What makes book pages yellow at the edges and how can I prevent this from happening?

Answer 1

The production process for low quality paper leaves it slightly acidic, pH < 7, the acid slowly breaks down the paper, turning it yellow and making it more brittle and suseptible to tearing. High quality papers are acid free, and if they are stored away from acidic substances, like paperback books, they will last almost indefinetly. There are processes that book restorers use to neutralize the acids in paper, but they are expensive and so are generally used only on heirlooms and works of historical importance. It would be cheaper to go out and buy a new copy of your favorite paperback several times than it would to have the pH neutralized. However, I did read a couple years ago that someone was researching a technique that would allow the mass neutralization of the acids for far cheaper, but I don't remember the name of the process, the researcher, or the publication in which I read that.

Answer 2

Yellowed pages on books happen over time, when they get older, but can be sped up if water or some drink is spilled on it and it dries. The best way to keep it in a good condition is keep it out, read it every so often, dust it off. It's very rare that the pages will go yellow quickly with this kind of care.

Answer 3

It happens with acidic paper, and the only way to prevent it from happening would be to store it in nitrogen or argon gas (no oxygen!).

Answer 4

this happens from oxidation which will happen all the tme and the only way to stop it is to put it in a airtight container in a dark place!

Answer 5

I think it just happens over time.

Answer 6

old age