The printing industry has seen growth in the number of bound digitally-printed materials since the introduction of commercial digital presses. Many short-run publications, such as research monographs, periodicals, and books have already entered the collections of cultural heritage institutions. It is vital that information be made available regarding the care of these materials. There is no known previous research on the effects of pollutants, such as O3 (ozone) or NO2 (nitrogen dioxide), on bound digitally-printed materials. This study was undertaken to specifically investigate the susceptibility of digital press and offset printed bound materials to page yellowing and colorant change when exposed to O3 and NO2 independently. The research findings demonstrated that bound digitally-printed materials are at risk to damage by these airborne pollutants. Cultural heritage institutions that have these materials within their collections should take precautions to mitigate deterioration through the use of air filtration, reduced temperature storage, or low permeability enclosures. The method chosen should match the use and size of the collection and the resources of the institution.
Nino Gordeladze, Daniel Burge, "Colorant Fade and Page Yellowing of Bound and Unbound Materials Printed Using Digital Presses and Offset Lithography when Exposed to O3 or NO2" in Proc. IS&T Int'l Conf. on Digital Printing Technologies and Digital Fabrication (NIP28), 2012, pp 387 - 391, https://doi.org/10.2352/ISSN.2169-4451.2012.28.1.art00031_2