity and ultraviolet light ageing). The role of copper in the iron-gall inks was evaluated using optical microscopy, colorimetric measurements, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDX) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). For the evaluation of the oxidation state of iron and copper, X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XANES) was used. All results indicate that the presence of copper in iron-gall ink causes colour variation, affects the migratory behaviour of iron in the paper, increases the formation of secondary products particularly when ageing process based on temperature/humidity variations is considered.     

The role of transition metals in oxidative degradation of cellulose

The role of transition metals in oxidative degradation of cellulose has been studied. Degradation experiments with model papers and studies of hydroxyl radical production in solution have been performed with Fe, Cu, Mn, Co, Cr, Ni, and Zn. Rates of production of hydroxyl radicals in solution have been estimated using the radical scavenger N,N′-(5-nitro-1,3-phenylene)bisglutaramide in the pH interval 7-9. Hydroxyl radical production during degradation of Cu-containing cellulose has been studied. To gain a better insight into chemistry behind degradation processes, chemiluminometric experiments were also performed.The experiments provide strong evidence that the role of transition metals during the oxidative degradation of cellulose is catalytic. A correlation between the behaviour of transition metals in solution and in paper was established at low contents of transition metal in paper.     

The influence of alkaline reserve on the aging behavior of book papers

Degradation of cellulose under alkaline conditions is involved either involuntarily or deliberately in many different cellulose processing steps, such as pulping, bleaching, or aging within the viscose process, and the underlying chemistry has been the topic of numerous studies. When it comes to aging under alkaline conditions—either natural or accelerated (artificial)—the degradation processes are by far less investigated and understood. A prominent example of moderately alkaline cellulosic material is deacidified book paper from libraries which had undergone a mass-deacidification treatment. We studied their aging behavior under accelerated conditions in comparison to non-deacidified duplicates in order to better understand how the alkaline reserve, which was introduced by the deacidification treatment, affects the stability of the books on the long run. GPC analysis of cellulose and determination of carbonyl functionalities were performed, which were critical parameters to achieve a deeper insight into hydrolytic and oxidative changes of cellulose structure upon deacidification treatment and subsequent aging. Also, model book papers impregnated with different amounts of alkaline reserve were used to support the findings from the original book samples. Hydrolytic degradation rates of the original book papers were significantly reduced after mass deacidification compared to the non-deacidified duplicates. The beneficial effect of mass deacidification on cellulose stability was found to be strongly related to the amount of alkaline reserve deposited, independent of varying parameters of book papers. Although some indication of alkali-induced β-elimination was found (a minor decrease of the along-chain carbonyl content in the original deacidified book papers during aging), it did not occur to an extent that significantly influenced the molar mass of cellulose. The beneficial effect of retarded hydrolytic degradation by mass deacidification thus clearly outweighed possible negative alkalinity effects of the deposited alkaline reserve.     

Antioxidant Activity of Deferasirox and Its Metal Complexes in Model Systems of Oxidative Damage: Comparison with Deferiprone

Deferasirox is an orally active, lipophilic iron chelating drug used on thousands of patients worldwide for the treatment of transfusional iron overload. The essential transition metals iron and copper are the primary catalysts of reactive oxygen species and oxidative damage in biological systems. The redox effects of deferasirox and its metal complexes with iron, copper and other metals are of pharmacological, toxicological, biological and physiological importance. Several molecular model systems of oxidative damage caused by iron and copper catalysis including the oxidation of ascorbic acid, the peroxidation of linoleic acid micelles and the oxidation of dihydropyridine have been investigated in the presence of deferasirox using UV-visible and NMR spectroscopy. Deferasirox has shown antioxidant activity in all three model systems, causing substantial reduction in the rate of oxidation and oxidative damage. Deferasirox showed the greatest antioxidant activity in the oxidation of ascorbic acid with the participation of iron ions and reduced the reaction rate by about a 100 times. Overall, deferasirox appears to have lower affinity for copper in comparison to iron. Comparative studies of the antioxidant activity of deferasirox and the hydrophilic oral iron chelating drug deferiprone in the peroxidation of linoleic acid micelles showed lower efficiency of deferasirox in comparison to deferiprone.     

The influence of polyvalent cations on the thermostability of cellulose

The influence of some polyvalent cations on the thermostability of cellulose was investigated using both conventional TG analysis and quasi-isothermal treatment at elevated temperatures. It was established that ions of copper, cobalt and iron absorbed in the cellulose fibre surface accelerated the thermal decomposition of cellulose chain molecules, the temperature of the main decomposition decreasing very significantly. Lewis acid type additives (such as ZnCl₂) promote the hydrolytic decomposition and hence the temperature of the post-decomposition increases compared with that of the blank sample. Ions of alkaline earth metals (Ca and Ba) do not affect the thermal behaviour of cellulose fibres. From the results of the quasi-isothermal experiments the apparent energy of activation for the decomposition of cellulose in the presence of metal ions was calculated.     

