Influence of Fumigation on Photographic Images and Their Stability in Long-Term Preservation

Abstract

The influence of fumigation on several types of photographic images and a colloidal silver film was examined using various fumigants (propylene oxide, ethylene oxide, methyl iodide, sulfuryl fluoride, cyphenothrin, methyl bromide, and carbon dioxide). The effect on the long-term stability of the images was also examined via accelerated aging experiments on the fumigated samples. Although methyl iodide and bromide are known to react with colloidal silver, these reagents did not affect photographic silver images. The other fumigants also negligibly affected all of the photographic specimens examined. Even when long-term storage tests were conducted, fumigation did not cause notable changes to typical photographic images.