Photography Chemicals
ID | Photo Chemicals | Other Names | Use | Ingestion Haz | Inhalation Haz | Skin Contact Haz | Other Hazards |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Acetic Acid, Glacial | Stop bath | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | Corrosive and causes severe burns; can be fatal; combustible (Threshold Limit Value [TLV] 10 ppm | |
2 | Alum | Potassium aluminum sulfate | Hardener | Slightly toxic to moderately toxic | Slightly toxic | Slightly toxic | |
3 | Amidol (see Diaminophenol hydrochloride) | ||||||
4 | Aminophenol | Developer | Highly toxic | Moderately toxic | Moderately toxic | Prolonged contact irritating; may cause kidney damage, cyanosis (difficulty breathing), bronchial asthma | |
5 | Ammonium Alum (See Alum) | Ammonium aluminum sulfate | |||||
6 | Ammonium Bromide | Bleach bath | Moderately toxic | Moderately toxic | Slightly toxic | Inhalation/ingestion causes depression, emaciation, vertigo, confusion, mental deterioration; vomiting | |
7 | Ammonium Dichromate (See Potassium dichromate) | ||||||
8 | Ammonium Hydroxide | Ammonia water | Intensification, toning, hypo elimination | Moderately toxic to highly toxic | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | TLV 25 ppm; can cause burns; mixing w/alkalis forms ammonia gas; mixing w/chlorine bleach forms poison gas |
9 | Ammonium Persulfate | Reducing Solutions | Moderately toxic | Slightly toxic | Slightly toxic | Strong oxidizing agent; flammable; emit highly toxic sulfur dioxide gas | |
10 | Ammonium Thiocyanate (see Potassium thiocyanate) | ||||||
11 | Ammonium Thiosulfate (see Sodium thiosulfate) | ||||||
12 | p-Benzoquinone | Para-benzoquinone, quinone | Holography bleach | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | TLV 0.1 ppm; Causes severe skin/eye irritation; high exposure causes pneumonia; overexposure can cause brain damage; combustible solid |
13 | Bleach, household | 5% sodium hypochlorite solution | Hypo eliminator | Moderately toxic | Moderately toxic | Moderately toxic | Repeated exposure can cause dermatitis; heating releases highly toxic chlorine gas; addition of ammonia forms highly poisonous gas |
14 | Borax | Sodium tetraborate, sodium metaborate, sodium pyroborate | Developing bath | Moderately toxic | Moderately toxic | Slightly toxic | TLV 1-5 mg/m3; alkaline powder; absorption causes nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, skin rash |
15 | Boric acid | Buffer | Moderately toxic to highly toxic | Moderately toxic | Slightly toxic | Acidic powder; absorption causes nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, skin rash | |
16 | Bromine | Holography bleach | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | TLV 0.1 ppm; corrosive; can cause severe burns; absorbed through skin; oxidizing agent; poisonous gases produced in fires | |
17 | Catechin | Catechol, pyrocatechol, o-dihydroxybenzene | Developer | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | TLV 5 ppm (skin); absorbed through skin; inhalation causes cyanosis, anemia, convulsions, vomiting, liver & kidney damage; DON'T USE |
18 | Chlorquinol | Chlorhydroquinone | Developer | Highly toxic | Moderately toxic | Moderately toxic | Inhalation causes cyanosis, anemia, convulsions, vomiting, liver & kidney damage; DON'T USE |
19 | Chrome Alum (see Potassium chrome alum) | ||||||
20 | Diaminophenol Hydrochloride | Hydroxy-p-phenylenediamine hydrochloride | Developer | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | Moderately toxic | May be absorbed through skin; skin contact causes severe irritation; causes bronchial asthma, gastritis, vertigo, tremors, coma; DON'T USE |
21 | Diethanolamine | Color developing baths | Moderately toxic | Moderately toxic | Moderately toxic | TLV 3 ppm; alkaline; irritating to eyes/respiratory system; may cause mild liver damage | |
22 | Diethyl-p-Phenylene Diamine (see p-phenylene diamine) | ||||||
23 | Dimethyl-p-Phenylene Diamine (see p-phenylene diamine) | ||||||
24 | Disodium Phosphate | Color bleach bath | Moderately toxic | Slightly toxic | Slightly toxic | May cause irritation to skin and eyes | |
25 | Ethoxydiglycol | Diethylene glycol ethyl ether, 2-(2- ethoxyethyl) ethanol, carbitol | Color processing solvent | Moderately toxic | Slightly toxic | Slightly toxic | Probable human development toxicant; causes irritation; absorbed through skin; similar to ethylene glycol; not volatile unless heated |
