Mixing D76 at home. Safe?

[:: Mark]

FWIW, I switched from ID-11 (powder) to DD-X (virtually the same things as ID-11 in liquid form) because of the dust risk.

I was mixing the power *incredibly* carefully in the bathroom and would wash everything down carefully afterwards. Yet after an hour or so I found black spots appearing around the sink, caused by minute quantities of residual powder that was still settling. There is no way that I want any of this this in my lungs.

Mixing outside is not always an option here, and after seeing the black spots and the ID-11 labelling my parter (who is responsible for a chemical laboratory in the local university) insisted that I should use a fume cupboard when mixing. So I mostly use liquid developers now...

 

[johannielscom]

Surely it should be possible to add the powder without having it dust the whole house. Generations of photographers have done it before you.

Lots of friendly folks here so I'll go first: your wife is completely over-the-top over-concerned. In a few years your new born will be playing outside and inhale a lot more dust and dirt than the occasional D76 particle, and on a daily basis too. I'd advise her to go enjoy the view from the balcony while you mix the D76 up in the kitchen 😉

 

[newsgrunt]

If one were mixing other chemistry, I might agree with using a hood but it's D76. I've never seen black spots in all the years I've mixed that developer. I also don't dump the entire packet in one go, but do a slow pour while mixing. But yeah, you can't go wrong with HC 110.

 

[Emile de Leon]

I saw a bottle of D76 explode once..looked lilke a mini nuclear bomb...wasn't pretty...the mushroom cloud only went up 4'..kinda cool lookin ..my cat didn't like it though...lost her whiskers and eyebrows..I wasnt hurt though..well..maybe a little emotionally...lol...

 

[Livesteamer]

Consider how many thousands of gallons of D 76 have been mixed over the years with no record of dire results. Avoid breathing the powder and you should be fine. I have done black and white development for fifty years and never used gloves. Just keep rinsing your hands off when exposed to the photo chemicals.

As someone mentioned earlier about dryer sheets, I am more concerned about the hundreds of man made chemicals we are daily exposed to, the dangers of which we do not yet know.

Joe

 

[ChrisPlatt]

Unfounded fears

Unfounded fears

Some photographic chemicals are toxic to varying degrees. Most commonly used today are pretty benign.
This issue has been overblown to consumers, especially by those selling digital cameras and photography.
Those same folks never seem to mention the nasty chemicals involved in the manufacture of those items.

Chris

 

[xayraa33]

Imagine what daguerreotypists had to endure back in the day, with heated mercury and all.

Even wet plate photographers had it bad, rumour had it that photographer Robert Howlett of "IK Brunel with big chains" portrait fame died at 27 years of age from the toxic collodion process chemical fumes.

http://www.photohistories.com/Photo-Histories/51/robert-howlett-and-the-power-of-photography