Vinegar syndrome

Vinegar syndrome, also known as acetic acid syndrome,[1] is a condition created by the deacetylation of cellulose acetates (usually cellulose diacetate) and cellulose triacetate.[2] This deacetylation produces acetic acid, giving off a vinegar odor that gives the condition its name; as well, objects undergoing vinegar syndrome often shrink, become brittle, and form crystals on their surface due to the migration of plasticizers.[3] Vinegar syndrome widely affects cellulose acetate film as used in photography.[4] It has also been observed to affect older magnetic tape, where cellulose acetate is used as a base, as well as polarizers used in liquid-crystal display units and everyday plastics such as containers and tableware.[5][6][7][8] High temperatures and fluctuations in relative humidity have been observed to accelerate the process.[3] The process is autocatalytic, and the damage done by vinegar syndrome is irreversible.[3][4]

For the home video distribution company, see Vinegar Syndrome.
Shrinking and warpage of 16 mm film caused by vinegar syndrome
Bubbling and warpage of a laptop's LCD polarizer caused by vinegar syndrome

History
Further information: Cellulose acetate film § Decay and the "vinegar syndrome"

The first instance of cellulose triacetate degradation was reported to the Eastman Kodak Company within a decade of its introduction in 1948. The first report came from the Government of India, whose film materials were stored in hot, humid conditions. It was followed by further reports of degradation from collections stored in similar conditions. These observations resulted in continuing studies in the Kodak laboratories during the 1960s. Film degradation can only be delayed by storage in dry and cold conditions. It was initially thought that storage under recommended conditions might delay decay by 450 years, but some films are developing vinegar syndrome after just 70 years of cold dry storage.[4]

The film preservationist Harold Brown is credited with coining the phrase "vinegar syndrome".[9]

Testing

A testing product developed by the Image Permanence Institute, A-D, or "acid-detection" indicator strips change color from blue through shades of green to yellow with increasing exposure to acid. According to the test User's Guide, they were "created to aid in the preservation of collections of photographic film, including sheet and roll films, cinema film, and microfilm. They provide a nondestructive method of determining the extent of vinegar syndrome in film collections."[10][8] These tools can be used to determine the extent of damage to a film collection and which steps should be taken to prolong their usability.[8]

See also

References
  1. Jia, Zhihui; Jing Li; Yuhu Li; Yunpeng Qi; Daodao Hu; Huiping Xing; Xiaolian Chao (October 2, 2020). "The treatment of microbubble disease of 20th century cellulose acetate microfilm: application of ethyl cellulose and microrepair method". Heritage Science. Springer Science+Business Media. 8. doi:10.1186/s40494-020-00444-6.
  2. Wypych, George (2023). Handbook of Odors in Plastic Materials. Elsevier Science. p. 130. ISBN 9781774670217 – via Google Books.
  3. Ahmad, Ida R.; Deborah Cane; Joyce H. Townsend; Cristian Triana; Luca Mazzei; Katherine Curran (February 2020). "Are we overestimating the permanence of cellulose triacetate cinematographic films? A mathematical model for the vinegar syndrome". Polymer Degradation and Stability. Elsevier Science. 172: 109050. doi:10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2019.109050. ISSN 0141-3910. S2CID 214126667.
  4. Ahmad, Ida R. (May 19, 2020). "Historical films may be decaying much faster than we thought thanks to 'vinegar syndrome'". The Conversation. Archived from the original on January 7, 2023.
  5. Holmes, Thom (2013). The Routledge Guide to Music Technology. Taylor & Francis. p. 245 – via Google Books.
  6. Bonifacio, Alessandro; Lorenzo Bonetti; Etienne Piantanida; Luigi de Nardo (October 10, 2023). "Plasticizer design strategies enabling advanced applications of cellulose acetate". European Polymer Journal. Elsevier Science. 197: 112360. doi:10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2023.112360. ISSN 0014-3057. S2CID 260850562.
  7. Wolfs, Jonas; Michael A. R. Meier (2021). "A more sustainable synthesis approach for cellulose acetate using the DBU/CO2 switchable solvent system". Green Chemistry. Royal Society of Chemistry. 23 (12): 4410–4420. doi:10.1039/D1GC01508G. S2CID 236263672.
  8. Shashoua, Yvonne (2012). Conservation of Plastics. Taylor & Francis. p. 200. ISBN 9781136415166 – via Google Books.
  9. Jeavons, Clyde (December 12, 2008). "Obituary: Harold Brown". The Guardian. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  10. User's Guide for A-D Strips: Film Base Deterioration Monitor. Image Permanence Institute. 2001.
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