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Re: Is it safe to freeze photos?



Irene,
I would not recommend freezing photographs. Freezing will have the effect of cockling (warping) on the photographs, if not from the freezing process then definitely when they thaw. The paper base and emulsion of the photograph will freeze and thaw at different rates, thus warping them. You will do more harm than good. Some alternatives to freezing for photographs is a vacuum chamber that deprives the little photo-eating buggers of oxygen. Sometimes freezing is not necessary to kill or drive away insects for photographs. Most insects like a humid, moist environment to thrive. Putting the photographs in a cool, dry environment (like a refrigerator) will often do the job. Do not seal the photographs as there is the danger of condensation forming in the bag and the moisture getting on to the photographs. The thing to do is to seal the photographs AFTER they come out of the freezer for a short period to see if any bug bodies fall out.  I would also monitor the storage environment (such as through sticky traps near the photographs) to ensure that no new buggers are coming in and to see if any that may already be in there are trying to get out. Good luck.

Steve Hoza, Conservator
Arizona Historical Society Museum
>>> Irene Wong <ismwong@HKBU.EDU.HK> 12/19/00 02:32AM >>>
Hi,

We have some infested b&w and color photos and I would like to know if it is
safe to blast freeze photos in the same way as we treat infested books.  Any
comments and advice is welcome.  Thanks in advance for your help.

Regards,

Irene Wong
Special Collections & Archives
Hong Kong Baptist University Library
e-mail: ismwong@hkbu.edu.hk 

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