Quality Assessment of Box Materials for Long-Term Archival Storage: VOC Emissions Are Not a Significant Concern

A potential impact of archival storage materials that seems to be of increased concern is the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from such materials. In this study, VOC emissions from cardboard and polypropylene were analyzed using thermal desorption gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and ion chromatography (IC), with particular attention given to acetic and formic acids, and their impact was evaluated using Oddy tests. While the latter revealed that some nonarchival grade packaging materials could represent a risk to both metal and paper, which can be explained by VOC emissions measured using GC-MS, acid emissions measured at room temperature provided a different picture. Equilibrium acid concentration was modeled in archival boxes, which turned out to be insignificant in comparison with the current standards for archival air quality. This suggests that even nonarchival quality boxes do not significantly contribute to the degradation of paper, which emits its own VOCs, including organic acids. With suitable air exchange rates, the concern about box materials significantly contributing to VOC-induced degradation of paper stored within is thus not justified. Additionally, Oddy tests and other emission tests at elevated temperatures need to be re-evaluated in relation to their value to preventive conservation of organic materials.