Re: Handling cyanide

Sil Horwitz (silh@iag.net)
Fri, 16 Aug 1996 16:45:32 -0400

At 01:44 AM 960817 +1000, you wrote:
>>When I was working with cyanotype, I was doing multiple registration prints
>with platinum/cyanotype. If I put cyan in a place where I did not want it I
>was able to
>clear it out by blotting with ammonia. the only problem with this is that
>is releases
>cyanide gas!!!

Maybe I'm not up to "modern" alt processes, but the only "cyanide" I know of
that's used in cyanotype is Potassium Ferricyanide, and the CN in that
compound is so bound up that you would have to practically incinerate it to
get any CN gas. Ammonia wouldn't release cyanic acid (cyanide gas); in fact,
it would bind up the FeCN radical even more! Please let me know of your
experiences (evidently you are still alive and it takes very little cyanic
acid to kill), as perhaps I need to update my knowledge of the FeCN compounds.

Sil Horwitz, FPSA
Technical Editor, PSA Journal
silh@iag.net