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Standards Development
This document specifies the procedure for the photographic activity and dye coupler reactivity tests.
This document is applicable to general photographic enclosure materials such as paper, tissue, cardboard, mat board and plastics. It is also applicable to components of photographic enclosure materials such as adhesives and marking substances, including inks, paints, labels, and tape.
This document evaluates possible chemical interactions between enclosures and processed silvergelatin and colour (dye-gelatin) images, and applies to all storage, display, and transport materials used for photographs whether intended for short or long-term use. A modified version of the document is applicable to diazo images.
This document may apply to many historic photographic processes. This document does not apply to other non-silver-gelatin imaging systems. It does not pertain to harmful physical interactions such as blocking (sticking together), dye bleed, adhesive migration, or plasticizer exudation. It does not pertain to important criteria of enclosures such as their inherent chemical stability, physical integrity, and workmanship. Passing the photographic activity test (PAT) does not indicate that a material is archival.
This term has no clear definition and is not used in this document. Photo-safe storage enclosures and their components are covered in ISO 18902, which supersedes the PAT and includes passing the criteria of PAT.
This revision of ISO 18916:2007 resolves issues regarding the scope of the document and its applicability to photographic images that are not comprised of silver and gelatin-based materials. In particular, the test has been shown to be inaccurate in predicting enclosure-induced damage towards non-silver-gelatin materials, such as inkjet. This revision removes these types of materials from the scope of the standard. The following additional changes have been made to resolve other questions that have arisen during the test’s use:
- A new Annex D addresses the use of the test outside of its intended scope, e.g. as a general screen for oxidants and reductants and applied to all collection types. This annex also addresses the test’s applicability towards 19th century photographic processes and digital hard copy such as inkjet, dye sublimation, and electrophotography.
- A new Annex E includes guidance on the interpretation of test results for short-term applications, such as display and transport.
- Language addressing the use of the test for consumer vs. museum applications has been added to the introduction.
- Test modifications for colour (dye-gelatin) and diazo images have been moved to a normative annex, as these are optional additional test methods for specific types of photographic processes and not requirements of the standard.
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