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Ongoing development of a semi-quantitative protocol for assessing the suitability of commercial materials used to store or exhibit cellulose-based artworks

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Abstract

Emission of harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from construction materials used to store or display artworks is a significant concern for cultural heritage stewards. In this study, a simple analytical protocol that evaluates the effect of off-gassed VOCs from construction materials on cellulose was developed. The study involved artificially aging Whatman®1 (WT1) paper, a cellulose sensor which acted as a surrogate for cellulose-based artifacts in collections, in a sealed jar with nine commercially available construction materials at different aging conditions (60–80 °C for 14–28 days) to identify a viable aging protocol. High-pressure anion exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection (HPAEC-PAD) measured the glucose produced during WT1 hydrolysis from water extracts of aged samples. Ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) diffuse reflectance spectroscopy non-invasively tracked changes in absorption in the 250–500 nm range. Tests showed 80 °C for 14 days to be the aging conditions to induce measurable degradation of the cellulose sensor when aged with construction materials. HPAEC-PAD and UV–Vis data were compared with two established paper degradation analytical methods, size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and carbonyl content measurements, as well as to a diagnostic VOCs protocol, the Oddy test. HPAEC-PAD identified glucose before changes in molecular weight were identified via SEC, and UV-absorbance only moderately correlated with increasing carbonyl content. While additional tests are necessary prior the adoption of this protocol, results to date indicate the potential for the approach as a more rapid and unbiased alternative to the Oddy test for evaluating construction materials to be used near cellulosic collections.

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Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge Isabella Buscarino for providing Oddy test results and Dr. Sonja Schiehser for performing the cellulose analysis. We also thank Dr. Marcie Wiggins, who established the original processes to assess cellulose degradation using HPAEC-PAD and UV–Vis spectroscopy aging materials at 100°C for 6 days at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. This work was supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services National Leadership Grant (IMLS-NLG 30-16-0083) and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation postdoctoral fellowship awarded by the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Funding

This work was supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services National Leadership Grant (IMLS-NLG 30-16-0083) and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation postdoctoral fellowship awarded by the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Scientific Research, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Avenue, New York City, NY, 10028, USA

    Francesca Volpi, Catherine H. Stephens & Eric M. Breitung

  2. Department of Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry of Renewable Resources, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 18, 1190, Vienna, Austria

    Antje Potthast

Authors
  1. Francesca Volpi
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  2. Catherine H. Stephens
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  3. Antje Potthast
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  4. Eric M. Breitung
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Contributions

The work was originally designed by EB. Material preparation, data collection, analysis, and interpretation were performed by FV. DP and carbonyl measurements and interpretation were performed by AP. The first draft of the manuscript was written by FV. Subsequent versions of the manuscript were commented, reviewed, and edited by CHS and EB. All authors reviewed, edited, and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Francesca Volpi or Eric M. Breitung.

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Conflict of interest

The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.

Appendices

Appendix A

The glass jars, O-rings, and caps were washed prior to use using a Lancer 815 LX Dishwasher, as ported in the Met’s cleaning procedure [31]. Glass jars were washed following the “Glassware” procedure, while O-rings and plastic caps were washed according to the “No-reagent” cycle, reported in the table below.

Glassware

No-reagent cycle

Prewash

Rinse for 2 min with 60 °C water

Prewash

Rinse for 2 min with 80 °C water

Wash (base)

Rinse with 96 mL of NaOH in 12 L of water at 40 °C for 2 min

Rinse A

Rinse for 5 min with unheated water

Rinse A

Rinse for 2 min with unheated water

Rinse B

Rinse for 1 min with 80 °C water

Acid rinse

Rinse with 96 mL of phosphoric acid in 12 L of unheated water for 2 min

Purified water rinse A

Rinse for 1 min with unheated 15 MΩ-deionized water

Rinse B

Rinse for 3 min with unheated water

Purified water rinse B

Rinse for 1 min with 60 °C 15 MΩ-deionized water

Rinse C

Rinse for 3 min with unheated water

  

Purified water rinse A

Rinse for 3 min with unheated 15 MΩ-deionized water

  

Purified water rinse B

Rinse for 1 min with 60 °C 15 MΩ-deionized water

  

Appendix B

Dionex™ gold-PdH RE-carbo-quadratic waveform: series of potentials applied to the HPAEC-PAD’s electrochemical detector for carbohydrates analysis.

Time (s)

Potential (V)

Integration

0.00

0.98

OFF

0.20

0.98

ON

0.40

0.98

OFF

0.41

− 1.12

OFF

0.42

− 1.12

OFF

0.43

1.48

OFF

0.44

0.78

OFF

0.50

0.78

OFF

Appendix C

The figure below represents a WT1 paper strip analyzed non-invasively by UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy probe. The points of analysis are indicated in the central area of the strip along the length of the strip, including the edges.

figure a

Appendix D

In the figure below, five HPAED-PAD chromatograms are reported in the range between 1 and 14 min of elution time. Chromatograms refer to WT1 aged at 80 °C for 14 days with Adhesive 1, Fabric 1, Gasket 2, aged control, and WT1 unaged, respectively, from top to bottom. Glucose (Glc) retention time shifts are due to batch differences having been run several months apart. Arabinose (Arab) was identified in the chromatograms eluting around 6.4 min., while other peaks remained unknown because their retention times did not overlap those of the standards analyzed by HPAEC-PAD in this study.

figure b

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Volpi, F., Stephens, C.H., Potthast, A. et al. Ongoing development of a semi-quantitative protocol for assessing the suitability of commercial materials used to store or exhibit cellulose-based artworks. Eur. Phys. J. Plus 136, 1084 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-021-02067-7

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