Characterisation of compounds emitted during natural and artificial ageing of a book. Use of headspace-solid-phase microextraction/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

An optimised headspace-solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) method has been applied to the analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from a groundwood pulp book naturally and artificially aged. In order to assess the potentiality of HS-SPME for accessing the compounds produced during the degradation of paper, two different accelerated ageing treatments were applied on an early 20th century book. First, a dry heat ageing was used. Then, the humidity level was increased to take into consideration the role of the hydrolysis reactions in the degradation of paper. The influence of these parameters (temperature and relative humidity) on the reaction products characterized was evaluated separately and discussed. This HS-SPME/GC/MS method associated with accelerated ageing enabled the characterisation of 36 VOCs of which four—furfural, 5-methyl furfural, vanillin and guaiacol—can be considered as relevant carbohydrates and lignin degradation compounds. Their relative abundance has been followed during ageing treatments in order to evaluate their potential role as lignocellulosic degradation markers.HS-SPME/GC/MS appears to be a suitable method for investigating volatile compounds emitted by an old book, and for distinguishing some relevant degradation compounds. Moreover, the method allowed us to monitor their relative abundance. It would now be worthwhile trying to detect these four relevant compounds in naturally aged books using a non-destructive microextraction method and, likewise to suggest a new approach to evaluate the state of deterioration of old books.