This is why the newspaper becomes yellow

KOMPAS.com – If you subscribe to a newspaper, maybe you'll see paper over time.

As reported Reader Digest, color changes appear during the oxidation process. Color change process, which also changes apple bites to brown.

How does it work?

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As is known, paper is made of wood containing two substances called cellulose and lignin.

When chromophore (a color-responsible molecule) in lignin is exposed to air and sunlight, the molecules in it become less stable and can absorb more light.

This in turn makes newsprint gradually changing color from white to yellow. This is also the case with apples.

Compared to other documents, newspapers are less subject to color change. This is in fact because in its production, newspaper producers usually do not recycle wood lignin in order to save daily printing costs.

After all, it makes the newspaper easier to experience oxidation.

Although the chemical process to preserve the color of the paper in yellow, it is called preservation whitening.

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Even if the newsprint is not shielded from bleaching, there are simple tricks that can be done to maintain the quality of the paper.

Since newsprint is easily oxidized due to sun exposure, paper must be kept in the shade and out of the sun. It may be stored without an acid box and covered with a cloth.

In doing so, the paper frees the acid that is released from the fabric, helping the paper to retain white color.