Funky Looking Pyrocat HD, is this O.K.?

[large_formater]

Hello,

 

Is this the normal color and consistency of fresh Pyrocatechin?

[large_formater]

Better View:

[large_formater]

Finally, in Solution (glycol):

[jacques_minassian]

i went to my stash of pyrocat i have not used in a while. it comes ina bottle and bought it years ago from a dealer made by Matheson Coleman and Bell. it is whitish. i have never bought anything from Formulary but i do know that plastic bags are porous.

[jay_de_fehr]

I bought my most recent batch of catechol from the Lab Depot, and it looks very similar. I was used to the more granulated, white stuff, but this catechol seems to work identically in Hypercat. My solutions of Hypercat are much more pale than your Pyrocat HD solution. Good luck.

 

Jay

[evan_goulet]

I have no idea about Pyrocat developer. I do however do some work with catecholase (the enzyme that oxidizes catechol), and that solution is the same color as the oxidized catechol.

[photojim]

Mine is in crystal form and not powder like yours, but the colour of the crystals is almost identical to the colour of your solution.

 

I'd test it before committing any important films to it, but it is probably fine. Pyrocatechin supposedly has a very decent lifespan when it is dry.

[large_formater]

I have to agree with Evan about the oxidation part. I'm quite sure that either by age or heat or exposure to air that this is oxidized to some extent. But I posted sma ephoto and questions on Tuan's Large Format site and the response there is that this is similar in color to what others have been receiving in their shipments and that it nevertheless still works.

[al_divenuti]

I'd throw it out and ask for a refund/replacement.

 

I think it's oxidized. I received a 100g container of Pyrocatechol from the Formulary about five weeks back that exhibited the same color. I used it to mix the Gainer CAT-P-TEA formula.

 

When I developed film the negs were very flat and there was no evidence of staining action. Initially, based on input I received on APUG.ORG I had reason to believe this was due to the PH of the TEA being too low to activate the Pyrocatechol.

 

I tried mixing the TEA at 1:50 using a 10% solution of Sodium Hydroxide instead of water. No change whatsoever in the results and the PH was most certainly high enough to activate the Pyrocatechol.

 

I'd notify the Formulary and ask for a replacement. I'd have modest expectations for that, however, as they would not replace mine.

[john_stockdale2]

I recently bought some from Merck Australia and it was quite pale. Nothing like yours at all. In the past I have experienced small quantities of dev agents packed in plastic envelopes going bad rather quickly.

[large_formater]

I mixed the batch in glycol, as you may know. I tried it on a roll yesterday and it works fine. I was pretty sure it would be o.k. right out of the box.

 

My concern is it's longevity - as in "Did I receive some developer that's already near the end of it's lifetime?". So I spoke to Photographer's Formulary yesterday about the brown color of the pyrocatechin. They said it's normal. I asked them why I previouxly received a pinkish pyrocatechin, and they said they get it in different colors from their supplier fresh.

 

Photographers Formulary began offering Pyrocat HD and another pyrocat formula in glycol themselves recently, and their sales have since been brisk, I was told.

 

Mixing this stuff in glycol is the way to go.