XTOL Part A in water - fume inhalation causing diarrhoea

MartinP · Jan 2, 2014

Leaving aside whether a particle-mask is a wise idea because of pre-existing known allergies (which you would already have known about), why would you have a dust cloud? Place the slightly opened packet a few millimetres above the water and shake-and-pour gently -- throwing the powders into the mixing container, in handfuls, from the other side of the room (possible slight exaggeration) is not a sensible way to proceed, even if you were only making a cake. Ingestion of the Xtol sounds as though it is unlikely to have caused your symptoms. In best practice, your protective equipment should be completely clean and sterilised before each use - this could well be a source of some fungal trigger for your illness.

Richard Jepsen · Jan 2, 2014

Gerald C Koch said:
As a chemist let me say that Xtol is probably the most benign of the commercially available developers. There is no free sulgurous acid in the mixed solution as noted in the MSDS. Your symptom is not associated with any of the chemicals in the developer. While I usually advocate taking safety precautions with darkroom chemicals. you fear of Xtol is unfounded and the respirator ineffectual. This is predicated on the assumption that you have never experienced an asthma like reaction before when exposed to sulfites say from drinking wine. In which case you would have tp give up darkroom work. I fear that you may be making too much out of something which probably has no relation to the Xtol. Like Scrooge you may have been suffering from an "undigested bit of beef."

Gerald said it best. I mix powders outside with a slight breeze at my back. The cut package is nearly submerged when adding to water. I can't imagine XTOL being the cause.

Sal Santamaura · Jan 2, 2014

PeterB said:
...I had the solution heated to about 31degC and could feel the fumes slightly acrid in my eyes as I didn't have sealing goggles on...

Sal Santamaura said:
I'll let those with more expertise continue to discuss the possibility that there's any connection between XTOL and your symptoms, but wonder why you'd mix it at 31 degrees C? I've had no trouble getting Part A into solution at the low end of its instructions' temperature range, i.e. not much above 18 degrees C.

bdial said:
...Like Sal, I only heat the water to the minimum specified in the directions.

Peter, again, why 31 degrees C?

It's been a loooong time since freshman chemistry. Chemists: wouldn't whatever might be the cause of Peter's problem be produced in greater quantity if the mixing is done at a higher than necessary temperature?

Tom Kershaw · Jan 2, 2014

One of the attractions of XTOL for myself is how easy it is to mix up, a generous interpretation of room temperature distilled water, and no need to get dressed up in safety gear.

Tom

Ian Grant · Jan 2, 2014

Pure coincidence, something else caused the problem, it just wouldn't happen that fast anyway

Ian

pentaxuser · Jan 2, 2014

I think Ian has nicely summed things up - a coincidence and unrelated to mixing Xtol. It is that time of year for most of us to maybe eat and drink in combinations to which we are unaccustomed. In all likelihood it was a one-off but at the risk of sounding alarmist I'd certainly get yourself seen by a doctor if it were to happen again in the near future and there was no cause you could put it down to.

In the meantime I wouldn't worry. Probably there's not many of us who have never had a sudden bout of diarrhoea once in a while

pentaxuser

Truzi · Jan 2, 2014

It took me quite some time to figure out I was lactose intolerant, which can give sudden bouts of certain things. Not saying this is your issue, just that it can be difficult at times to determine what caused something. Even now that I avoid dairy or take lactase enzymes, sometimes I come across something unexpected - like sandwich meat that contained caseins when most do not.

smithdoor · Jan 2, 2014

May be the flue

I would try in a few weeks
I did have the flue shot (4) and had the same thing on Sunday & Monday, but I did not mix any thing.

Good luck
Dave

PS wait a few weeks for any long hikes

Vaughn · Jan 2, 2014

The use of 'gas masks' can be hazardous unless properly fitted and tested. A badly fitted mask gives a false sense of security and can lead one to expose oneself to dangerous/hazardous fumes and dusts that one would otherwise stay away from if one did not use the mask.

My suggestion would be to make a simple fume hood for mixing chemicals.

Good luck tracking down the problem.

Vaughn

PeterB · Jan 2, 2014

Sal Santamaura said:
Peter, again, why 31 degrees C?

A few degrees above the recommended mix temperature means it dissolves faster.

ctsundevil · Jan 3, 2014

I have a sulfite allergy. It's not a contact allergy, only if I eat them. Sulfites are in all sorts of food - added and naturally occurring. The way I understand it, my liver is slow at processing sulfites. If I eat too many sulfites or too much food high in sulfur, it will build up in my system and I will have some sort of reaction. I'm also allergic to sulfa drugs.

I've never had a problem mixing X-Tol or working with Sodium Sulfite. I'm careful. I'm not going to put my head in the bucket while pouring in the chemicals.

For me, sodium metabisulfite is the worst. It gives me hives. If I eat enough of it, I get anaphylaxis. Sodium dioxide is bad, it will give me hives. Sodium sulfite will give me chest tightness and asthmatic symptoms. If I drink wine, that's what happens. Naturally occurring sulfites give me intestinal problems, usually very quickly. Aged cheese and most beers fall in this category. There are a variety of food additives and some high-sulfur foods I need to avoid.

It took twenty years to find out that I have an allergy. Now that I know and can avoid the problem foods, I've never felt better.

Tom Kershaw · Jan 3, 2014

ctsundevil said:
I have a sulfite allergy. It's not a contact allergy, only if I eat them. Sulfites are in all sorts of food - added and naturally occurring. The way I understand it, my liver is slow at processing sulfites. If I eat too many sulfites or too much food high in sulfur, it will build up in my system and I will have some sort of reaction. I'm also allergic to sulfa drugs.

I've never had a problem mixing X-Tol or working with Sodium Sulfite. I'm careful. I'm not going to put my head in the bucket while pouring in the chemicals.

For me, sodium metabisulfite is the worst. It gives me hives. If I eat enough of it, I get anaphylaxis. Sodium dioxide is bad, it will give me hives. Sodium sulfite will give me chest tightness and asthmatic symptoms. If I drink wine, that's what happens. Naturally occurring sulfites give me intestinal problems, usually very quickly. Aged cheese and most beers fall in this category. There are a variety of food additives and some high-sulfur foods I need to avoid.

It took twenty years to find out that I have an allergy. Now that I know and can avoid the problem foods, I've never felt better.

Have you tried any of the 'natural' wines that do not contain sulphites?

Tom

Xmas · Jan 3, 2014

Truzi said:
It took me quite some time to figure out I was lactose intolerant, which can give sudden bouts of certain things. Not saying this is your issue, just that it can be difficult at times to determine what caused something. Even now that I avoid dairy or take lactase enzymes, sometimes I come across something unexpected - like sandwich meat that contained caseins when most do not.

Hi sorry about that & everyone is different I cannot be near kerosene (jet engine fuel, heating fuel, ).

but you need to be careful unless you have emergency medical intervention nearby eg estate sales of camera time... Id only mix photo chems out doors if I was OP.

ctsundevil · Jan 4, 2014

I've tried wine from one vineyard that tests for sulfites. I think the brand is Redwood. Their red wines say "no detectable sulfites". I haven't had any problems with any of their wines.

XTOL Part A in water - fume inhalation causing diarrhoea

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