Stability of Alum-Containing Paper under Alkaline Conditions

The present contribution evaluates the methods of degradation and stabilization of alum-containing paper with a focus on the alkaline environment achieved by deacidification procedures. In terms of reviewed subjects, the contribution focuses on alum-rosin sized paper, which is still used as a carrier of knowledge and information; however, it also mentions cellulose itself and other brands of paper. The contribution summarizes the results on the homogeneity of the distribution of alum and rosin in the paper mass and on the paper surface. It provides the knowledge gained in the field of alkaline hydrolysis and oxidation with special regard to transition metal species. It shows the values of alkaline reserves achieved in the main mass-deacidification processes. On the basis of the acquired knowledge, the contribution emphasizes the procedures of paper stabilization. Criteria of “increased mechanical permanence and lifetime prolongation” adopted to evaluate and compare the efficacy of individual mass-deacidification processes were applied and corresponding data are introduced. The contribution also draws attention to the existence of open issues in the area of paper degradation and stabilization.     

A fluorescence labeling approach to assess the deterioration state of aged papers

Deterioration of historical papers is caused by several processes, such as acid hydrolysis or autoxidation due to the presence of metal ions contained in inks or pigments. Both processes can be studied by fluorescence labeling of carbonyl and carboxyl groups in combination with GPC-MALLS. This technique allows to determine not only the extent of hydrolysis, but also the concentration of oxidized functionalities within very low sample amounts.The thermally induced aging of rag papers with lines of copper pigment has been investigated, simulating green or blue copper pigments in historic wall papers. The cellulose parts with pigment coverage and adjacent pigment-free regions were analyzed separately and compared to paper parts not affected by metal ions. The cellulose underneath and close to the applied pigment strokes was severely affected. Although there was no difference in the molecular weight distribution, distinct differences in the carbonyl and carboxyl content were observed. Copper ion migration is suggested to be one possible explanation for this observation as a strong correlation between distribution of copper ions and carbonyl groups was found. For the first time, a detailed examination of cellulose damage in spatial proximity to metal-containing pigment lines is thus presented.     

The application of 5,5,7,12,12,14-hexamethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane to the extraction of metal ions

The use of 5,5,7,12,12,14-hexamethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane (Tet) in chloroform solutions provides quantitative extraction of lead(II), cadmium(II), copper(II) and zinc(II) at different pH values from solutions containing perchlorate and cyclohexanecarboxylic acid. Nickel(II) and cobalt(II) ions are not extracted quantitatively. Single extractions of mixtures of copper with transition metals gave the best separations for the copper/nickel system. Separations of copper from cobalt, lead, manganese and iron were less satisfactory.     

Historical iron gall ink containing documents — Properties affecting their condition

Iron gall ink, also referred to as iron gallotannate ink, is one of the most important inks in the history of western civilisation, and was in widespread use from the middle ages until the 20th century. Unfortunately, iron ions and acids present in these inks induce enhanced degradation of paper, thus severely damaging numerous historical artefacts. Yet, when examining documents, it is frequently observed that not all materials containing iron gall ink are suffering from ink corrosion. While some are completely destroyed, others may be in excellent condition even centuries after their creation. In order to establish the main properties of materials, common to severely degraded documents, the effects of the type and quantity of metal ions in the ink, as determined by in-air PIXE method, pH of the ink on paper, grammage of paper, its absorptivity and the width of ink lines were evaluated against the extent of corrosion. Using multiple linear regression analysis, a correlation has been obtained between the width of the applied ink lines, pH, grammage of paper and the extent of ink corrosion. Based on these factors, which can be acquired non-destructively from most historical documents, it is therefore possible to predict the stability of historical iron gall ink containing paper.     

Metal ion separations using cellulose phosphate as an ion-exchanger

Cellulose phosphate is used as a chelating ion-exchanger to effect the separation of several metal ions. Its exchange rate is much more rapid than that of a chelating ion-exchanger containing phosphonic acid groups on a polystyrene matrix. Weight distribution coefficients as a function of hydrogen ion concentration on cellulose phosphate are given for several metal ions. Successful separations of rare earths and alkaline earths, alkaline earths and alkali metals and aluminium and alkaline earths have been achieved on cellulose phosphate columns.     

