Lead Author: Sarah Hunt

Featured heritage: Some pieces of historic wood from the impressive Mary Rose ship.

What we learned: It is well known that, as wood degrades, it emits acetic acid and other compounds. We found that even very old wood, which has been degrading for a long time, emits volatile compounds. The very common PEG treatment seems to reduce emissions, but we believe it may be trapping them inside the material. More research is needed to find out what happens in the long run.

Where can I read it? The paper is available for free in the journal