ON THAT OLD BOOK SMELL
The E-Sylum (6/23/2013)
Book Content

Smell is chemistry, and the chemistry of old books gives your cherished tomes their scent. As a book ages, the chemical compounds usedâthe glue, the paper, the inkâbegin to break down. And, as they do, they release volatile compoundsâthe source of the smell. A common smell of old books, says the International League for Antiquarian Booksellers, is a hint of vanilla: âLignin, which is present in all wood-based paper, is closely related to vanillin. As it breaks down, the lignin grants old books that faint vanilla scent.â
A study in 2009 looked into the smell of old books, finding that the complex scent was a mix of âhundreds of so-called volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released into the air from the paper,â says the Telegraph. Hereâs how Matija Strlic, the lead scientist behind that study, described the smell of an old book:
A combination of grassy notes with a tang of acids and a hint of vanilla over an underlying mustiness, this unmistakable smell is as much a part of the book as its contents.
To read the complete article, see: That âOld Book Smellâ Is a Mix of Grass and Vanilla (blogs.smithsonianmag.com/smartnews/2013/06/that-old-book-smell-is-a-mix-of-grass-and-vanilla/)