Polyethylene containers for storing Selenium toner concentrate?

[gregmacc]

Are polyethylene containers OK for Storage of Selenium toner concentrate? I have 4 brand new 250ml PE containers and would like to use them to split up a brand new bottle of KRST. Hopefully to extend it's shelf life once the Kodak container is opened.Any ideas/experiences?

 

[jgjbowen]

KRST goes bad?? My quart glass bottle was first opened almost 20 years ago. I've never noticed any change.

 

[gregmacc]

Thanks John ... I'm just assuming like most photo chemicals that KRST does go bad. Obviously your experience would suggest otherwise. I've never used it before (very little experience with any other toners either). I'm just trying to do the best I can to protect my investment .... $40 here in Australia! ... I won't be using it all that frequently and only at fairly low concentrations when I do. 20 years would be far more than enough for my purposes. A couple of years would be fine.
Are you doing something to keep air out of the container? Marbles? Gas?
The current Kodak containers are plastic (at least the ones they export here are). I'm wondering if the glass of your container has some sort of storage advantage over the plastic.
I've heard that some plastics (can't remember specifics) are permeable to air ... and that isn't good for a lot of photo chemicals.

 

[Rich Ullsmith]

I store all my chems, including 10% sodium hydroxide and bleaches, in those plastic bottles that hospitals use for saline and sterile water. (Sterile water is best, 'cuz they don't even need rinsing!.) Never ever a problem.

As long as stock selenium doesn't undergo a state change, like boiling or freezing, I do not think there will be a problem in the very long term. I've bought selenium stock from darkroom estate sales that was very old, air in the bottle, and no problem.

 

[jgjbowen]

Nothing in my bottles except air and toner. My newer bottles are plastic. I expect KRST to become more difficult to ship in the future, so I've purchased quite a bit of the stuff. I have no concerns about it going bad before I use it up.

Thanks John ... I'm just assuming like most photo chemicals that KRST does go bad. Obviously your experience would suggest otherwise. I've never used it before (very little experience with any other toners either). I'm just trying to do the best I can to protect my investment .... $40 here in Australia! ... I won't be using it all that frequently and only at fairly low concentrations when I do. 20 years would be far more than enough for my purposes. A couple of years would be fine.
Are you doing something to keep air out of the container? Marbles? Gas?
The current Kodak containers are plastic (at least the ones they export here are). I'm wondering if the glass of your container has some sort of storage advantage over the plastic.
I've heard that some plastics (can't remember specifics) are permeable to air ... and that isn't good for a lot of photo chemicals.

 

[gregmacc]

Thanks John and Rich ... I'm just going to relax and start selenium toning next weekend.