Lignin and paper permanence

In the May 1997 issue of the Commission on Preservation and Access
(CPA) Newsletter, there is an update on the research project
conducted by scientists at the Canadian Conservation Institute and
the Pulp and Paper Research Institute of Canada
<URL:http://www-cpa.stanford.edu/cpa/newsletter/cpanl99.html>.  The
project is entitled, Permanent Paper Research: Impact of Lignin on
the Paper Permanence.  The update in CPA's Newsletter says,

   "Results from the first phase of the tests...indicate that
    acidity is the most significant factor affecting the stability
    of paper during accelerated aging, and that buffering improves
    stability."

This is not new information.  In the next sentence, however, the
update goes on to report, "There are indications that in benign
environments lignin does not have a negative impact on the
mechanical and chemical stability of paper."

Without defining what is meant by "benign environments," or
providing more substantial data, this statement seems premature and
misleading.

At the same time, I recall that an ANSI committee has been
considering a change in the Z39.48 standard for permanent paper
which limits lignin content to 1%.  As in the CCI/Paprican project
mentioned above, this effort is aimed at changing the standard to
reflect paper behavior, rather than content. (It's my understanding
that there are costs associated with removing lignin from paper pulp
that could be/would be? eliminated if the standard changed in this
way).

Obviously my knowledge of this issue is scanty.  Can anyone comment
more knowledgeably on this issue?

                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 10:98
                  Distributed: Wednesday, May 7, 1997
                       Message Id: cdl-10-98-003
                                  ***