26 | Ethylene Diamine | Color developing baths | Moderately toxic | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | TLV 10 ppm; corrosive to skin and eyes; may be absorbed through skin; liver and kidney damage, asthma can occur | |
27 | Ethylenediamine- tetraacetic Acid (EDTA) and Salts | Color developing baths, holography | Moderately toxic | Slightly toxic | Slightly toxic | EDTA and its salts chelate metal ions, including calcium; sodium salts cause muscular spasms | |
28 | Ethylene Glycol | Glycol, 1,2-ethanediol | Color developing baths | Moderately toxic | Slightly toxic | Moderately toxic | TLV-C 50 ppm; Ingestion is most serious problem; 3 ounces can be fatal in adults; affects kidneys, liver, central nervous system; low volatility |
29 | Farmer's Reducer (see Potassium ferricyanide) | ||||||
30 | Ferric alum (see alum) | Ferric ammonium sulfate | Toning solution | ||||
31 | Ferric Ammonium Citrate | Cyanotype | Moderately toxic | Slightly toxic | Slightly toxic | TLV 1 mg/m3; Soluble iron salts slightly irritating; can cause poisoning if ingested in large amounts (especially by children) | |
32 | Ferric Oxalate (see Potassium oxalate) | ||||||
33 | Formaldehyde | Formalin | Hardener, stabilizer | Moderately toxic to highly toxic | Highly toxic | Moderately toxic | TLV-C 0.3 ppm; probable carcinogen, mutagen; irritant; poisonous by ingestion; may cause asthma, allergic reactions |
34 | Freon 11 and 12 | Dichlorofluorometh-ane, trichlorofluoro-methane | Film cleaner | Slightly toxic | Slightly toxic | Slightly toxic | TLV 1000 ppm; may cause respiratory irritation, narcosis, irregular heart rhythms; heating produces highly poisonous gases; damages ozone layer |
35 | Glycin | P-hydroxyphenyl aminoacetic acid | Developer | Moderately toxic | Moderately toxic | Moderately toxic | Skin contact may cause irritation, allergies; inhalation/ingestion may cause anemia, cyanosis, difficulty breathing, nausea, dizziness |
36 | Gold Chloride | Toner | Moderately toxic | Moderately toxic | Moderately toxic | Can cause severe skin/respiratory allergies; can cause anemia, liver, kidney, nervous system damage | |
37 | Hydrobromic Acid, Dilute | Holography, color bleach | Highly toxic | Moderately toxic | Moderately toxic | TLV 3 ppm; concentrated acid extremely corrosive; may cause skin, eye irritation; inhalation may cause lung irritation, possible chronic bronchitis | |
38 | Hydrochloric Acid | Acid | Highly toxic | Moderately toxic | Highly toxic | TLV-C 7.5 mg/m3; concentrated acid highly corrosive; may cause skin/eye, lung irritation; may cause chronic bronchitis | |
39 | Hydrogen Peroxide | 3 1/2% | Hypo eliminator | Slightly toxic | Not significantly toxic | Slightly toxic | Ingestion or repeated skin contact may cause slight irritation |
40 | Hydroquinone | Developer | Highly toxic | Moderately toxic | Moderately toxic | TLV 2 mg/m3, NIOSH C 2 mg/m3; probable mutagen; eye injury may result; may cause ringing in ears, nausea, dizziness, delirium, coma | |
41 | Hydroxylamine Sulfate | Color neutralizing bath | Moderately toxic | Moderately toxic | Moderately toxic | Probable human development toxicant; may cause irritation, allergies, anemia, cyanosis, convulsions, coma; causes birth defects in rats | |
42 | Hypo (see Sodium thiosulfate) | ||||||
43 | Iodine | Reducing agent | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | Moderately toxic | TLV-C 0.1 ppm; may cause hypersensitivity reaction & burns; heating produces highly toxic fumes; ingestion may be fatal because of corrosivity | |
44 | Lead oxalate | See also potassium oxalate | Platinum printing | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | Moderately toxic | PEL 0.05 mg/m3; can cause inorganic lead poisoning; causes weakening, anemia, headaches, irritability, possible birth defects; corrosive |
45 | Liver of Sulfur (See Potassium sulfide) | ||||||
46 | Mercuric Chloride | Intensifier, platinum toner | Extremely toxic | Highly toxic | Moderately toxic | TLV 0.05 mg/m3 (skin); corrosive; may cause mercury poison.; metallic taste, salivation, swelling of gums, vomiting, bloody diarrhea; DON'T USE | |
47 | Mercuric Iodide (see Mercuric Chloride) | ||||||
48 | Methyl Chloroform (see 1,1,1,-trichloro- ethane) | ||||||
49 | Metol (see Monomethyl p-aminophenol sulfate) | ||||||
50 | Monoethanolamine | Ethanolamine, 2-aminoethanol | Color developing bath | Moderately toxic | Moderately toxic | Slightly toxic | TLV 3 ppm; alkaline; irritating to eyes, respiratory system; may cause lethargy, mild liver/kidney damage |
