Quoting Christopher Woodhouse <chris.woodhouse@xxxxxxxxxxxx>: > I'm just wondering, apart from the used 'acid free' materials are there any > known tests for print degrading substances including formaldehyde, ozone and > alkyds? For instance some moulded frame materials can give off some of > these. Of course. That's why there are specifications such as LOC's Spec 400-402-8/19/02 http://www.loc.gov/preserv/supply/specs/400-402.html for mounting board which include among other lignin tests ASTM D 1030, tests for metals etc. and, of course, RIT/IPI's PAT. These apply to mounting boards but there are standards for the whole chain including frames, enclosures etc. Within their standards for "Care, Handling, and Storage" http://www.loc.gov/preserv/care/photolea.html "Environmental Factors The environmental factors that affect the preservation of photographic materials are relative humidity and temperature, air pollution, light, and housekeeping practices. Relative Humidity and Temperature All photographic materials are sensitive to high, low, and fluctuating relative humidity (RH), which is a measure of how saturated the air is with moisture. High RH affects all components of photographs. High RH causes a gelatin binder to become soft and sticky, making it vulnerable to mechanical damage and image deterioration. Low RH causes the binder to shrink and crack and the secondary support to curl." ============================================================================================================= To unsubscribe from this list, go to www.freelists.org and logon to your account (the same e-mail address and password you set-up when you subscribed,) and unsubscribe from there.