Abstract: The invention relates to a process and apparatus for the treatment of photographic films. The film circulates in a series of processing baths, each of these baths comprising a washing area each comprising one or more tanks, the waste water from all the washing areas is recovered and treated in a single nanofiltration device, common to all the processing baths, the water hardness of the permeate from the nanofiltration device is adjusted, and the permeate is recycled to each of the washing areas of each of the processing baths.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the treatment of a seasoned stabilization bath containing at least 2 g/l of thiosulfate carried over from the fixing or bleach-fixing bath wherein said stabilization bath is treated by means of a nanofiltration system to yield a photographically useful permeate. The process in this invention allows the volume of photographic effluents to be significantly reduced.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method of extracting halide ions contained in a photographic processing solution. The invention concerns a method for the selective extraction of halide ions using a separative membrane comprising a support covered with an active layer comprising an inorganic hydrogel material and an ion carrier, one of the faces of the support having been surface-modified. This method effectively regenerates photographic solutions.

Abstract: A method to recover the resources incorporated in a photographic material is disclosed. An exposed silver salt light-sensitive photographic material is subjected to color development processing; the obtained image information is optically read; digital image information is obtained by converting the read information to electrical signals, and the resulting image information is recorded on a recording medium, and resources incorporated in a photographic material is recovered from the processed photographic material.

Abstract: A method for processing a black-white silver halide photographic light-sensitive material by an automatic processor comprising the following steps,a step for preparing a processing solution by dissolving a solid processing composition or a condensed processing solution in a dissolving tank,a step for supplying said processing solution from said dissolving tank to a processing tank,a step for supplying part of said processing solution used for processing in said processing tank to said dissolving tank,wherein said black-white silver halide photographic light-sensitive material is processed with said processing solution in said processing tank and the flow of said processing solution from said processing tank to said dissolving tank is irreversible.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for decontaminating a used photographic processing bath.This method consists of putting the processing bath in contact with a heat-reversible hydrophilic polymer which becomes hydrophobic above a temperature lower than the temperature of the processing bath.The tars and other organic contaminants present in the used photographic processing bath can be removed by cooling the heat-reversible polymer below the temperature where it becomes hydrophilic.

Abstract: There is provided a method for removing silver from photoprocessing solutions containing hardening agents which comprises:a) adding a chelating agent to the photoprocessing solution in an amount sufficient to inhibit the precipitation of the high valent cations of the hardening agents;b) adding a base to adjust the pH of the photoprocessing solution to a value above 5.5; andc) adding a chemical precipitant for the silver contained in the photoprocessing solution;and optionally adding as a final component a flocculating agent which causes the precipitate to grow in size.

Abstract: A process for regenerating spent fixer solution which includes the steps of adding finely particulate zinc, such as zinc dust, to the solution to cause silver dissolved therein to precipitate and removing the precipitate from the solution hereby producing a regenerated fixer solution.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method and a device for the selective extraction of the halide ions from photographic baths. According to the invention, the solutions to be treated are subjected to a first nanofiltration step 2 in diafiltration mode, then to a second nanofiltration step 3 in concentration mode. The method makes it possible to prolong the activity of the fixing or bleaching/fixing baths during the processing of photographic products.

Abstract: A method for processing exposed silver-based photographic material comprises passing the exposed material through a bath of developer liquid and subsequently through a bath of fixer liquid. Silver from used fixer liquid is recovered by electrolysis. The fractional image exposure of exposed material to be processed in a coming period and the amount-of silver recovered by electrolysis in a preceding period are measured. The used fixer liquid is periodically regenerated by the addition of fresh fixer thereto. The quantity of fresh fixer to be added is calculated as a function of the measured fractional image exposure and as a function of the measured amount of recovered silver. The quality of the fixer is thereby maintained at an optimum level while keeping the quantity of fresh fixer which is used to a minimum.

Abstract: Silver halide photosensitive material after exposure is processed by developing it with a developer solution and then processing it with a processing solution having bleaching function and/or a processing solution having fixing function, while placing the developer solution and/or said processing solution having fixing function in contact with the other processing solution and/or an electrolyte solution through an anion exchange membrane, placing a cathode in the developer solution and/or the processing solution having fixing function and an anode in the other processing solution and/or the electrolyte solution, and conducting electricity therebetween.

Abstract: A method of processing photographic material comprises developing the photographic material by treatment with a developer (26), and fixing the developed photographic material by treatment with a fixer (32, 38) while reducing the level of silver ions in the fixer (38) by electrolysis. Between the developing and the fixing, the photographic material is treated with an intermediate treatment liquid (44) for a period of time less than the treatment time with the fixer (32, 38). The intermediate treatment liquid (44) contains used fixer (38). The efficiency of fixing is improved without the use of substantially greater liquid volumes and in particular without the use of further quantities of water.

