Distinguishing developing agents

[Murray Kelly]

I bought 100g of each of metol, hydroquinone, glycin and CD-4 a couple of years ago and put them in the freezer. They all look pristine white.
Illness has prevented me from doing much in the way of photography since then.
I recently tried to make a C-41 developer using the CD-4 but all I get is a film with an orange mask,as expected but no images or even a black leader.
After 2 attempts the thought has occurred to me that the supplier (Canadian and long out of business) mislabeled the tubs and I am attempting the impossible; using one of the other 3 as a color developer.
My question is; is there any way to tell which is which without having a laboratory with all the instruments that would have?
Is there any way I could tell if the glycin is labeled CD-04 or any of the others?
Any hints welcome.
The thought of ditching the lot hurts me mentally as well as fiscally.

 

[Photo Engineer]

CD4 will dissolve in acetic acid (2%) and gradually turn pink with shaking to get some air in there. Metol is hard to dissolve in base but easier in acid. HQ is just the opposite.

If you ran the process with a B&W developing agent, the film would be blank. Silver would develop but would be bleached out.

PE

 

[Murray Kelly]

Thanks, PE. That's encouraging. There isn't even any edge markings. I will have to go back and review my processing. There was plenty of pink when I dumped the developer. I will try the other things in the am.

 

[Gerald C Koch]

There is a chapter in Pierre Glafkides Photographic Chemistry Vol 1 detailing a number of tests to identify various common B&W developing agents. One of the test uses the color produced with ferric chloride solution. If you are interested I will try to track down my copy.

 

[Wayne]

Hydroquinone occurs as thin needles rather than powder. You should be able to tell which one it is by looks alone.

 

[Murray Kelly]

There is a chapter in Pierre Glafkides Photographic Chemistry Vol 1 detailing a number of tests to identify various common B&W developing agents. One of the test uses the color produced with ferric chloride solution. If you are interested I will try to track down my copy.

Thanks Gerald. I have plenty of ferric chloride from my amateur radio PCB etching days so it could be a useful thing to know. Only if it isn't a bother to dig up the book.
And, Wayne, that is true and I haven't even opened the tub.
I did explain that I had more important things on my mind, like keeping alive!

 

[Gerald C Koch]

Hope you continue to feel better. Will start looking for the book. Ferric chloride 1% is a standard reagent for identifying phenols and amines.

 

[Wayne]

another way to tell some of the remaining three apart might be by volume. Glycin powder is much less dense than metol, and because of this it was almost a "fluffy" appearance to my eye. But even if you can't see that yourself 100 grams should be twice the volume of 100 grams of metol. But I'm not sure about any of the CD's because I have never used them so that may not help you.

 

[Murray Kelly]

Thank you to all those who gave suggestions. Some were obvious (but not to me) and the clincher was Ron (PE) who commented on the pinkness of the oxidised developer. That rang a very loud bell.
I will now have to retrace my steps through the whole process and look for some other culprit. "The usual suspects" as in Casablanca.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Thanks. I try to help. Hope you are back up to speed soon.

PE