powder or granules that absorb liquids like photo chemicals

[jnantz]

hi

a few years ago i remember reading a thread here ( i think ? )
where someone mentioned some sort of powder that is used
in his / her darkroom or someone they know's darkroom &c
and they sprinkle this powder in their chemical bath and it transforms
the bath of chemistry into a powder that can be stored and disposed of
easier than a fluid.

kind of like using sawdust or kitty litter in a garage to soak up an oil spill
but it's kind of different ...

anyone remember the thread, use the stuff or have any idea what i might be thinking of ?

thanks !

john

[Sevo]

For dump disposable chemistry I would not use anything more expensive than clumping (Bentonite) cat litter. For any stuff that has to be specially disposed of, you'll have to read up the appropriate binders in the safety sheet.

[jnantz]

hi sevo

someone had posted information or maybe the name of the stuff a few years back
and it was formulated specifically for darkroom chemistry, it was called magic green
or something like that ..

thanks though ..

[Doremus Scudder]

John,

Read this if you haven't already

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/corp/.../pdfs/j300.pdf

You are likely better disposing of darkroom chemicals down the drain with the exception of silver-laden fixer, selenium toner and other exotica.

Of course, kitty litter or other clumping/absorbing agents are really helpful for cleaning up spills, but then, what do you do with them? I don't really see an advantage to having a lot of solid waste around that will need disposing of somehow when the drain is there, waiting...

Developer, stop and silver-free fix are easily biodegradable and break down to harmless compounds in water-treatment facilities.

In my Oregon darkroom, I dispose of developer, stop and silver-free fix along with lots of rinse water into a septic system. No problems after many years of so doing.

Fix gets de-silvered by a recovery process or taken to a local mini-lab for recovery (or the hazmat people when there is no other choice, although I'm not convinced that the hazmat people really know what to do with used fixer... they just label it "photo chemicals" and send it off somewhere.) I replenish and reuse my selenium toner, so never have to dispose of it.

Best,

Doremus

[DanK]

Probably looking for spill containment liquid absorbers...like here (second product 'DriMop' for chemicals)...

http://www.idspackaging.com/packagin...upplier_5.html

Cheers,
Dan

[Sevo]

A photo lab is no operating theatre. In particular, photo chemicals contain no "infectious bio fluids" - but odd and potentially dangerous things might happen if you mix some of them with disinfectants...

[Harold_4074]

John,

I suspect that you may be referring to the use of something like sodium polyacrylate (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_polyacrylate) or a related polymer. I can remember it being sold at the local garden center as a water-holding additive for potted plants.

(Personally, I think Doremus Scudder's opinion is right on the money, although your concerns may have to do with factors other than ultimate disposition.)

Harold

[Drew Wiley]

I sell packages of special sorbent here. All it is is repackaged cat litter. The military used to buy multiple pallet loads of cat litter for hazmat use. Has the usual nonsense in it - bentonite, baking soda,
sawdust, maybe some lime (plus some other stuff if first kitty-tested!)

[Harold_4074]

Bentonite is remarkable stuff, but I don't know if I would want anything that dusty in the darkroom!

Because my garden soil is mostly silt, a few years ago I had the idea of buying some generic, unscented cat litter (labeled as being bentonite...) for improving potting soil. To my surprise, it turned out to be coarse sand with a light coating of bentonite...and it didn't work all that well as cat litter either!

[DanK]

Keep in mind, Bentonite is not instant, and will take some time to absorb the liquids (and may not absorb some)...polymers are definitely better suited, especially for chemicals...

Cheers,
Dan