Abstract: The disclosed process for rejuvenation treatment of a photoresist development waste mainly containing a photoresist and tetraalkylammonium (TAA) ions comprises at least the step of concentration of TAA ions by electrodialysis and/or electrolysis, and the step of removal of impurities ?(residual) photoresist, other anionic components, cationic components such as Na.sup.+, etc.! by adsorption thereof on an ion exchange resin (preferably an anion exchange resin and/or a cation exchange resin in at least one of the hydrogen ion form and the TAA ion form) through contact therebetween, whereby a high-purity solution of a tetraalkylammonium hydroxide reutilizable as a photoresist developer can be simply and efficiently regenerated and recovered from the photoresist development waste. The step of concentration by evaporation and/or reverse osmosis membrane treatment may desirably be taken at least before electrodialysis and/or electrolysis from the standpoint of treatment cost reduction.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method of replenishing an ascorbic acid developer used for developing silver halide photographic products.The method of the invention comprises the treatment of the developer by means of a resin having a greater selectivity for bromide ions than for carbonate ions and the replenishment of this developer by means of a solution, the concentration of the main components of which is predetermined in accordance with the quantity of developed silver.This invention simplifies the replenishment of ascorbic acid developers.

Abstract: A photographic aqueous processing solution containing at least one solid compound that has a maximum solubility therein corresponding to a desired operating level, which solution is kept in equilibrium with the solid form of the compound, thus maintaining its concentration at the desired level without the need for a replenishing system.

Abstract: A repeatable regeneration process for developers comprised of introducing unremarkable sulfites or their derivatives to new and partially exhausted developers for use as a formula conditioner, base and repeatable regeneration supplement for extended development of color or B&W images utilizing silver halide or silver chloride as used in photographic materials.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a process for treating photographic baths containing organic contaminants and a device for implementing this method.The process for treating a photographic bath containing contaminants comprises the step of putting the photographic bath in contact with a photographically inert material, resistant to a high pH and having a lipophilic surface.This method affords an improvement in the processing of photographic products.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for increasing the effective process life and chemical efficiency of use of aqueous-based developer solutions used for chemical development of photoresists such as are used in the printed circuit industry. The activity is maintained by regenerating some of byproducts during the process to active carbonate, by controlled additions of alkaline hydroxide instead if conventional carbonate solution. The pH and thus the development speed can automatically be controlled at any desired constant value. This invention allows simple automation of printed circuit photoresist development, with reduced chemical costs and increased chemical usage efficiency and thus reducing the industrial waste volume.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method of treating a seasoned ascorbic acid developer for developing silver halide photographic products. The method of the invention comprises the step of treating the developer through a resin having a greater selectivity for bromide ions than for carbonate ions. This method enables ascorbic acid developers to be regenerated efficaciously.

Abstract: A photographic processing apparatus includes a unit for supplying processing liquid to a processing tank, a unit for forcibly draining processing liquid from the tank, a unit for means for measuring an amount of processing liquid in the tank and a unit for supplying water to the tank. The apparatus further includes a unit for determining an amount of water evaporated from the liquid in the tank based on amounts of liquid coming in and out of the tank. The water supplying unit supplies an amount of additional water to the tank based on the amount of water evaporation determined by the evaporation amount determining unit.

Abstract: A method for processing a silver halide photographic light-sensitive material is disclosed.

Abstract: A ferric-EDTA bleach regenerator composition can be made with bleach overflow to provide a bleach replenisher for reversal color silver halide photographic processes. The bleach regenerator composition has a critically controlled pH between about 6.0 and about 6.5, and comprises a total bromide ion concentration of at least about 210 g/l, and ferric ion in an amount of at least about 50 g/l. At least 50% of the bleach overflow and the bleach regenerator composition are mixed in at least a 1:1 volume ratio. After pH adjustment to from about 5.4 to about 5.6, the pH adjusted replenisher is supplied to the bleach tank for use in the process.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method for forming a color image comprising exposing a silver halide light-sensitive material comprising at least one light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer on a base, to light, and then development-processing the light-sensitive material, to form a color image, wherein the step of development-processing the light-sensitive material that contains a dye-forming coupler, a color-forming reducing agent of formula (D-1), and an auxiliary developing agent, with an alkaline activator solution of pH 9 to 14 substantially free from any color-developing agent, comprises the step of adsorbing anionic organic substances dissolved out into the activator solution, to remove the substances:(L).sub.n --D formula (D-1)wherein, L is an electron-attracting group capable of coupling split-off during the development processing, D is a residue formed by removing n hydrogen atoms from a compound HnD having a development activity, and n is an integer of 1 to 3.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of preventing fog formation in a silver halide photographic element, said method comprising bringing a silver halide developer solution, or a solution preceding a silver halide developer solution, into contact with a cyanide scavenger by a method other than the seasoning out of the cyanide scavenger from a sensitized silver halide photographic element.

