comparison test samples including a solution of sodium bicarbonate within tap water and not containing the resin material exhibited a ph indication of 9 0 the condition of the sodium bicarbonate containing resin was constantly observed over the test duration in order to determine whether the resin material deteriorated and caused the sodium bicarbonate to become completely dissolved within the water the varnish resin material was chosen of a clear transparent consistency so that visual observations could be maintained as to the condition of the resin coating as well as to the condition of the dispersed powder particles the powder materials remained within the resin encapsulent without becoming wet or in any way indicating that complete dissolution occurred fig2 is a published curve representing the rate of water absorption b as a function of time for a cast phenol formaldehyde resin completely immersed in water it is to be noticed that even with the resin totally immersed in water the absorption rate is so slow that less than 10 percent by weight is absorbed out to a few hundred weeks the phenolic resin was one of the constituents selected for the clear varnish composition utilized for the data represented in fig1 substituting calcium carbonate for the sodium bicarbonate as a slightly alkaline powder.