Are there any household chemicals you can (exact or near)substitute for Sodium Sulfite? Baking soda (bi-carb), ect?

thanks,

-- Jeff Rivera (rivchap@ixpres.com), March 19, 2001

Answers

Not that I am aware of for the primary purpose of sodium sulfite in a developer formula, which is to act as a preservative. The usual substitutes are sodium bisulfite, sodium metabisulfite, or potassium metabisulfite, but none of these are common household chemicals.

-- Ed Buffaloe (edb@unblinkingeye.com), March 19, 2001.

Yes there is... I seem to recall that Arm and Hammer makes "Washing Soda" and it can be found in your grocery store (laundry section) but it is better to use photograde Sulfite.

-- Scott Walton (f64sw@hotmail.com), March 20, 2001.

Jeff:

Arm & Hammer Washing Soda is sodium borate, better known as borax. It is not a substitute for sodium sulfite.

-- Ken Burns (kenburns@twave.net), March 20, 2001.

The way I see it the sulfite serves two purposes; preservative and silver halide solvent. So I guess the better question would be are there any common household chemicals that could serve either of these functions or both?

-- Jeff Rivera (rivchap@ixpres.com), March 20, 2001.

Thanks Ken, I stand corrected... fighting a bad cold and am a bit hazy! Cheers

-- Scott Walton (f64sw@hotmail.com), March 20, 2001.

I seem to recall reading that common salt has a solvent action on silver-halides, but only in quite high concentration. Most sugars have a mild anti-oxidant preservative action, with glucose being among the most active. Honey contains natural preservatives and powerful anti-bacterial agents.

Are you trying to invent the first edible developer by any chance?

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), March 21, 2001.

Well you know, one can get pretty hungry out in the darkroom!

My motivation is simple, keep the toxicity as low as possible. I’m on septic, so I want to use compounds that are produced by a biological or natural (in nature, not a lab were you can produce isomers that are resistant to bio-degradation) process which are then more readily broken down by the bugs in my septic. Yes, I’ll have to do something about that pesky silver laden fixer, but I’m trying to minimize the use of non biological based chemicals.

-- Jeff Rivera (rivchap@ixpres.com), March 21, 2001.

Jeff:

If that's your main concern, then sodium sulfite is the least of your worries. SS is about the most benign chemical we use in the darkroom. Developing agents are the ones that will have the greatest effect on a septic system. You might want to try using human urine as your developing agent. It contains pyrocatechin, which was a popular developer many years ago. Let us know how it works.

-- Ken Burns (kenburns@twave.net), March 21, 2001.

Why look for a substitute for sodium sulfite? It's very cheap, and not especially harmful for the enviroment. I've heard that vomit can be used as a film developer, just as very light acid diarrhea. Never heard of anyone using snot or ear wax in the darkroom though.

-- Patric (jenspatric@mail.bip.net), March 23, 2001.

Well? Any other suggestions for darkroom chemicals using body fluids? :-)

-- Patric (jenspatric@mail.bip.net), March 27, 2001.