51 | Monomethyl p-Aminophenol Sulfate | Developer | Moderately toxic | Moderately toxic | Moderately toxic | Skin contact may cause severe skin irritation, allergies; inhalation/ingestion may cause anemia, cyanosis, difficulty breathing, dizziness, nausea | |
52 | O-Phenylene Diamine (See P-phenylene Diamine) | ||||||
53 | Oxalic Acid | Toning solution, platinum printing | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | TLV 1 mg/m3; causes severe corrosivity, respiratory irritation, allergies, shock, collapse, possible convulsions, death; may be severe kidney damage | |
54 | Phenidone | 1-phenyl-3-pyrazo-lidone | Developer | Moderately toxic | Moderately toxic | Slightly toxic | Least toxic developer by skin contact; haz. by inhalation or ingestion similar to those for other developers |
55 | P-Phenylene Diamine | Para-phenylenediamine | Developer | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | Moderately toxic | TLV 0.1 mg/m3 (skin); may cause severe allergies; may be absorbed through skin; may cause vertigo, gastritis, liver/spleen damage; AVOID if possible |
56 | Phosphoric Acid | Platinum printing | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | TLV 1 mg/m3; highly corrosive; ingestion can cause severe stomach damage and may be fatal; may cause irritant dermatitis; diluted acid less haz. | |
57 | Platinum Chloride | Toner, Platinum printing | Unknown | Highly toxic | Moderately toxic | TLV 0.002 mg/m3; causes severe allergies, asthma; some lung scarring/ emphysema may occur; people w/red/light hair, most susceptible | |
58 | Potassium Bromide (see Ammonium bromide) | Developing & intensifying baths | |||||
59 | Potassium Chlorate | Platinum printing | Highly toxic | Moderately toxic | Moderately toxic | Strong oxidizing agent; flammable in contact w/solvents; irritant; causes gastritis, delayed kidney damage | |
60 | Potassium Chlorochromate | Intensifier | Moderately toxic | Highly toxic | Moderately toxic | Probable carcinogen; may cause irritation, ulceration, allergies, eye burns; gastroenteritis, vertigo, muscle cramps, kidney damage; heating releases highly toxic chlorine gas | |
61 | Potassium Chloroplatinite (see Platinum chloride) | ||||||
62 | Potassium Chrome Alum | Chrome Alum, Chromium potassium sulfate | Hardener | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | Moderately toxic | TLV 0.3 mg/m3; possible carcinogen; skin, eye, respiratory irritant |
63 | Potassium Cyanide | Reducer | Extremely toxic | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | TLV 5 mg/m3; may be absorbed through skin; can cause chemical asphyxia; adding acid forms hydrogen cyanide gas; DON'T USE | |
64 | Potassium Dichromate | Potassium bichromate | Intensifier | Extremely toxic | Extremely toxic | Highly toxic | TLV 0.05 mg/m3, NIOSH 0.001 mg/m3; probable carcinogen; corrosive; strong oxidizer; can cause cancer, circulatory collapse, kidney damage; AVOID if possible |
65 | Potassium Ferricyanide | Farmer's Reducer | Reducer, cyanotype | Moderately toxic | Slightly toxic | Slightly toxic | Heating, treating w/acid, exposing to uv light can cause release of highly toxic hydrogen cyanide gas |
66 | Potassium Iodide | Holography | Moderately toxic | Unknown | Not significant | Known human teratogen; may cause "iodism", w/symptoms of salivation, sneezing, inflammation of nasal passages, headache, fever, bronchitis, skin rashes | |
67 | Potassium Oxalate | Platinum printing | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | Moderately toxic | Corrosive to skin, eyes, nose, throat; ingestion causes intense damage to mouth, esophagus, stomach, kidney damage; may be fatal by ingestion | |
68 | Potassium Permanganate | Reducer, hypo eliminator | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | Concentrated solutions & solids are highly corrosive to skin, eyes, mouth, stomach; dilute solutions are mildly irritating | |
69 | Potassium Persulfate (see Ammonium persulfate) | ||||||
70 | Potassium Sulfide | Liver of sulfur | Toner | Extremely toxic | Moderately toxic | Moderately toxic | Skin contact causes skin softening & irritation; dust causes irritation; ingestion may cause hydrogen sulfide poisoning; mixing w/acid causes highly toxic hydrogen sulfide gas |
71 | Potassium Thiocyanate | Color developing bath | Highly toxic | Slightly toxic | Not significantly toxic | Ingestion causes vomiting, delirium, convulsions; poisoning similar to bromide poisoning; heating/treating w/acid forms extremely toxic hydrogen cyanide gas | |
