Work

Numerical analysis applied to wood materials selection for museums based on acetic acid and formic acid emissions

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Acetic acid and formic acid, emitted from wood and wood-based building materials, are important agents of metal corrosion and discoloration in museum artifacts. The use of low-emission wood-based materials in the design and construction of display cases or storage facilities offers a straightforward approach to mitigating such chemical emissions. In this study, we applied an established mathematical model to analyze the emission behavior of acetic acid and formic acid from wood-based materials, with consideration of their non-uniform and time-dependent characteristics. The applicability of the double-exponential model for acetic acid and the first-order decay model for formic acid was examined using plywood, solid wood, and wood flooring specimens. Furthermore, through numerical analysis, we developed a method to compare the relative emission amounts of different materials. Our findings provide insights into the long-term emission characteristics of acetic acid and formic acid and offer useful indicators for selecting appropriate materials for museum environments.

Source: npj Heritage Science

DOI: 10.1038/s40494-026-02754-7

Authors: Tomoko Kotajima, Masamitsu Inaba

Institution: Tokyo University of the Arts

Language: English

Topic: Conservation Techniques and Studies

Subfield: Conservation

Field: Arts and Humanities

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: hybrid

Funder: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science