Digital BW, The Print

Thanks for the hints, Ernst. I never thought at that. I will try a UV-C lamp before coating and during drying phase. While the anti-bacterials I have tried until now (no tests with metyl-paraben yet, still on a to-do list) work well in average, they all failed my harshest conservation test. This is a three months storage in a dark area at 80% humidity and no air circulating. Sure not the typical place where you would store fine arts. However, all my prints have failed that test while my silver gelatin prints on Ilford Galerie from the 80's and the 90's survived the test. They must be using some serious poison in their coatings. 

What I usually find at the end of such test is a thin layer of dark green powder that covers the top of the gelatine. After few hours of leaving the print in a dry place, the powder is brushed away easily. The mold was rarely able to penetrate through the gelatine coating which remain almost intact and transparent, showing how powerful gelatine is to protect paper. The only difference with an appropriate stored print is that the coating loses some of its glossy appearance. In some more serious situations, the paper as well caught fungi with no chance to salvage it.

May be I just need to increase the amount of antibacterial in the pot.
I am just scared to do so.

   Mantinieri

 http://www.mantinieri.com



> 
> The paper base is free from any bacteria, fungi, when you receive it?
> Few things in life are actually clean on that level. Providing an
> optimal environment and if possibly some food will be enough to grow
> colonies. The sizing of the paper could be enough base for food, the 
> gelatine forming a Petri dish. Sure it isn't agar but close enough.
> 
> Check some ways to disinfect the paper before it is used.  UV from the 
> sun, the microwave oven, formaldehyde/methanal gas exposure. Dangerous 
> stuff though. I used to soup my B&W photo negs after development in a 
> solution of it 40 years ago. Hardens gelatine and cell walls. Never seen 
> any fungi, bacteria, destruct them and they were not archived in vaults
> 
> -- 
> Met vriendelijke groeten,   Ernst
> 
> Try: http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Wide_Inkjet_Printers/
> 
> |      Dinkla Grafische Techniek      |
> |         www.pigment-print.com        |
> |                 ( unvollendet )                 |
>