Selenium spillage

[philldresser]

I managed to spill some Selenium toner (about 500ml of KRST Fresh solution 1:20) onto the garage floor (concrete) yesterday. Including some onto a piece of carpet. I thought I did a good job of cleaning it up but it still smells very strongly today (Ammonia). Are there any recommendations to clean this up properly?

Cheers

Phill

 

[Sean]

I truly feel your pain, I had a big spill also and after big time scrubbing and cleaning it still took about a year before the smell went away..

 

[JBrunner]

After you have cleaned the dickens out of it, you might consider painting with a sealer to sort of "cap" any residue that can not be got up. The carpet may need to go... selenium is not the best stuff to have dusting out of a carpet over the years (unless of course, you have dandruff)

 

[titrisol]

have you tried washing the floor with baking soda?
it may help get rid of the ammonia smell

Otherwise get cat litter and spread it over the spill area and let it soak out the ammonia smell

 

[Les McLean]

I managed to spill some Selenium toner (about 500ml of KRST Fresh solution 1:20) onto the garage floor (concrete) yesterday. Including some onto a piece of carpet. I thought I did a good job of cleaning it up but it still smells very strongly today (Ammonia). Are there any recommendations to clean this up properly?

Cheers

Phill

Money to burn Dresser!!!!!!!!!

You might try Oil of Citrinellor (SP) which you will get from your local chemist. Follow the instructions on the bottle, I have used it to kill the smell left in my car after my neice three up one hot summer day on the way back from the south of England, and it worked.

 

[philldresser]

Money to burn Dresser!!!!!!!!!

I didn't mean Les, honestly! At least it was not in your Darkroom. Then I would be in trouble.

Thanks all for the suggestions.

Phill

 

[joneil]

Be careful what cleaning agents you use with anything ammonia based - you can get some nasty reactions if not careful.

However, for this kind of spill - baking soda, baking soda, baking soda. Water and baking soda.

Take a good look at your carpet however, especially the backing. Small possibility some ageints, ammonia based, might be reacting with the carpet or th eglue used(if any) to put down the carpet.

joe

 

[Frank Pouw]

I just read this in my copy of Ilford Manual of Photography1968:

"In making up the suphide working solution, in using it for toning and in the subsequent washing there is the unpleasant odour of hydrogen sulphide (rotten eggs). This can be minimized by having at hand a shallow dish containing some diinfectant, such as dilute Izal or Lysol. When the used sulphide bath is thrown down the sink it should be followed by the disinfectant of by a solution of potassium permanganate, 40 gr. (2g.); water, 40 oz. 1000 c.c.); ommonia, liquid 0.880, 1/2 oz. (12.5 c.c.) "

I don't know if this is good advice or not. I've never tried it.

Good luck finding a solution.

Frank

 

[dancqu]

I managed to spill some Selenium toner ...

Avoid anything which would produce the gas H2Se,
hydrogen selenide. It is extremely toxic. Likely you've
washed down to where you're safe.

As for the ammonia I'd be tempted to give a laundry
strength chlorine bleach a go. Prior, wash down to
traces and BE ventilated while bleaching. Dan

 

[juan]

Dan, I thought the rule was to never mix ammonia products with chlroine bleach - am I remembering incorrectly?
juan

 

[dancqu]

Dan, I thought the rule was to never mix ammonia products
with chlroine bleach - am I remembering incorrectly? juan

I'm quite sure the precautions I mentioned will make
it safe to do. I wouldn't call traces on the floor plus
laundry strength bleach a mixing in the sense the
prohibition is made. Dan

 

[gainer]

Have you ever looked at the contents of Selsun Blue shampoo?

 

[psvensson]

Have you ever looked at the contents of Selsun Blue shampoo?

Patrick may be on to something: selenium sulfide, as found in shampoo, is a lot less dangerous than the form found in toner. Maybe there's a way to convert the spilled selenium?

 

[gainer]

Maybe you could use some of the sulfur candles that wineries have to use. Can't say as that would be any safer than dumping it on the ground, though.

I don't remember for sure, but I think sodium selenide is what's in toner. Selenium, I seem to remember, is one of those elements that doesn't always know which side of the molecule it should be on. I was more interested once upon a time in whether I could use Selsun Blue as a toner.

 

[gainer]

Really, my thought was that if sodium sulfide and sodium selenide are toners, why not just eliminate the middle man and get double the satisfaction?

Perhaps you can tell I've been up all night.