gr wrote:

As a newcomer to this group, I read with some interest a recent
discussion about the use of bleach (chlorine assumed) to clean the edges
of a book.
I noted a number of outraged responses, and this is reasonable for rare
books, but the individual was working with what he considered an
expendable book. I tend to want to preserve artifacts for future
generations, so cautions are advised for all in the use of various
chemicals. The responses overall ranged from useful, to distressed, to
explanatory. Mostly this newsgroup seems quite civil and informative and
I am glad it is available.
snip
gr


A good internet article on the effects of chlorine bleach on
paper is to be found at:
http://aic.stanford.edu/sg/bpg/annual/v01/bp01-05.html

And this article on which chlorine dioxide is preferable to
the standard hypochlorite bleach as it does not attack
cellulose.
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp160-c5.pdf

And finally this from the Abbey Newsletter
http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/byaut...ow/chap06.html


Francis A. Miniter