Digital BW, The Print

I have managed to get Preservation Technologies, the maker of the
"Bookkeeper" & "Archival Mist" deacidification spray products, interested in
the EAM acididity problem.  They are going to purchase some EAM, treat it,
and test it.  This will take several weeks, but we might just have an
authoritative answer or opinion as to whether EAM can be easily treated and
be made more archival -- in effect, "acid free."

In discussing the issue with one of Preservation Technologies' technical
representatives, it appears that EAM might not be too thick to be simply
sprayed on the back.  The process appears to work for post card, that might
be just as thick as EAM.  Even though my testing with an Abbey acid pen
found the interior of the paper to still be acidic, this is not the end of
the story.  As I expected, one key to the system is that the H+ ions
migrate.  It takes 2-3 weeks after spraying the buffer on the back for the
ions to migrate around and be captured by the magnesium oxide buffer.  So,
while the interior of the paper may be acidic right after an application of
the spray, a few weeks later it might be "acid free."

Note that buffering will not stop lignin from turning brown with light (UV)
exposure.  So, the lignin test that is, hopefully, also being done is still
relevant.  We do not know whether the yellowing that Wilhelm found was
caused by lignin or some other problem.

So, stay tuned, we should have some interesting results in several weeks.

Paul
http://www.PaulRoark.com