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The sulphur threat to marine archaeological artefacts : acid and iron removal from the Vasa

Sandström, Magnus ; Jalilehvand, Farideh ; Persson, Ingmar ; Fors, Yvonne ; Damian, Emiliana ; Gelius, Ulrik ; Hall-Roth, Ingrid ; Dal, Lovisa LU ; Richards, Vicki and Godfrey, Ian (2003) p.79-87
Abstract
An outbreak of acidity and sulphate salts was observed on the hull of the 17th-century Swedish warship Vasa, following humidity variations in the Vasa Museum during the rainy summer in 2000. Analyses of total sulphur in oak cores sampled from 16 locations showed, in the outermost 2 cm., mean concentrations betwen 0.2 and 6 mass percent. Synchrotron-based sulphur K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy revealed that a large amount of elemental sulphur in the moist wood was being oxidised to sulphuric acid, possibly catalysed by iron compounds, with the overall rate estimated to be about 100 kg sulphuric acid annually. Associated acid catalysed hydrolysis of the cellulose threatens the future preservation of the vessel. Results of tests of... (More)
An outbreak of acidity and sulphate salts was observed on the hull of the 17th-century Swedish warship Vasa, following humidity variations in the Vasa Museum during the rainy summer in 2000. Analyses of total sulphur in oak cores sampled from 16 locations showed, in the outermost 2 cm., mean concentrations betwen 0.2 and 6 mass percent. Synchrotron-based sulphur K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy revealed that a large amount of elemental sulphur in the moist wood was being oxidised to sulphuric acid, possibly catalysed by iron compounds, with the overall rate estimated to be about 100 kg sulphuric acid annually. Associated acid catalysed hydrolysis of the cellulose threatens the future preservation of the vessel. Results of tests of proposed new treatments using chelating agents to extract iron compounds from waterlogged wood and simultaneously neutralise acid are presented. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Vasa, sulphur, sulphuric acid, X-ray spectroscopy, iron, chelates, waterlogged wood, shipwreck, Vasa (regalskepp), Restaurering, Konservering (museiteknik), Marinarkeologi
host publication
Conservation science 2002 : papers from the conference held in Edinburgh, Scotland 22-24 May 2002 - papers from the conference held in Edinburgh, Scotland 22-24 May 2002
editor
Townsend, Joyce H. ; Eremin, Katherine and Adriaens, Annemie
pages
79 - 87
publisher
Archetype Publications
ISBN
1873132883
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
fcdb94c4-5f12-4d46-8623-d272d60b6ce5
date added to LUP
2024-03-20 20:11:09
date last changed
2024-03-20 21:16:00
@inproceedings{fcdb94c4-5f12-4d46-8623-d272d60b6ce5,
  abstract     = {{An outbreak of acidity and sulphate salts was observed on the hull of the 17th-century Swedish warship Vasa, following humidity variations in the Vasa Museum during the rainy summer in 2000. Analyses of total sulphur in oak cores sampled from 16 locations showed, in the outermost 2 cm., mean concentrations betwen 0.2 and 6 mass percent. Synchrotron-based sulphur K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy revealed that a large amount of elemental sulphur in the moist wood was being oxidised to sulphuric acid, possibly catalysed by iron compounds, with the overall rate estimated to be about 100 kg sulphuric acid annually. Associated acid catalysed hydrolysis of the cellulose threatens the future preservation of the vessel. Results of tests of proposed new treatments using chelating agents to extract iron compounds from waterlogged wood and simultaneously neutralise acid are presented.}},
  author       = {{Sandström, Magnus and Jalilehvand, Farideh and Persson, Ingmar and Fors, Yvonne and Damian, Emiliana and Gelius, Ulrik and Hall-Roth, Ingrid and Dal, Lovisa and Richards, Vicki and Godfrey, Ian}},
  booktitle    = {{Conservation science 2002 : papers from the conference held in Edinburgh, Scotland 22-24 May 2002}},
  editor       = {{Townsend, Joyce H. and Eremin, Katherine and Adriaens, Annemie}},
  isbn         = {{1873132883}},
  keywords     = {{Vasa; sulphur; sulphuric acid; X-ray spectroscopy; iron; chelates; waterlogged wood; shipwreck; Vasa (regalskepp); Restaurering; Konservering (museiteknik); Marinarkeologi}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{79--87}},
  publisher    = {{Archetype Publications}},
  title        = {{The sulphur threat to marine archaeological artefacts : acid and iron removal from the Vasa}},
  year         = {{2003}},
}