Are Darkroom Chemicals Dangerous?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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In terms of exposure to harmful chemicals, darkroom workers and hobbyists are often in a worse position than chemical workers . ... Contact with high levels of some photo chemicals can lead to acute problems such as burns, dermatitis, dizziness, vomiting, asphyxiation and central nervous system failure.

What is a possible risk from darkroom chemicals?

What is a possible risk from darkroom chemicals? burns, lung problems, and cancer .

How toxic are photo chemicals?

Most developers are moderately to highly toxic by ingestion , with ingestion of less than one tablespoon of compounds such as monomethyl-p-aminophenol sulfate, hydroquinone, or pyrocatechol being possibly fatal for adults.

Are black and white film chemicals dangerous?

Black and white film developing

Is developing your own film Dangerous?

Joking aside, most of the stuff is super safe , as in safe as long as you don’t drink it. The worse it can do to you is giving you some dry skin and some dermatitis. Old developers than contained metol were suspected carcinogens, but they are mostly obsolete.

What do you do with old darkroom chemicals?

If they are unused chemicals, you can combine developer and fixer to neutralize them and then pour down your drain leading to a municipal water treatment center. (Do not dump it into a septic system.) Don’t dump selenium toner down the drain. Most else can be dumped.

What are the three chemicals used in the darkroom?

The three basic chemicals are (1) Developer (2) Stop Bath and (3) Fixer . Mix these with the appropriate amount of water and store them in your bottles. Photographic Paper. Photographic paper is sensitive to light and should be handled only in a darkroom with the correct safelight.

How do I store chemicals in my darkroom?

What I use to store photography chemicals are empty 2 liter soda bottles . The developers, stop bath and fixers are all fine with these containers. I store the stock solutions in a cabinet underneath my bathroom/darkroom sink. The cap used to seal the bottles works very well over and over again and again.

How dangerous are C41 chemicals?

The C41 and RA4 chemistry are both very low in toxicity . The final rinse is a bit strong, but the bleach is very mild. The developer is alkaline and high in BOD and COD (high in toxicity to plant and bacterial growth). Just exercise care and wash up.

What chemicals are used to develop photos?

Common chemicals used as developing agents are hydroquinone, phenidone, and dimezone . The developing mix must have high acidity, so chemicals such as sodium carbonate or sodium hydroxide are often added to the mix.

Can you scan film without developing?

Thankfully, even most stores and labs which don’t develop black and white film themselves can still scan it . Scan your film yourself with a dedicated film scanner.

How do you make color film at home without chemicals?

Place tank under running water for 1 minute to stop developing process. Have the water as close to room temp as possible. In another container, mix 2 oz of fixer with 6 oz of water. Pour this mix into tank and agitate slowly 3 times per minute for seven minutes.

How much does it cost to get film developed?

It costs around $5 to get one roll of film developed and scanned (to around 3000 pixels wide). If you just want to get your film developed at Costco, it costs only $1.59 per roll of film. The scans cost $2.99 for a roll.

How do you store chemicals in photos?

Store in a sealed glass jar/jug with a tight fitting lid . This drives off oxygen that is dissolved in the gas that otherwise works its way into water over time, and keeps it out. Stir your photo chemistry gently into the amount of stored cooled distilled water that you need.

How do you get rid of chemicals in photos?

A better option is to approach a local darkroom or photo lab . They should already have a system in place for the proper disposal of waste chemicals and may be willing to let you bring yours to them for safe disposal.

Can you pour developer down the sink?

This can be safely poured down the drain . If you’re worried, you can use water as a stop bath. It will do the job, too. There are residues of developer in the stop bath, but we are talking about negligible drops.

Jasmine Sibley
Author
Jasmine Sibley
Jasmine is a DIY enthusiast with a passion for crafting and design. She has written several blog posts on crafting and has been featured in various DIY websites. Jasmine's expertise in sewing, knitting, and woodworking will help you create beautiful and unique projects.