Selenium spillage

philldresser · May 24, 2006

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 · May 24, 2006

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 · May 24, 2006

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 · May 25, 2006

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 · May 25, 2006

philldresser said:
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 · May 25, 2006

Les McLean said:
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 · May 25, 2006

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 · May 25, 2006

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 · May 25, 2006

philldresser said:
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 · May 26, 2006

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

dancqu · May 26, 2006

juan said:
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 · May 26, 2006

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

psvensson · May 26, 2006

gainer said:
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 · May 27, 2006

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 · May 27, 2006

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.

Selenium spillage

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