# Sodium Sulfide gone bad



## johnfreed0 (Feb 27, 2020)

A few years ago I decided to give sepia toning a try on some specific images.  I had all the ingredients save sodium sulfide so I ordered a pound from Photo Formulary.   I remembered that the hydrogen sulfide smell was strong enough to prompt the use of a filter mask.   I made my sepia developer and used it for the prints I had in mind.  

Years passed and I got the urge to try sepia again on some prints.  I opened the sodium sulfide and was greeted to a LOT of hydrogen sulfide gas.  Fortunately, I had the exhaust fan on and was wearing the filter mask.  I sealed the container and ordered a sepia kit from B&H.  

I now have a pound of sodium sulfide to dispose of or, somehow render 'safe'.  Does anyone have experience they can share in this area?

Thanks in advanced.


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## webestang64 (Feb 27, 2020)

Look up "hazardous waste facility" in your area and take it there.


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## johnfreed0 (Feb 27, 2020)

The public 'event' isn't until April and they're known to be picky since it's touted as 'household hazardous waste'.  I know they rejected a can of bullseye smokeless powder since I helped the owner of said to dispose of it.  The commercial waste disposal companies around here are geared to commercial accounts and don't want to bother with walk-in trade.

It also might be salvageable.  If I can allow the Hydrogen Sulfide gas to dissipate the remainder might be usable.  
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## webestang64 (Feb 27, 2020)

Lucky here in St. Louis we have a household hazard waste place that takes all kinds of bad stuff.


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## compur (Feb 27, 2020)

Sodium sulfide does smell. Why not test some of it. I suspect it's fine.


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## IanG (Mar 2, 2020)

My Sodium Sulphide is over 40 years old, I have a lot (a few kilos) and it's still works perfectly. Sound like over reaction here.

Ian


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## johnfreed0 (Mar 3, 2020)

I probably did over react.  I opened it up in the darkroom with the fan off and hydrogen sulfide hit was extreme.  I did have a mask on so there was some mitigation.  The weather is warming up some here so I'll head outside and mix up some more sepia developer and see if it works.

Thanks for the help.

jr


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## petrochemist (Mar 3, 2020)

Hydrogen Sulfide is dangerous, you can smell it at very low levels, but your nose gets desensitized as the concentration increases, so that you stop smelling it before it reaches the lethal dosage. IIRC there are several fatalities, world wide, every year from exposure (mainly in the oil industry).

I suspect the levels you're getting are only a few parts per trillion, it's caused by not keeping your sodium sulfide dry, it hydrolyses in moist air...


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## johnfreed0 (Mar 3, 2020)

There was a yellow 'mist' coming out of the plastic bottle when I opened it.  That got my attention right away.  The hydrogen sulfide smell came through the mask almost immediately.  I put the lid back on, turned on the exhaust fan and took the bottle outside.  The house smelled like rotten eggs for about an hour afterwards.

I'm going to try mixing some more sepia developer soon since the weather is becoming more clement up here and I can use the well ventilated outdoors, preferable with a 10 kt wind at my back.


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## johnfreed0 (Mar 4, 2020)

End of story: I did overreact.  I just got through mixing a batch of sepia developer (45 grams of sodium sulfide in 1 liter water) and it works just fine.  There were a few rocks in among the crystals but, aside from that, they looked fine.  Mixing this stuff outside is recommended unless you have industrial grade ventilation; a couple of dorade fans won't hack it.

In my defense, I do harken from the time where hydrogen sulfide gas was used as a refrigerant.  We had a GE refrigerator that used it and, as a child, I was told that if I smell rotten eggs, panic.  Like toilet training, that stuck.  Be that as it may, sodium sulfide is one of those things to be handled carefully


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## Jeff15 (Mar 4, 2020)

May I recommend Google Spell check.......


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