Abstract: A process for the processing of spent photographic baths from color processes, namely bleaching or fixing baths with a preponderant content of amonium-Fe-EDTA (ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid) as the sequestering agent, fixing baths with a preponderant content of thiosulphates, particularly ammonium thiosulphate and optionally sodium thiosulphate, and developing baths with a preponderant content of sulfate, particularly sodium sulfite is proposed, which is characterized in that, following the deposition of the silver contained in the baths, the multipart starting solution is adjusted to a pH of approximately 13.5 to 14 using NaOH and the Fe(OH).sub.3 obtained after Fe complex decomposition is separated, the remaining, first intermediate solution is adjusted to a pH of 10 by adding acid and the resulting ammonia is separated, the remaining, second intermediate solution is brought to a pH of approximately 0.

Abstract: In photographic processing apparatus, the processing solutions need to be replenished as they are used up. It is known to effect replenishment of chemicals in a paper processor by determining the amount of exposure given to the paper in the printing stage of such apparatus when copying an image on a filmstrip onto photographic paper, and using that information to calculate the amount of replenishment required to compensate exactly for the chemicals used up in processing that print. Described herein is a method of using data relating to the measured optical transmittance of an image on a filmstrip in the printing stage to control replenishment of the processing solutions in the film processing stage of the apparatus and also removal of image-dependent by-products produced in processing that filmstrip.

Abstract: A photographic silver halide photosensitive material comprising a silver halide emulsion of silver halide grains containing at least 20 mol % of AgCl, tabular grains having an aspect ratio of at least 2 accounting for at least 50% of the projected area of all silver halide grains, and having a Ag coverage of 0.5-1.5 g/m.sup.2 and a gelatin coverage of 0.7-2.1 g/m.sup.2 per one surface and a swelling factor of less than 180% is processed through an automatic processor by replenishing a developer containing an ascorbic acid type compound as a developing agent in an amount of 25-150 ml/m.sup.2 and a fixer in an amount of 13-300 ml/m.sup.2. The invention is successful in producing images of quality while reducing the amounts of replenishment and spent solutions, increasing processing stability, and eliminating silver sludging.

Abstract: A method for processing an exposed black and white silver halide photographic light-sensitive material includes the steps of: (1) developing the exposed light-sensitive material with a developing solution, (2) fixing the developed material with a fixing solution, (3) washing the fixed material with water which is replenished in an amount of from 0 to 3 liter/m.sup.2 of the exposed light-sensitive material, and (4) drying the washed material. The developing solution is replenished with a solid photographic composition. This solid photographic composition includes a developing agent selected from the group of a dihydroxybenzene developing agent represented by Formula I and a developing agent represented by Formula II (provided that the developing agent represented by Formula II may form a sodium salt, a potassium salt or a lithium salt). Formulae I and II are as follows: ##STR1## In the formulae, R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, and R.sub.

Abstract: A process for the development of photographic materials comprises developing the materials in a bath of developer processing solution and subjecting the used developer solution to a water recovery step comprising distillation or reverse osmosis and using the recovered water to prepare a photographic processing solution or as a compensator for evaporation loss and wherein said used developer solution passed to the water recovery step is free of contaminants such as ammonia or sulphur dioxide present in bleaching and fixing agents. Preferably the used developer solution is subjected to the water recovery without the addition of other photographic processing liquids. The recovered water may be used to prepare developer solution or developer replenisher solution and recycled to the developer processing bath.

Abstract: A method of processing an imagewise exposed photographic silver halide color material which comprises color development and bleach steps. Between these two steps is a fixing, stop or wash step, the solution for which is passed through an absorbent material that removes carryover color developing agent.

Abstract: In a process for processing a silver halide color photosensitive material having a transparent substrate each possessing at least one red-sensitive layer, at least one green-sensitive layer, and at least one blue-sensitive layer and containing ferromagnetic fine powder, when a salt content in the final bath is not more than 7000 ppm in the processing stages of water washing and/or stabilization after the color development and desilvering, the deterioration in an S/N ratio of a magnetically recorded information can be drastically improved.

