~~~~~~~~ Excerpt from the Guide to Platinum Palladium Photographic Printmaking by Jeffrey D. Mathias ~~~~~~~~
No part of this document may be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written permission of the Author.
updated  December 2000

Hazard Ratings and Storage Recommendations
for Stock Chemicals used with the Pt/Pd Process

The hazard and storage recommendations have been standardized by OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration of the US Government).  Each chemical is RATED in each of the following four HAZARD categories and provided a STORAGE recommendation.

Material Safety Data Sheets cover and explain more about the use and safety of materials and can be searched and retrieved at several sites including these:
Vermont Safety Information Resources, Inc.
Cornell University

Hazards:

Health             - danger or toxic effect if inhaled, ingested, or absorbed
Flammability  - tendency to burn
Reactivity       - potential to explode or react violently with air, water,
                          or other substances
Contact          - danger when exposed to skin, eyes, and mucous
                          membranes
Rating Scale:
4 - Extreme
3 - Severe
2 - Moderate
1 - Slight
0 - No scientific data in standard references that suggests the substance
      is hazardous
Storage:
Blue       - Store in a secure poison area.
Yellow    - Store separately and away from flammable or
                  combustible materials.
White     - Store in a corrosion proof area.
Orange  - Store in a general chemical storage area.
Chemical Name Formula HEALTH FLAMMABILITY REACTIVITY CONTACT STORAGE
Ammonium Citrate (NH4)2HC6H5O7 1 1 0 1 Orange
Ammonium Dichromate  (NH4)2Cr2O7 4 1 3 3 Yellow
Ammonium Ferric Oxalate (NH4)3Fe(C2O4)3.3H2O ? ? ? ? ?
Citric Acid HOC(COOH)(CH2COOH)2H2O 0 1 0 1 Orange
EDTA
CAS:60-00-4
CAS:64-02-8
CAS:6381-92-6
(HOCOCH2)2NCH2CH2N(CH2COOH)2 1 1 0 1 Orange
Ferric Nitrate 9-hydrate Fe(NO3)3.9H2O 1 0 3 2 Orange
Ferric Oxalate Fe2(C2O4)3.6H2O ? ? ? ? ?
Hydrochloric Acid HCl 3 0 2 3 White
Hydrogen Peroxide (3%) H2O2 0 0 1 1 Orange
Hydrogen Peroxide
(30%)
H2O2 2 0 3 4 Yellow
Lithium Chloride LiCl 2 0 0 2 Orange
Oxalic Acid HOCOCOOH2H2O 2 1 1 3 White
Palladium Chloride PdCl2 1 0 0 0 Orange
Palladium salt (Potassium) K2PdCl4 1 0 0 0 Orange
Palladium salt (Sodium) Na2PdCl4 1 0 0 0 Orange
Phosphoric Acid H3PO4 2 0 2 3 White
Platinum salt K2PtCl4 3 0 0 0 Blue
Potassium Chlorate KClO3 1 0 3 2 Yellow
Potassium Chloride KCl 0 0 0 1 Orange
Potassium Dichromate K2Cr2O7 4 0 3 3 Yellow
Potassium Ferricyanide K3Fe(CN)6 1 0 1 1 Orange
Potassium Oxalate KOCOCOOKH2O 3 0 1 3 White
Sodium Bisulfate NaHSO4 2 0 1 1 Orange
Sodium Chloride NaCl 1 0 0 1 Orange
Table of Contents