Chemists! Help please on sepia, sodium sulfide (sulphide)

[Edward]

Hello! I have a question for the chemists in the crowd about sepia toner. Once in a solution, would there be any effective difference between sodium sulfide, anhydrous (1313-82-2) and disodium sulfide, nonahydrate, (1313-84-4)?

I have been out of printing for a while, and getting back into it, I see I am out of the Kodak Professional Sepia Toner I love, and they have stopped making it. I know some of you will tell me to just use thiocarbamide, but that is not useful advice for me. I find the two are very different, and I am hoping to reproduce the Kodak product as closely as possible.

The safety sheet on the Kodak product describes it as nonahydrate, (1313-84-4). Photographers Formulary only sells the anhydrous product (1313-82-2). The kind woman there who quickly replied to my email said she did not know about differences between the two chemicals. Tim Rudman's book includes a formula that also uses the anhydrous, so I am fairly certain it will work just fine. My question is whether it will be exactly the same.

Thanks in advance!

-Ed.

 

[Gerald C Koch]

It would make no difference once the difference in molecular weight was corrected

 

[RauschenOderKorn]

No difference at all. You can substitute the anhydrate with twice the amount of the non-anhydrate. If you want to be super-exact, you can reduce the water accordingly.

 

[Edward]

Thank you both!

 

[Rudeofus]

I think we should mention at this point, that Sodium Sulfide in whatever form can be a very dangerous compound. If you experiment with this stuff, follow published and tested procedures to the letter, and make sure you have proper ventilation and an unblocked escape route if things go south. Hydrogen Sulfide is extremely toxic, and you will not smell it at higher concentrations!