Is foxing "contagious"?

[Heresy]

I searched the board and couldn't find anything about this; I read in other places on the net that it is 'contagious' (i.e. that a book with foxing can cause other books to fox) but cannot find how badly.

 

So if I have a couple of books with moderate foxing should I keep them away from other books? Can it spread between books that are in individual mylar/boards but kept in the same box?

[rodan57]

If you believe that foxing is mold, yes.

 

If you believe that foxing is a reaction to trace iron content in paper, no.

 

I think it's a mold because it looks like mold.

[joeypost]

I searched the board and couldn't find anything about this; I read in other places on the net that it is 'contagious' (i.e. that a book with foxing can cause other books to fox) but cannot find how badly.

 

So if I have a couple of books with moderate foxing should I keep them away from other books? Can it spread between books that are in individual mylar/boards but kept in the same box?

 

Great question. Over the years I have seen foxing on books in the middle of a long box...maybe 4-5 of them. The books that they were next to had no foxing, just the small cluster of books. I would imagine that it could spread if conditions were right (if it truly is a mold). In this case I would say better to be safe than sorry.

[Ze-man]

In this case I would say better to be safe than sorry.

 

This.

 

Keep questionable books away from the rest of your collection, or better yet upgrade the issue(s) to non affected copies.

 

Whatever caused the initial foxing was more then likely moisture related. So after the foxing reaction occurred..did mold pop up and take up residence?

 

While it may not be 100% certain if foxing is, or isn't mold related. If a book might contain dormant spores that could land on another book. And even if conditions never become ideal to promote the foxing/mold spores to become active again.

 

Why take the chance.

 

That said,as an experiment. I took several books last year that displayed what I thought was pretty severe mold, and rubbed them against a few reader comics. Put them in a long box and sprayed the lid with water to create a humid environment. Have sprayed the lid once a week or more since then.

 

All I have so far are some slightly warped, rusted comics. With no mold growth on the reader comics. Yet.

 

 

 

[Ze-man]

I should add, most books that display moderate foxing(brownish, rust looking spots or splotches) are not going to "contaminate" your collection, and should not be a worry.

 

Foxing is typically pretty benign, especially given how we all store comics today.

 

On the other hand...books that look like they have some sort of fuzzy cheese growing on the cover, should be put in quarantine.

 

 

 

 

[Dick Pontoon]

I have a few books with foxing that I keep separated as a precaution, although they are stored in the same room are my others.

 

I run a dehumidifier in the room, which is kept cool as well, so conditions are not conducive to anything becoming active. Keep the RH low folks!

[rodan57]

That said,as an experiment. I took several books last year that displayed what I thought was pretty severe mold, and rubbed them against a few reader comics. Put them in a long box and sprayed the lid with water to create a humid environment. Have sprayed the lid once a week or more since then.

 

I'd suggest putting the box in a sealed plastic bag after introducing moisture -- that will create a micro-environment that would favour mold growth. This way if foxing is mold, the spores should become active.

[vane]

uh Oh.

 

I have a bad habit smelling the books I get. Now I'm going to think twice before doing it.

[Hibou]

I've seen foxing migrate to backing boards although I'm not sure if that is some different kind of reaction occurring...

[Ze-man]

That said,as an experiment. I took several books last year that displayed what I thought was pretty severe mold, and rubbed them against a few reader comics. Put them in a long box and sprayed the lid with water to create a humid environment. Have sprayed the lid once a week or more since then.

 

I'd suggest putting the box in a sealed plastic bag after introducing moisture -- that will create a micro-environment that would favour mold growth. This way if foxing is mold, the spores should become active.

 

The comic I used was definitely moldy. Which was why I rubbed it on some reader comics to see if the spores transferred.

 

I was trying to mimic a humid environment that might have caused the mold spores to initially grow. Not create a petri dish that would all but demand mold to grow.

 

But I get where you were going.

 

I should do the same experiment with a comic that displays typical foxing.

 

 

[oakman29]

I tend to shy away from books that display any kind of foxing or water damage.

[PovertyRow]

The problem with mold is that spores are everywhere and creating a sealed environment conducive to mold growth could well grow mold form spores unrelated to the comic book.

 

I think a good starting point is to get an old, SA or earlier, reader as cheaply as possible and store it, under "normal" conditions, in the same bag as a foxed book. If the book is foxed on one side only make sure the book is in contact with that side. Monitor it over time to gauge any transference.

 

If there IS some sign of foxing on the test book it should be examined carefully and with magnification to see if it shares characteristics with the original foxed book.

 

 

[rodan57]

That said,as an experiment. I took several books last year that displayed what I thought was pretty severe mold, and rubbed them against a few reader comics. Put them in a long box and sprayed the lid with water to create a humid environment. Have sprayed the lid once a week or more since then.

 

I'd suggest putting the box in a sealed plastic bag after introducing moisture -- that will create a micro-environment that would favour mold growth. This way if foxing is mold, the spores should become active.

 

The comic I used was definitely moldy. Which was why I rubbed it on some reader comics to see if the spores transferred.

 

I was trying to mimic a humid environment that might have caused the mold spores to initially grow. Not create a petri dish that would all but demand mold to grow.

 

But I get where you were going.

 

I should do the same experiment with a comic that displays typical foxing.

 

 

You're right, I didn't note the distinction between mold and foxing in your experiment.

 

It could be interesting especially to see if an environment that demanded mold growth would have foxing responding in the same manner.

[vacantpassenger]

Hmm, I've never heard of foxing before, what is it??

[Hibou]

There is an example in this thread...

 

And this:

 

[divad]

 

Is that the backboard in question (that you spoke of earlier)?

[divad]

That said,as an experiment. I took several books last year that displayed what I thought was pretty severe mold, and rubbed them against a few reader comics. Put them in a long box and sprayed the lid with water to create a humid environment. Have sprayed the lid once a week or more since then.

 

I'd suggest putting the box in a sealed plastic bag after introducing moisture -- that will create a micro-environment that would favour mold growth. This way if foxing is mold, the spores should become active.

 

The comic I used was definitely moldy. Which was why I rubbed it on some reader comics to see if the spores transferred.

 

I was trying to mimic a humid environment that might have caused the mold spores to initially grow. Not create a petri dish that would all but demand mold to grow.

 

But I get where you were going.

 

I should do the same experiment with a comic that displays typical foxing.

 

 

You're right, I didn't note the distinction between mold and foxing in your experiment.

 

It could be interesting especially to see if an environment that demanded mold growth would have foxing responding in the same manner.

 

This is all rather silly IMHO.

[divad]

The problem with mold is that spores are everywhere and creating a sealed environment conducive to mold growth could well grow mold from spores unrelated to the comic book.

 

Bingo!

 

I think a good starting point is to get an old, SA or earlier, reader as cheaply as possible and store it, under "normal" conditions, in the same bag as a foxed book. If the book is foxed on one side only make sure the book is in contact with that side. Monitor it over time to gauge any transference.

 

Probably valid methodology, but I doubt you will be patient enough to make any observations.

 

If there IS some sign of foxing on the test book it should be examined carefully and with magnification to see if it shares characteristics with the original foxed book.

 

Id.

[divad]

I tend to shy away from books that display any kind of foxing or water damage.

 

Agreed, but sometimes, you have no choice . . .

[divad]

If you believe that foxing is mold, yes.

 

If you believe that foxing is a reaction to trace iron content in paper, no.

 

These are sound statements.

 

I think it's a mold because it looks like mold.

 

This is conjecture.