An infrared, SEM and XRF study of the paper of a 1588 Spanish book

Abstract

An infrared, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray fluorescencestudy was performed onthe Spanish book entitledTreated of the True and False Prophecy printed in Segovia during 1588. Three small samples were taken from the margins of three pages. Two of them belong to the original book while the third one is from a page added later during the binding of the book. The first result is that the paper is contaminated with numerous metallic elements. The distribution of these contaminants in the three samples suggests that this process began after the binding of the book. The carbonate moiety of the calcium carbonate seems to have disappeared with the passing of time transformed in carbon dioxide. Al, K and S, components of potassium alum are detected by SEM and XRF analyses. Gelatin seems to be present because some IR bands of proline suggest that. There is an unsolved problem with some IR bands because of the fact that they can be ascribed to two different entities.