Chemicals
53 chemicals used in developers, fixers, toners and alternative processes. Hazard classifications come from ECHA, the EU chemicals agency. See also published formulas.
Handle chemistry safely
Wear gloves and eye protection, work with good ventilation, and read the supplier’s safety data sheet before use. Hazard information here is a summary, not a replacement for it. Dispose of all photographic chemistry correctly, in line with local laws and your local authority’s guidance. Never mix waste solutions, and check the supplier’s safety data sheet before disposing of anything.
Acetic acid
CAS 64-19-7 · Danger
Flammable · Corrosive
Ammonium dichromate
CAS 7789-09-5 · Danger
Oxidising · Serious health hazard · Acute toxicity · Corrosive · Hazardous to the environment
Ammonium iron(III) oxalate trihydrate
CAS 13268-42-3 · Warning
Harmful or irritant
Ammonium thiosulfate
CAS 7783-18-8
Ascorbic acid
CAS 50-81-7
Benzotriazole
CAS 95-14-7
Hazardous to the environment
Borax (disodium tetraborate decahydrate)
CAS 1303-96-4 · Danger
Serious health hazard
Boric acid
CAS 10043-35-3 · Danger
Serious health hazard
Citric acid
CAS 77-92-9 · Warning
Harmful or irritant
DAS (diazidostilbene)
CAS 2718-90-3 · Warning
Flammable · Harmful or irritant
Disodium EDTA
CAS 139-33-3 · Warning
Harmful or irritant · Serious health hazard
EDTA (edetic acid)
CAS 60-00-4 · Warning
Harmful or irritant
Ferric ammonium citrate (green or brown)
CAS 1185-57-5 · Warning
Harmful or irritant
Ferric oxalate
CAS 2944-66-3 · Warning
Harmful or irritant
Formaldehyde
CAS 50-00-0 · Danger
Serious health hazard · Acute toxicity · Corrosive
Gelatin
CAS 9000-70-8
Glycin
CAS 122-87-2 · Warning
Harmful or irritant
Gum arabic
CAS 9000-01-5
Hydrogen peroxide
CAS 7722-84-1 · Danger
Oxidising · Harmful or irritant · Corrosive
Hydroquinone
CAS 123-31-9 · Danger
Serious health hazard · Harmful or irritant · Corrosive · Hazardous to the environment
Instant coffee
No CAS number
Metol
CAS 55-55-0 · Warning
Harmful or irritant · Serious health hazard · Hazardous to the environment
Oxalic acid
CAS 144-62-7 · Warning
Harmful or irritant
p-Aminophenol
CAS 123-30-8 · Warning
Serious health hazard · Harmful or irritant · Hazardous to the environment
p-Aminophenol hydrochloride
CAS 51-78-5 · Warning
Harmful or irritant
Paracetamol
CAS 103-90-2 · Warning
Harmful or irritant
Phenidone
CAS 92-43-3 · Warning
Harmful or irritant · Hazardous to the environment
Potassium alum (dodecahydrate)
CAS 7784-24-9
Potassium bromide
CAS 7758-02-3 · Warning
Harmful or irritant
Potassium carbonate
CAS 584-08-7 · Warning
Harmful or irritant
Potassium chloroplatinite
CAS 10025-99-7 · Danger
Acute toxicity · Corrosive · Serious health hazard
Potassium dichromate
CAS 7778-50-9 · Danger
Oxidising · Serious health hazard · Acute toxicity · Corrosive · Hazardous to the environment
Potassium ferricyanide
CAS 13746-66-2 · Warning
Harmful or irritant · Hazardous to the environment
Potassium oxalate monohydrate
CAS 6487-48-5 · Warning
Harmful or irritant
Pyrocatechol
CAS 120-80-9 · Danger
Serious health hazard · Acute toxicity
Pyrogallol
CAS 87-66-1 · Warning
Serious health hazard · Harmful or irritant
Silver nitrate
CAS 7761-88-8 · Danger
Oxidising · Corrosive · Hazardous to the environment
Sodium ascorbate
CAS 134-03-2
Sodium bisulfite
CAS 7631-90-5 · Warning
Harmful or irritant
Sodium carbonate
CAS 497-19-8 · Warning
Harmful or irritant
Sodium chloride
CAS 7647-14-5
Sodium chloropalladite
CAS 13820-53-6 · Danger
Corrosive · Harmful or irritant · Hazardous to the environment
Sodium dichromate
CAS 10588-01-9 · Danger
Oxidising · Serious health hazard · Acute toxicity · Corrosive · Hazardous to the environment
Sodium hydroxide
CAS 1310-73-2 · Danger
Corrosive
Sodium metabisulfite
CAS 7681-57-4 · Danger
Harmful or irritant · Corrosive
Sodium metaborate
CAS 7775-19-1 · Warning
Serious health hazard · Harmful or irritant
Sodium selenite
CAS 10102-18-8 · Danger
Acute toxicity · Hazardous to the environment
Sodium sulfide (anhydrous)
CAS 1313-82-2 · Danger
Acute toxicity · Corrosive · Hazardous to the environment
Sodium sulfite (anhydrous)
CAS 7757-83-7
Sodium thiosulfate pentahydrate
CAS 10102-17-7
Tartaric acid (L-)
CAS 87-69-4 · Danger
Corrosive
Thiourea
CAS 62-56-6 · Warning
Serious health hazard · Harmful or irritant · Hazardous to the environment
Triethanolamine
CAS 102-71-6