Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/06/04
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand this format, some or all of this message may not be legible. - ------ =_NextPart_001_01BEAEA0.C6D1F9D0 Content-Type: text/plain > Buzz, > With all due respect, I believe you are confusing the hazards of heavy > exposure to powdered platinum metal with the low concentration of platinum > salt solutions used in platinum printing. Platinum is not a heavy metal, > subject to accumulation in the body as in the case of mercury or lead. > Platinum is one of the "noble metals" and is used in jewelry, for example. > Bostick-Sullivan, seller of platinum photographic materials has a good > discussion of any potential hazards at their web site: > <http://bostick-sullivan.com/ControlPages/Index_page.htm> > Regards, > Mike Gardner > Greetings Mike, Thanks for the direction to the Bostick-Sullivan site; it is always better to have more information when using potentially hazardous materials. I should have stated in my alarmist post that I wasn't commenting specifically on platinum's use in photography, a process I have never tried myself. I do not know the amount, concentration, and form of platinum in photographic printing, nor do I know the specific vectors for exposure in the process. You are quite right in pointing out that the effects of platinum are different if it is contacted either in its powder form or as a soluble salt. The soluble salts are less dangerous, but if memory serves me, they can cause severe eye and respiratory irritation and are subject to regulatory control in the workplace. Nonetheless, platinum can be dangerous stuff and should be approached with respect. Anyone interested in the regulatory framework for platinum might want to check out the OSHA site, whose URL escapes me at the moment. Buzz > Buzz Hausner wrote: > > > > Platinum is a heavy metal and can be very dangerous if not > properly handled. Inhalation of platinum tainted fumes, bathing ones > hands or other parts in a platinum laden liquid, or dining on the metal > itself can cause severe nerve damage leading to a Parkinson's Disease-like > syndrome and even unto death. HOWEVER, if you work in a well ventilated > room or, better yet, under a hood with a fairly powerful evacuation fan > and you wear gloves, you should have no problem. Before working with > platinum, ask the manufacturer to provide you with the MATERIAL SAFETY > DATA SHEET (known as the MSDS), which will detail personal protection and > measures to take if one is accidentally exposed to the hazardous material. > > > Buzz Hausner > > - ------ =_NextPart_001_01BEAEA0.C6D1F9D0 Content-Type: text/html Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META HTTP-EQUIV=3D"Content-Type" CONTENT=3D"text/html; = charset=3DUS-ASCII"> <META NAME=3D"Generator" CONTENT=3D"MS Exchange Server version = 5.0.1460.9"> <TITLE>RE: [Leica] and now, for something entirely different.... going = platinum</TITLE> </HEAD> <BODY> <UL> <P><FONT COLOR=3D"#000000" FACE=3D"Arial">Buzz,<BR> With all due respect, I believe you are confusing the hazards of heavy = exposure to powdered platinum metal with the low concentration of = platinum salt solutions used in platinum printing. Platinum is = not a heavy metal, subject to accumulation in the body as in the case = of mercury or lead. Platinum is one of the "noble = metals" and is used in jewelry, for example. = Bostick-Sullivan, seller of platinum photographic materials has a good = discussion of any potential hazards at their web site:<BR> </FONT><U><FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF" FACE=3D"Arial"><<A = HREF=3D"http://bostick-sullivan.com/ControlPages/Index_page.htm" = TARGET=3D"_blank">http://bostick-sullivan.com/ControlPages/Index_page.ht= m</A>></FONT></U><FONT COLOR=3D"#000000" FACE=3D"Arial"><BR> Regards,<BR> Mike Gardner </FONT> </P> <P><FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF" SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Book Antiqua">Greetings = Mike,</FONT> </P> <P><FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF" SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Book Antiqua">Thanks for = the direction to the Bostick-Sullivan site; it is always better to have = more information when using potentially hazardous materials. I = should have stated in my alarmist post that I wasn't commenting = specifically on platinum's use in photography, a process I have never = tried myself. I do not know the amount, concentration, and form = of platinum in photographic printing, nor do I know the specific = vectors for exposure in the process. You are quite right in = pointing out that the effects of platinum are different if it is = contacted either in its powder form or as a soluble salt. The = soluble salts are less dangerous, but if memory serves me, they can = cause severe eye and respiratory irritation and are subject to = regulatory control in the workplace. Nonetheless, platinum can be = dangerous stuff and should be approached with respect. Anyone = interested in the regulatory framework for platinum might want to check = out the OSHA site, whose URL escapes me at the moment.</FONT></P> <P> <FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF" = SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Book Antiqua">Buzz</FONT> </P> <P><FONT COLOR=3D"#000000" FACE=3D"Arial">Buzz Hausner wrote: </FONT> </P> <UL> <P><FONT COLOR=3D"#000000" FACE=3D"Arial"> </FONT> </P> <P> <FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF" = SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Book Antiqua">Platinum is a heavy metal and can be = very dangerous if not properly handled. Inhalation of platinum = tainted fumes, bathing ones hands or other parts in a platinum laden = liquid, or dining on the metal itself can cause severe nerve = damage leading to a Parkinson's Disease-like syndrome and even unto = death. HOWEVER, if you work in a well ventilated room or, better = yet, under a hood with a fairly powerful evacuation fan and you wear = gloves, you should have no problem. Before working with platinum, = ask the manufacturer to provide you with the MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET = (known as the MSDS), which will detail personal protection and measures = to take if one is accidentally exposed to the hazardous = material.</FONT><FONT COLOR=3D"#000000" FACE=3D"Arial"> </FONT></P> <P> <FONT COLOR=3D"#000000" = FACE=3D"Arial"> </FONT> <FONT = COLOR=3D"#0000FF" SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Book Antiqua">Buzz Hausner</FONT> </P> </UL> <P><FONT COLOR=3D"#000000" FACE=3D"Arial"> </FONT> </P> </UL> </BODY> </HTML> - ------ =_NextPart_001_01BEAEA0.C6D1F9D0--