Soot

MFA Acc. #: 11.34971

Description

Fine, black particles produced by the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbon containing materials, such as wax, coal, oil, or wood. Soot is primarily composed of carbon along with small amounts of oily or tarry substances. Several millions of pounds of soot are injected into the air each year by combustion sources. The soot deposits adhere to surfaces causing discoloration.

See also lampblack.

Authority

• Marjorie Shelley, The Care and Handling of Art Objects, The Metropolitan Museum, New York, 1987

• Hermann Kuhn, Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art and Antiquities, Butterworths, London, 1986

• Random House, Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, Grammercy Book, New York, 1997

• The American Heritage Dictionary or Encarta, via Microsoft Bookshelf 98, Microsoft Corp., 1998