Die Albertina-Kompresse: eine gebrauchsfertige Enzymkompresse zur Ablösung von Stärkekleisterverklebungen

For centuries, starch paste has been a proven adhesive for paper. An important property is its easy removal by swelling under moisture. However, starch paste may contain additives such as alum and protein glue, which can prevent swelling or drawing up aqueous systems. It has been known for quite some time in restoration that starch-splitting enzymes, amylases, dissolve starch paste. However, these chemicals have not been readily available to conservators. Moreover, enzyme solutions or gels are not easy to produce under workshop conditions nor are there any reliable, reproducible application techniques. As a consequence, up to now using enzymes to remove glue was not a standard technique in paper restoration. Development of a prefabricated, moisture-activatable, storable, compress, the Albertina compress, for taking down graphic art mounted with hardened starch paste offers a standardizable method.