Abstract: A method of processing silver halide black-and-white photographic material in a processing machine which transports the material to be processed, through several processing tanks. The processing machine includes at least one tank with fixing ability and at least one tank which is either a wash or stabilizer tank. The wash or stabilizer tank furthest from the fixer tank(s) is replenished with wash or stabilizer solution. Outflow from the wash tank or stabilizer tank nearest the fixer tank(s) is passed to the nearest fixer tank together with a fixer replenishment solution to maintain the fixer's working composition. The total submersion time in the tank(s) having fixing ability is less than 25 seconds and the ratio of coated silver in the unprocessed photographic material (in g/m.sup.2) to the sum of the rates of addition to the fixer tank (in l/m.sup.2) of the wash outflow and fixer replenishment solution is greater than 10 g/l.

Abstract: A method of processing a photosensitive material is provided in which change in photographic properties is not caused and reading properties for magnetic recording information of a photosensitive material including a magnetic recording layer does not deteriorate. In the method of processing a photosensitive material using a photosensitive material processing apparatus in which a photosensitive material is immersed in processing solutions respectively accommodated in a plurality of processing tanks which are provided adjacent to each other along a direction in which the photosensitive material is conveyed, the photosensitive material processing apparatus includes a conveying roller pair for conveying the photosensitive material, which is provided in at least one portion of the processing apparatus, and a partition portion which is partitioned by a roller provided between adjacent processing tanks of the plurality of processing tanks and which allows the photosensitive material to pass therethrough.

Abstract: A method of processing an exposed silver halide photographic light sensitive material is disclosed which comprises the steps of:developing the exposed material with developer, the developer being replenished with developer replenisher and the developer containing no dihydroxy benzene and containing a developing agent represented by the following Formula ?1!: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 independently represent an alkyl group, an amino group, an alkoxy group or an alkylthio group, or R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 combine with each other to form a ring, k represents 0 or 1, and X represents --CO-- or --CS--;fixing the developed material;stabilizing the fixed material with a washing water which is replenished with water replenisher in a replenishing amount of 0.5 to 2 liter/m.sup.2 or with a rinsing solution which is replenished with a rinsing replenisher in a replenishing amount of 0 to 2 liter/m.sup.2 ; anddrying the stabilized material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a treatment method for treating effluents from a photographic development process, particularly a redox amplification (RX) development process, which is operated at an alkaline pH and is buffered with a phosphate buffer, said treatment method being characterized by the addition to the effluents of a Group II or Group III metal cation which forms an aqueous insoluble or substantially insoluble phosphate salt, thereby to precipitate phosphate salt from the effluent, and to reduce the pH of the effluent.

Abstract: A method for the electrolytic treatment of a bleach-fix bath by which an anode and a cathode that are submerged in the spent bleach-fix bath are supplied with an electric current whereby the silver dissolved in the spent bleach-fix bath as a silver complex salt is precipitated at the cathode, characterized in that the cathode is disengaged from the spent bleach-fix bath when no electric current is applied.

Abstract: A silver halide photographic material comprises a support, at least one silver halide emulsion layer and at least one non-light-sensitive hydrophilic colloidal layer. The silver halide emulsion layer or the hydrophilic colloidal layer contains a colorant having the absorption maximum wavelength within the infrared region of 700 to 1,100 nm. The colorant is in the form of solid particles dispersed in the silver halide emulsion layer or in the hydrophilic colloidal layer. The solid particles cannot substantially be removed by a processing solution of the silver halide photographic material. An image forming process employing the silver halide photographic material is also disclosed.

Abstract: A low volume developer tank system for the sequential processing of films that require different concentrations of bromide ions in the developer solution comprises a developer tank (2) provided with an ion exchange column (30) for removing bromide ions from solution which column can be engaged and disengaged and a plurality of reservoirs (6,8,10,12,14) arranged to feed individual replenisher components to the recirculation system (20). When processing a process C-41 compatible film the system is preferably operated with no bromide in the replenisher and removal of bromide from the developer is by overflow. When processing a film employing zero or very low bromide, the system is preferably operated with no bromide in the replenisher, substantially no overflow and removal of bromide from the developer is by ion exchange.

Abstract: Waste developer used for the development of pigment-containing non-silver-salt photosensitive materials is disposed of by filtering through a filter which does not allow pigment particles to pass through and allows the waste developer solution to be treated to flow horizontally to the surface of the filter membrane. The solution which passed through the fiber membrane is reused as a developer. This process greatly decreases discharge of waste developer allows a long-time stabilized continuous developing process.

