Why Do Old Photos Fade Gradually?
Various reasons make old photos fade gradually. Primarily, it is due to several environmental factors. Let’s discuss some of these prominent factors here.
Damage by light: We have all noticed how photographs fade with time. This may often occur as the chemical makeup of photographs gets adversely affected by UV or ultraviolet rays of the sun. The ink used to print these photos comprises a light-absorbing compound like chromophores.
When the light gets absorbed by these substances, the chemical bond of the picture dye gets broken down by the UV rays. This leads to the fading of the ink used in the photographs.
Exposure to pollutants: Pollutants and toxins like dust, secondhand smoke, household chemicals, etc. can prove to be harmful to photographs.