72 | Pyrogallic Acid | Pyrogallol, 1,2,3-trihydroxybenzene | Developer | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | May be absorbed through skin; inhalation causes severe poisoning w/cyanosis, anemia, convulsions, vomiting, liver & kidney damage; can be fatal; DON'T USE |
73 | Selenium Oxide | Selenium dioxide | Toner | Highly toxic to extremely toxic | Highly toxic | Moderately toxic | TLV 0.2 mg/m3; may be absorbed through skin; causes irritation; similar to arsenic poisoning; treatment w/acid forms extremely toxic hydrogen selenide gas |
74 | Silver Nitrate | Test for hypo, Van Dyke process | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | Moderately toxic | TLV 0.01 mg/m3; corrosive to skin, eyes, mucous membranes; may cause blindness, gastroenteritis, shock, vertigo, coma, convulsions | |
75 | Sodium Bisulfite | Fixing bath | Highly toxic to extremely toxic | Highly toxic | Moderately toxic | TLV 5 mg/m3; aqueous solution acidic; adding acid forms sulfur dioxide gas | |
76 | Sodium Carbonate (see Sodium hydroxide) | Soda ash | |||||
77 | Sodium Formaldehyde Bisulfite | Developing solution | Moderately toxic | Slightly toxic | Slightly toxic | Not irritating like formaldehyde; allergies are rare | |
78 | Sodium Hydroxide | Caustic soda | Developing bath | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | TLV-C 2 mg/m3; highly corrosive; ingestion can cause damage to mouth, esophagus, & can be fatal; inhalation causes chemical pneumonia; dilute alkaline more corrosive |
79 | Sodium Nitrate | Color bleach bath | Moderately toxic | Not significantly toxic | Not significantly toxic | May be converted by intestinal bacteria into more toxic nitrites if ingested; can result in anemia, cyanosis; strong oxidizer | |
80 | Sodium Sulfide (see Potassium Sulfide) | ||||||
81 | Sodium Sulfite | Preservative | Moderately toxic | Moderately toxic | Not significantly toxic | Causes irritation; causes colic, diarrhea, circulatory disturbance, central nervous system depression; heating/ treating w/acid forms highly toxic sulfur dioxide gas | |
82 | Sodium Thiocyanate (see Potassium thiocyanate) | ||||||
83 | Sodium Thiosulfate | Hypo | Fixer | Slightly toxic | Highly toxic | Not significantly toxic | Ingestion of large amounts causes purging; old solutions, or those treated w/acid, or heated, release highly toxic sulfur dioxide gas |
84 | Succinaldehyde | Color prehardener | Moderately toxic | Moderately toxic | Moderately toxic | Skin and eye irritant; not very volatile, so inhalation less of a risk | |
85 | Sulfamic Acid | Color bleach | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | Moderately toxic | Corrosive to skin, eyes, respiratory system, intestinal system; heating/adding acid forms highly toxic sulfur dioxide gas | |
86 | Sulfuric Acid | Oleum | Cleaning | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | TLV 1 mg/m3; concentrate is corrosive to skin, eyes, respiratory system, stomach; ingestion can be fatal; dilute less haz.; heating releases highly toxic sulfur oxide gases |
87 | Tertiary-Butylamine Borate | Color developing bath | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | Highly toxic | May cause skin irritation and be absorbed through skin; may cause nervous system damage | |
88 | Thiourea | Thiocarbamide | Toning solution | Moderately toxic to highly toxic | Highly toxic | Slightly toxic | Probable carcinogen and mutagen; thiourea causes cancer in rats |
89 | para-Toluenesulfonic Acid | Color bleaching | Moderately toxic | Moderately toxic | Moderately toxic | Corrosive; skin, eye, respiratory irritant; decomposes w/heat or acid to form sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide | |
90 | 1,1,1,-Trichloroethane | Methyl chloroform | Film cleaner | Moderately toxic | Moderately toxic | Slightly toxic | TLV 350 ppm; NIOSH 350 ppm; causes irritation, narcosis, heart arrhythmias, death; chronic exposure may cause liver damage |
91 | Triethanolamine | Color developing bath, holography | Slightly toxic | Highly toxic | Slightly toxic | TLV 0.5 ppm; probable human carcinogen; alkaline; may cause skin reaction; absorbed through skin; irritating to skin, eyes, respiratory system; may cause mild liver damage | |
92 | Trisodium Phosphate (see Sodium hydroxide) | Color developing bath | |||||
93 | Uranium Nitrate | Toner | Moderately toxic | Highly toxic | Slightly toxic | TLV 0.05 mg/m3; soluble uranium compounds are poorly absorbed, but can cause severe kidney damage/ failure; DO NOT USE |