Abstract: A method of processing a black-and-white photographic silver halide material in which the material is passed though a processing machine having a number of processing tanks including a developing tank, a tank with fixing ability and one or more wash or stabiliser tanks wherein the rate of addition of wash or stabiliser solution to one or more of said wash or stabiliser tanks is a function of the concentration of silver or halide ions in one or more of the wash, stabiliser or fix tanks. No silver recovery means associated with the wash, fix or stabiliser bath is necessary.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method and a device for extracting the halide ions from fixing or bleaching/fixing photographic solutions containing mainly thiosulfate as the fixing agent, bringing the solutions into contact with a nanofiltration module including at least two membranes of different types.The method enables the activity of the fixing or bleaching/fixing baths to be extended during the processing of photographic products.

Abstract: A method for altering the pH of a photographic developing solution comprises altering the hydroxide ion concentration of the solution electrolytically. The method may be employed in photographic processing apparatus comprising a photographic development stage in which a photographic material to be processed is treated with a photographic developing solution wherein the apparatus comprises means for electrolytically altering the hydroxide ion concentration of the developing solution and means for controlling the operation of electrolytically altering the hydroxide ion concentration based on the change of hydroxide ion concentration in use.

Abstract: A process for recycling a spent hydroquinone developer for black-and-white photographic processing which comprises the steps of determining the volume of developer, optionally filtering the developer, and reconstituting the developer, whereby the spent developer is brought back to substantially the same composition and/or level of performance as fresh developer wherein the recycled developer can be used to process black-and-white photographic materials without adverse effects.

Abstract: A method of controlling the replenishment of a processing solution used for processing a photographic material in photographic processing apparatus, wherein replenishment chemistry is added to the processing solution and the replenishment rate is controlled using an algorithm, is characterised in that at least one of the terms of the algorithm is determined by information associated with the replenishment chemistry.

Abstract: A ferric-EDTA bleach regenerator composition can be mixed with bleach overflow to provide a bleach replenisher for reversal color silver halide photographic processes. The bleach regenerator composition has a critically controlled pH between about 6.0 and about 6.5, and comprises a total bromide ion concentration of at least about 210 g/l, and ferric ion in an amount of at least about 50 g/l. At least 50% of the bleach overflow and the bleach regenerator composition are mixed in at least a 1:1 volume ratio. After pH adjustment to from about 5.4 to about 5.6, the pH adjusted replenisher is supplied to the bleach tank for use in the process.

Abstract: Radiographic films can be processed using conventional developing agents, either in the films or in solution. The films also include from about 0.02 to about 1 mg/dm.sup.2 of thialkylene bis(ammonium salt). The solution used for development is replenished at a low rate with a chemical base as the sole developer replenishing agent. The chemical base maintains developer composition pH at from about 9 to about 11 and enables processing of films without the use of conventional developer replenishing solutions or replenishment rates.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method for forming an image by processing a silver halide color photographic material having at least one silver halide emulsion layer on a support, wherein at least one layer of the silver halide emulsion layers of said color photographic material comprises silver halide grains which is high in silver chloride content and whose silver chloride content is 80 mol % or more; said silver halide grains are tabular silver halide grains having (100) planes as main planes; and said color photographic material is processed with the replenishment rate of a replenisher having a bleaching capacity in a desilvering step being 150 ml or less per m.sup.2 of the photographic material. The method for forming an image on a silver halide color photographic material of the present invention is excellent in delivering characteristics, even when the replenishment rate of bleach-fix solution is reduced remarkably.

Abstract: A method for continuously processing an exposed silver halide photographic light sensitive material comprises the steps of:developing said material with a developing solution, the developing solution being replenished with a first water and a solid developing composition containing a developing agent and a first sulfite according to a processing amount of said material; andfixing the developed material with a fixing solution, the fixing solution being replenished with a second water and a solid fixing composition containing a fixing agent and a second sulfite according to a processing amount of said material, and no other processing being carried out between said developing and said fixing,wherein the second sulfite is replenished in an amount of 0 to 0.05 mol per liter of the second water.

Abstract: The invention concerns a process for the selective extraction of the halide ions from photographic fixing solutions.The process consists of bringing the photographic fixing solution into contact with a liquid membrane comprising a solvent and a crown-ether carrier capable of carrying the halide ions from the fixing solution into an aqueous solution which is thus loaded with halides, and is then removed.

Abstract: A plurality of different materials which are required for use in a process and which are to be kept separate up to a predetermined stage in the process are supplied with each different material being encapsulated within a plurality of discrete shells, the shells serving to keep the different materials separate from each other. The shells for the different materials are distinguishable from each other so as to permit subsequent sorting of the shells into batches of shells all containing the same material.