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Exposure of kraft wood pulps to an acidic medium results in a destabilization of wood pulp. The degree of destabilization appears to depend on the concentration of acid the pulp is exposed to. The addition of calcium carbonate to acid destabilized pulp does not restore the pulp to its original stability. The absorption of alkali metals is pH dependent which could explain the destabilization of wood pulps when exposed to an acid medium. A number of questions arise about the merit of stabilizing degraded paper documents by deacidification with alkaline earth salts and the usefulness of an alkaline reserve in paper.