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Thread: How to tell if metol (in powder form) has gone bad

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Feb 1999
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    How to tell if metol (in powder form) has gone bad

    I have a jar of metol (powder) that I bought about three years ago to use in making D-23. Haven't mixed any D-23 recently, but when I looked at the jar of metol today, I noticed the color had changed. It's gone from white to light brown. Does this color change mean it's no longer any good?

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Sep 1998
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    Oregon now (formerly Austria)
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    Re: How to tell if metol (in powder form) has gone bad

    If the Metol powder is only light brown, it should work fine. Of course, the test would be to mix some D-23 and develop a small piece of film (leader or the like) in daylight to see if the developer is active. Since Metol is the only developing agent in D-23, this should tell the tale. The test would be even better if you had previously done the test and had a benchmark for developing in fresh developer. I'd bet your Metol is good; mine is the color of light sand and it works just fine.

    Doremus

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Jun 2014
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    2,084

    Re: How to tell if metol (in powder form) has gone bad

    Light brown/tan should be fine.
    You may want to reconsider how you store it if it shifted much in color within 2-3 years.

  4. #4

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    Jan 2007
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    Sonora, California
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    Re: How to tell if metol (in powder form) has gone bad

    This came up a while back too and iirc, the chemists said that light gray (and pink???) are also ok.

  5. #5

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    May 2015
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    SooooCal/LA USA
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    Re: How to tell if metol (in powder form) has gone bad

    If it's inky blue/black, it's bad...

    Steve K

  6. #6

    Join Date
    Aug 2000
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    California
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    Re: How to tell if metol (in powder form) has gone bad

    Mine is stored in glass at a relatively constant 72deg. It is barely light tan.

  7. #7

    Join Date
    Feb 1999
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    1,094

    Re: How to tell if metol (in powder form) has gone bad

    Thanks, everyone. I’ll go ahead and mix up a batch.

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