Odor in enclosures

Elizabeth Morse <elizabeth_morse<-a t->harvard< . >edu> writes

>Not too long ago, we ordered some enclosures made using binder's
>board, acrylic-coated book cloth, alkaline/buffered lining paper,
>and PVA.  We noticed that the enclosures had a particularly strong
>vinegar odor when they arrived.

I have noticed the same thing in boxes made in-house using similar
materials.  Even after the boxes were left open (empty) for a long
time to dry, I went back to the stacks later and opened the same
boxes only to discover that a strong odor had built up inside.  Our
approach to the problem was to change over to a mixture of
PVA/paste/methyl cellulose or to straight paste for adhering the
tray linings.  This seemed to work (in the sense that there was no
perceptible odor build-up)--but no actual tests were done.  The PVA
in question was Jade 403, which in its current formulation has a
stronger odor than the same product 15 years ago.  I remember a lot
of discussion on the DistList a few years ago about various PVA's,
with some mention of odor...

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Maria Fredericks

                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 10:68
                Distributed: Wednesday, January 29, 1997
                       Message Id: cdl-10-68-005
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