Cellulose and gellan gum compresses for cleaning mud and pomegranate stains from a historical printed paper

The purpose of the current investigation was to ascertain the efficacy of cellulose and gellan gum in removing pomegranate stains and dirt from a historic printed manuscript from the year 1888 AD. To confirm the efficacy of these compresses before and after treatment, as well as after exposing treated samples to artificial aging, numerous studies including a digital microscope, scanning electron microscope (SEM), fourier transform infrared (FTIR), color change (ΔE), and pH were carried out. After cleaning and aging, promising results were obtained. p-Hydroxy benzoic acid, gallic acid, salicylic acid, benzoic acid, quercetin, catechol, and rutin were the most prevalent phytochemicals in the pomegranate stain, which was analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The digital microscope and scanning microscope demonstrated that the gellan gum compress was successful in removing stains but severely weakened the paper, resulting in a clear cut of the fibers and substantially removing the inks. In contrast, the cellulose compress effectively removed stains without harming the paper fibers. Both compresses revealed a substantial rise in ΔE in the treated sample. These alterations were connected to a rise in the paper samples' Lightness (L), which was measured after surface debris was removed. As groups remained unaffected after the cleaning procedure, infrared spectrum analysis proved that the chemical structure of the paper had not been altered. However, after cleaning, both compresses, particularly gellan gum, showed an increase in the intensity of peaks at 3400 cm −1 (OH stretching). Additionally, a significant change was seen following treatment, with pH values rising. Gellan gum and cellulose compresses were shown to be quite good at removing acidity, and since pH levels rose after treatment, this suggests that the stain was cleaned up and removed. Based on these findings, we suggest cleaning cellulosic supports with a cellulose compress.