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Acetic (Vinegar) Syndrome
– A UK Perspective
by Rob Foxon
Despite much investigation in the past by can only attempt to slow the process down by
chemists and the wider academic community, understanding the problem and managing it
there is no agreement on what actually triggers accordingly. All chemical processes are slowed
acetic syndrome in film stock, so we have to by a reduction in temperature. In an archive,
judge the probable cause(s) from experience. films are stored in temperature and humidity
What we do know is that acetic syndrome is a controlled vaults, but keeping films cool is not
degenerative chemical process and that acetate always easy to achieve for the collector.
film is hygroscopic (it absorbs moisture and
gas).

Stage 3/4: The film becomes distorted and twisted.
When a film becomes acetic, it gives off the Briefly, the acetic process can be observed and
familiar vinegar smelling gas and must be iso- classified into four stages:
lated from other films immediately or there is Stage 1: The film becomes infected and devel-
the potential for them to absorb it, thus spread- ops the familiar vinegar smell. It is however
ing the problem like otherwise fine and can still be projected nor-
a virus. mally. It will likely remain so for a long period
of time so enjoy, but isolate from the rest of the
When a film collection.
becomes
acetic, the Stage 2: The smell is more intense. The film
film base is becomes twisty but is still projectable.
affected, the
image re- Stage 3: The film base begins to curl up, start-
mains but ing from the perforation edge. The film is no
becomes longer projectable and the end is nigh!
distorted as
the stability Stage 4: Film base distorts severely, then crys-
of the film tallises to powder; total destruction. In the UK
base wors- climate, this whole process can take upwards of
ens. There is 20 years.
no known
cure so one

Left: Stage 4: Heavy decomposition of the film base.
It’s Kodak 1937 B/W stock. The end!

10 REEL DEALS March 2019