Wybrane problemy chemiczne przy konserwacji staro-cerkiewno-słowiańskiego rękopisu "Apostoł"

The Apostle manuscript, which is a Greek-Catholic liturgical book used in sacramental liturgy o f Eastern Church, dates back most probably to the early 17th century. Its author is Lucas of Antochia and the likely creator (the copist) is Lukian Zolotarenko. The manuscript delivered to the conservation studio was in a very bad condition. The first pages were missing and the remaining preserved ones were not complete and showed signs o f damp patches, wax stains and were very dirty. There were 261 o f them altogether. The text was done mainly in iron-gallic ink. Red ink and red pigment, in which vermillion had been identified were also employed. Both ink and pigment were shown not to be water-proof. This excluded the possibility o f using water baths. The article gives a brief description o f conservation procedure employing the so-called wet technique: — tawny damp patches were removed with 1 per cent solution o f chloraminę T in 45 per cent o f ethyl alcohol, •— vestigial quantities o f active chlorine after chloraminę bath were neutralized with 0.5 per cent sodium tiosulphate and also in 45 per cent ethanol, — disacidification was done with barum hydroxide (1.25 g/1) in alcohol solution, —■ the wax was first removed mechanically and the blotches remaining on the paper were eliminated by means o f talc compresses saturated with the mixture of benzine and methanol (1 :), — structural strengthening of the leaves was made vdth 2 per cent solution o f gellatine, and also in 45 per cent ethyl alcohol.