Study on Determination of Six Transition Metal Ions in Biological Samples by SPE and RP‐HPLC

This paper reports the utilization of solid phase extraction and the reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography (RP‐HPLC) for the determination of six transition metal ions (iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc and manganese) in biological samples. The samples were digested by microwave digestion. The iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc and manganese ions in the digested samples can react with 2‐(2‐quinolinylazo)‐5‐diethylaminophenol (QADEAP) to form colored chelates in pH 4.0 acetic acid‐sodium acetic buffer solutions and cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTMAB) medium. These chelates were enriched by solid phase extraction with C₁₈ cartridge. Then the chelates were separated on a Waters Nova‐Pak‐C₁₈ column (3.9 × 150 mm, 5 μm) by gradient elution with methanol (containing 0.5% of acetic acid and 0.1% of CTMAB) and 0.05 mol/L pH 4.0 acetic acid‐sodium acetic buffer solution (containing 0.1% of CTMAB) as mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. The detection limits of iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc and manganese are 3 ng/L, 4 ng/L, 2 ng/L, 4 ng/L, 8 ng/L, 10 ng/L, respectively. This method was applied to the determination of iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc and manganese in biological samples with good results.     

The Progress of Ageing of Lignin-containing Paper Induced by Light and its Relation to Chemiluminescence – Temperature Runs

Lignin-containing papers from different sources and of different age were irradiated by the visible light and the progress of the degradation reaction was followed by non-isothermal chemiluminescence method. Kinetic data obtained for papers degraded in oxygen were compared with double fold endurance test and carbonyl groups concentration. The effect of lignin on degradation of cellulose after deacidification treatment of the paper by methoxymagnesium methylcarbonate (MMMC) was ascertained and a mechanism of co-oxidation of lignin and cellulose in originally alkaline conditions was outlined.     

Complexation of silver and co-recovered metals with novel aza-crown ether macrocycles by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) is used to evaluate the metal binding selectivities of an array of novel caged macrocycles for silver, gold, copper, nickel, zinc, iron, lead, manganese and alkali metal ions. It is found that five of the new compounds display silver selectivity, and their relative affinities for various metals depend on the type, number, and arrangement of heteroatoms (N, O), the cavity size, and the presence of aromatic substituents. Alkali metal cation binding studies are used to evaluate the size-selectivities of the cavities of the macrocycles. Electronic structure calculation by B3LYP density function theory methods were used to model the metal complexes. The presence of nitrogen atoms in the macrocyclic ring is essential for silver selectivity over other transition metals and alkali metal ions, and the presence of aromatic groups also enhances silver avidity. Macrocycle 3, a triaza-18-crown-6 analog modified with two phenyl groups and a cage group, is capable of selective extraction of Ag+ from aqueous solutions in the presence of other transition metal ions and the most common alkali and alkaline earth metal ions.     

Continuous sonoassisted digestion coupled to flow injection minicolumn separation for the determination of total and labile Cu and Fe in fresh waters by flame atomic absorption spectrometry

An automatic on-line system is developed for the trace determination of copper and iron species in fresh waters by flame atomic absorption spectrometry using only 5 and 2?mL of sample, for copper and iron determination, respectively. This system, which includes a home-made minicolumn of commercially available resin containing aminomethylphosphonic acid functional groups (Chelite P), comprises two operational modes. The first, used for the determination of the dissolved labile fraction (free copper and iron ions and their weak complexes) is based on the elution of this fraction from a minicolumn containing the chelating resin loaded in-situ with the sample. The second mode is used for the determination of total trace copper and iron concentrations. This last mode is based on the retention/preconcentration of total metals on the Chelite P resin after on-line sonoassisted digestion of water samples acidified with nitric acid (0.5?mol?L^?1 final concentration) to break down metal organic complexes present in fresh waters as river waters. The figures of merit for copper and iron determination in both fractions are given and the obtained values are discussed. The analytical method was characterized and the limit of detection and limit of quantification for the two metals were 0.5 and 1.6?µg?L^?1 for Cu and 2.3 and 6.1?µg?L^?1 for Fe, respectively. The repeatability, expressed as relative standard deviation, was in the range 1.0–2.1%. The speciation scheme was applied to the analysis of river surface water samples collected in Galicia (Northwest, Spain).     

Determination of iron, copper and aluminium by gas-liquid chromatography

Gas chromatography has been utilised in the analysis of two National Bureau of Standard alloys for quantitative determination of aluminium, iron and copper. In the analysis of N.B.S. 162a the relative mean errors were 3.13% for aluminium, 2.06% for iron and -1.72% for copper and for N.B.S. 164a the relative mean errors were -1.39%, -0.19% and -0.89% for aluminium, iron and copper, respectively. The procedure for analysis involves solution of the alloy, conversion of the metal ions to trifluoroacetylacetonates by solvent extraction and, finally, complete separation of the metal chelates and quantitative determination by gas chromatography using a column containing Gas Pack F coated with Tissuemat E, a polyethylene wax. Other metals present in the N.B.S. samples did not interfere with the determination of aluminium, iron and copper.