acidity
A condition or state in which the concentration of
hydrogen ions in an aqueous solution exceeds that
of hydroxyl ions. Acidity is probably the most
important single factor affecting the permanence
of archival materials. Acidity alone, however,
does not necessarily connote destructiveness; the
nature of the acid, i.e., the strength of its
acidic properties, is of more importance than its
quantity; e.g., a relatively small amount of
sulfuric acid may have a greater destructive
effect than a larger quantity of lactic acid.
Because of this, both pH value and titration are
necessary to achieve adequate evaluation of the
potentially destructive effect of an acid. See
also: HYDROGEN-ION
CONCENTRATION . (144 )
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