The Right Chemistry: Why books smell the way they do Anyone who has meandered through a used bookstore, or has opened a freshly printed book, will attest to books having a characteristic smell.
Author of the article: Joe Schwarcz • Special to the Montreal Gazette
Publishing date: Feb 19, 2021 • February 20, 2021 • 4 minute read • With time, on exposure to air, particularly if the air contains traces of acids, cellulose can undergo a number of chemical reactions that lead to the release of a variety of fatty acids, alcohols and aldehydes, all with distinct odours. These smells, along with those released by moulds, such as the musty fragrance of trichloroanisole, contribute to that old book smell , Joe Schwarcz writes. Photo by Allen McInnis /Montreal Gazette