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- Newsgroups: rec.photo
- Path: sparky!uunet!gatech!concert!samba!rslugg
- From: rslugg@med.unc.edu (Robert Slugg)
- Subject: Re: The color developer in the E-6 process
- Message-ID: <1992Nov23.203548.9338@samba.oit.unc.edu>
- Sender: usenet@samba.oit.unc.edu
- Nntp-Posting-Host: pelham.med.unc.edu
- Organization: UNC-CH School of Medicine
- References: <303@metran.UUCP> <1992Nov23.181412.22577@pmafire.inel.gov> <1992Nov23.183710.2135@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu>
- Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 20:35:48 GMT
- Lines: 18
-
- Formalin is a mixture of formaldehyde and water, usually 40% by weight is
- the maximum, so 10% formalin is the same as 4% formaldehyde. Usually more
- toxic forms such as paraformaldehyde and glutaraldehyde are used for
- "preserving" things. They act by forming crosslinkages with biological
- molecules, hence the stiffness of things that have been "fixed." I assume
- the process in photography is the same, perhaps they sit there and wait to
- attach to any biological molecule that comes along, or they tie up all the
- free endings to prevent things from attaching. The amounts in the hobby
- packs are miniscule, trust me, I've used 4% glut and survived. Only worry
- with these things when you can;t smell, as thats when you've fixed all the
- receptors in your nose and the brain is the next target down the line.
- Based on the amount of concentrated fixatives I've been exposed to, most
- of you would have to drink a couple of hobby packs to catch up. BTW,
- formaldehyde and its derivatives are used as preservatives in foreign
- beers, in case you wondered where that distinctive taste came from.
-
- Bob
-
-