Lithium sulfite

avandesande · Feb 8, 2006

I am looking into putting together a one-shot paper developer with amidol. Amidol keeps indefinitly in PEG and TEA. Not suprisingly, sodium sulfite won't dissolve in either solvent. I was thinking of using lithium sulfite instead. Anyone have a source for this, or any experience with dissolving in organic solvents?

Gerald Koch · Feb 8, 2006

I have been toying with the idea of using either potassium or sodium metabisulfite as a source of sulfite in TEA solution. The metabisulfite can be thought of as a container for sulfur dioxide. When added to TEA the metabisulfite should react with the TEA to give the TEA sulfur dioxide addition product TEA.SO2 which is soluble and potassium sulfite which, of course, is not. The TEA, TEA.SO2 solution can then be decanted off for use. If you have a mortar I would grind the metabisulfite finely using good ventilation. Haven't had a chance to try this myself.

avandesande · Feb 8, 2006

Ammonium sulfite is cheap and readily available. Might be easier to go with that.

Photo Engineer · Feb 8, 2006

avandesande said:
Ammonium sulfite is cheap and readily available. Might be easier to go with that.

Ammonium sulfite is a NONO in developers. Don't use it under any circumstances.

You can get Potassium Sulfite in a solution or solid form and it dissolves nicely in TEA. The Formulary carries it, but I don't think it is in their current catalog.

PE

avandesande · Feb 8, 2006

Thanks for the info.

Photo Engineer said:
Ammonium sulfite is a NONO in developers. Don't use it under any circumstances.

You can get Potassium Sulfite in a solution or solid form and it dissolves nicely in TEA. The Formulary carries it, but I don't think it is in their current catalog.

PE

Tom Hoskinson · Feb 8, 2006

Potassium sulfite and potassium metabisulfite are both soluble in TEA.

WRT Amidol and Glycols, I know from direct experience that Amidol is soluble in warm Propylene Glycol. I have no experience with Amidol in Polyethylene Glycol (PEG).

Lithium sulfite

avandesande

Gerald Koch

avandesande

Photo Engineer

avandesande

Tom Hoskinson

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