Originally Posted by
Doremus Scudder
I have to chime in here...
I, too, have posted frequently on this topic. There are a couple of issues to address here: capacity differences and environmental concerns.
First, a wash aid like Hypo Clearing Agent has a much smaller capacity than the same volume of selenium toner, even at a very weak dilution. Furthermore, dumping selenium toner down the drain (or wherever) that still has a lot of life left in it is not only wasteful, it is environmentally unsound. Of all the photo chemicals we use, selenium is among the most dangerous. It is a heavy metal and is not removed in waste-water treatment plants.
I replenish and re-use my selenium toner solutions and rarely have to discard any (search for my posts on this if you are interested in the details). At the very least, the toning solution should be used until toning times become quite long, and then left overnight with a few scrap prints in it to scavenge more of the remaining selenium before discarding the solution. This will always be long after the capacity of the wash aid is reached. Using the toner past the HCA capacity is certainly possible, but then why mix them together in the first place?
Mixing your toner with a wash aid like HCA, and then discarding it when the capacity for the wash aid has been reached means that you are tossing lots of selenium down the drain that should not be there and could be used for toning more prints. Back in the days when people were less aware of and concerned about poisoning the environment, this may have been an accepted practice. Today it is simply irresponsible. I'm sure if Ansel Adams were alive today, he would no longer recommend this practice.
I recommend mixing your selenium toner with water, using it to exhaustion before discarding or, as I do, replenishing it for future use. The wash aid should be mixed separately and used as a separate step after toning.
Best,
Doremus Scudder
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