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Re: Selenium



At 09:54 PM 07/24/2000 -0400, you wrote:
>There was some discussion a few weeks back re: the possibility of toning
>salted paper prints with selenium. It was suggested that Kodak Rapid
>Selenium Toner would not work because it contained sodium thiosulfate (or
>was it something else?). I actually tried it at a dilution of 1:100 as
>someone suggested and found that it reduced the image to an unacceptable
>degree. I would now like to try plain selenium, and have two questions. 1.
>Is selenium the same stuff one can get in health food stores? and 2. Has
>anyone actually tried this with salted paper? If so, would appreciate any
>help.
>
>Sandy King
>
>
>
 Selenium is available as are some Selenium compounds. They are
exceptionally toxic, especially the compounds. There are formulae for
Selenium toners in very old books but I recommend against trying to make
them. 
 Selenium is a necessary trace nutrient. It is used by the body in very
small amounts. The concentration in health food type supplements is very
small. There are some other very poisonous substances which the body needs
in very tiny amounts, Iodine and (I think) arsenic among them. 
  According to its MSDS KRST concentrate contains about 25% Ammonium
Thiosulfate, which is the same as rapid fixer. 
----
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles,Ca.
dickburk@ix.netcom.com