Characteristic : Off-white crystalline solid CAS No. - 55-55-0 Elon is one of the most commonly used chemicals in the B-&-W darkroom. It was the basis for hundreds of formulas between the 1910's and through the 1970's. From Kodak's D-23 to Geoffrey Crawley's FX-1, Elon has been used to develop good gradation and fine grain along with good film speed as well as the basis for nearly every single paper developer ever made. Physically Elon is a white crystalline powder. It is relatively soluble in neutral pH and acidic solutions but less soluble in basic solutions. While contact dermatitis has been attributed to the use of Elon, it's is generally agreed that this is a result of impurities found in the chemistry and not from the Elon itself. As today's manufacturing has advanced, this has become a non-issue for all most everyone but the most sensitive. |