safer paper developer

I am working with children making pinhole cameras and want to use a safe but adequate paper developer. Any suggestions?

thanks
Ralph

You have a couple of options, PQ developers are far less prone to cause problems than MQ developers, but even better would be an environmentally friendly Phenidone/Ascorbic developer like Chris Patton's E72 Dektol substitute.

Welcome to APUG BTW

Ian

Most developers consist of either phenidone (P) or metol (M) in combination with either ascrobate/vitamin C (C) or hydroquinone (Q). Phenidone/ascorbate (PC) developers are generally regarded as the least toxic. Metol (M) causes allergic reactions in some people (although some sources say this is more a matter of contaminants that often get into metol than the metol itself). Hydroquinone (Q) is generally regarded as more environmentally stressful than ascorbates. MQ and PQ developers are fairly common, with PC developers being rarer. I know of no commercially-available MC developers, although there are mix-it-yourself MC formulas.

AFAIK, there are only two PC print developers that are commercially available: Silvergrain Tektol and Agfa Neutol Plus. (Note that there are other products in the Agfa Neutol line, but only Neutol Plus is a PC developer.) Mix-it-yourself formulas include E-72 and Dead Link Removed although a little digging will turn up more. DS-14 is closely related to the Silvergrain Tektol line.

LPD diluted 1+15 or 1+20

According to MSDSes at Freestyle, LPD contains hydroquinone. Although hydroquinone has not, to the best of my knowledge, caused anybody to grow a third arm or anything, my understanding is that it is nastier than ascorbates/vitamin C. For the absolute best safety when children (and safety-conscious parents) are concerned, IMHO it's better to go for a PC developer than anything with hydroquinone in it. The LPD MSDS doesn't mention either phenidone or metol, so I don't know if it contains either of those chemicals. (MSDSes sometimes omit chemicals that are used in small enough quantities. Phenidone in particular is used in very small quantities in developers, so it's sometimes not mentioned.)

ralphh said:

I am working with children making pinhole cameras and want to use a safe but adequate paper developer. Any suggestions?

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Freestyle specializes in educational supplies, you might try emailing them.

One developer Freestyle carries that may fit your needs is:
http://www.freestylephoto.biz/1231043-Silvergrain-Tektol-Standard-BandW-Paper-Developer-1-Gallon-(Makes-10?cat_id=301

I think Clayton (???) also makes a low-toxicity developer, again, Freestyle would know.

The question assumes that it isnt safe to use any run of the mill paper developer, like Dektol (otherwise, what do you mean by safer? safer than what?). But it is, with basic precautions. If the kids use tongs or gloves and dont put their hands in their mouths or eyes or eat in the darkroom there really is no reason to be concerned (there is little reason to be concerned even if they dont take these precautions, but these are good practices to teach). If they drink it their parents are going to be very displeased and you will be in the hotseat even if you use something with no HQ. It seems to me like supervision and training is the only way to "safer". I wouldnt worry about the developer.

Wayne

Wayne said:

I wouldnt worry about the developer.

Wayne

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Amen. The Volvo "Be afraid" syndrome. (I owned Volvos years before most Americans had ever heard of them.)

Don't let them drink it, splash each other with it, and everything will be fine. Metol sensitivity, AFAIK, comes with, er, exposure and time. Even HQ's LD50 is about 320mg per kg of body weight.

you might try caffenol-c.
(instant coffee,washing soda (laundry detergent) and vitamin C )
some folks have great luck with it both as a film AND paper developer ..

good luck!

john