Old books smell of decay

Transcript

Old books smell so vivid because paper, ink, and bindings slowly break down and release volatile organic compounds into the air. Researchers have linked that aroma to compounds such as vanillin, furfural, toluene, ethylbenzene, benzaldehyde, and acetic acid, each tied to the chemistry of paper aging. So the smell is more than nostalgia: it can act as a marker of cellulose degradation, and in libraries, higher acetic acid and furfural have been used as clues to paper decay.