Abstract: A process is disclosed for recovering silver sulfide from a spent photographic fixer solution, which contains silver. The process is particularly suited for treating the fixer solution in a manner which enables recycling of the solution giving rise to considerable reduction in cost of fixer solution and reduced environmental pollution. The process comprises introducing a hydrosulfide reagent into the fixer solution, which contains silver, to precipitate silver sulfide while maintaining pH and thiosulfate levels in the fixer to allow for reuse. The precipitate is isolated from the fixer solution to remove silver thereby and hence enable recycling of the fixer solution.

Abstract: A method for processing an exposed silver halide color photographic material comprising the steps of:(a) color developing an exposed silver halide color photographic material;(b) bleach-fixing said developed material;(c) at least one of washing said bleach-fixed material with water and stabilizing said bleach-fixed material;(d) regenerating a portion of a solution from said step (b) for bleach-fixing to form a replenisher solution comprising at least a carbonyl bisulfite adduct; and(e) replenishing at least one solution in said bleach-fixing step (b) with said replenisher solution from step (d).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method in which water for preventing the concentration of processing solution in a processing tank from being increased due to evaporation and a replenisher for avoiding a lowering of the effectiveness of the processing solution are added to the processing tank of a photographic processing apparatus. Before the processing tank is replenished with a replenisher, the processing tank is replenished with water by an amount corresponding to the amount of water evaporated therefrom until the liquid surface level reaches the original liquid surface level i.e. replacing evaporated water, and then, the processing tank is replenished with replenisher. Thereafter, the processing solution is discharged by an amount equal to the amount of replenisher added in order to return the liquid surface level to the original liquid surface level. Thus, the performance of the processing solution can be restored while the concentration of the processing solution is kept constant.

Abstract: A method for processing silver halide photosensitive materials comprises replenishing each of replenishers to water washing process and/or stabilization process in an amount of 1 to 50 times the volume of a solution carried over from a bath preceding the water washing process and/or the stabilization process per unit area of the photosensitive material and limiting the amount of calcium compounds included in a layer for constituting photograph of the photosensitive material to not more than 25 mg/m.sup.2 on the basis of the weight of elemental calcium. The method makes it possible to effectively suppress the contamination of the processed photosensitive materials, the increase in turbidity of the water washing and/or stabilization bath solutions and the proliferation of bacteria or molds in these baths. These effects are further enhanced by reducing the amount of calcium and magnesium present in the replenishers for washing and/or stabilization.

Abstract: A method for continuously processing silver halide color photographic materials using a roller conveyor type of an automatic developing apparatus, comprising:cleaning the entire surface of a roller located over solution surface of at least one of processing baths in the automatic developing apparatus in which at least one of said processing baths comprises the color developing bath by a rinsing water replenisher or a stabilizing replenisher as a substitute for the rinsing water replenisher, andintroducing the cleaning solution into the color developing bath containing at least one organic preservative selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by formulae (I), (II), (III) and (IV) and monosaccharides; ##STR1## wherein R.sup.11 and R.sup.12 each represents hydrogen atoms, unsubstituted or substituted alkyl groups, unsubstituted or substituted alkenyl groups, unsubstituted or substituted aryl groups or hetero aromatic groups, provided that both of R.sup.11 and R.sup.

Abstract: In a method of processing a silver halide photosensitive material wherein the exposed silver halide photosensitive material is developed with a developer containing a developing agent in two or more developing tanks, the first developing replenisher mainly comprising the developing agent is fed into a prior tank and the second developing replenisher mainly comprising an alkali is fed into a posterior tank to make pH of the developer in the posterior tank higher than that in the prior tank.

Abstract: A method for processing a silver halide color photographic photosensitive material comprises treating a silver halide photographic material with a bath having fixing ability and then washing with water and/or stabilizing the photosensitive material and characterized in that the amount of replenisher for water washing or stabilization is controlled so that it is 1 to 50 times the volume of liquid carried over by the photosensitive material processed from the bath preceding the water washing bath or the stabilization bath and that the photosensitive material comprises, for instance, compounds (13): ##STR1## The method makes it possible to substantially keep the image performance of the photosensitive material processed high while substantially saving the amount of washing water or the stabilization liquid and substantially shortening the water washing or the stabilization time.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for bleaching a silver halide photographic light-sensitive material having at least one silver halide emulsion layer containing silver iodobromide after color-developing it. The object of the present invention is to speed up the bleaching treatment in the aforesaid method and to reduce the amount of waste liquor from the bleaching treatment. The present invention is characterized in that the bleaching is performed in the presence of a bleaching accelerator and that it is carried out while a bleaching solution is brought into contact with an anion-exchange resin.

Abstract: In a method for processing silver halide photosensitive materials comprising developing an exposed silver halide photosensitive material, fixing the developed material and washing it with a washing water, the amount of calcium and magnesium compounds present in the replenishing washing water is reduced to not more than 5 mg/l on the basis of the weight of elemental calcium or magnesium and washing water is replenished in an amount of 1 to 50 times the volume of liquid carried over by the photosensitive material from a bath preceding the washing bath per unit area thereof or that the replenishing washing water is introduced into a washing bath after reducing the amount of calcium and magnesium compounds to the range mentioned above and sterilizing the same. The method makes it possible to substantially reduce the amount of washing water while reliably suppressing turbidity and proliferation of microorganisms in the washing water during and after completion of processing.

Abstract: A three-part bleach-fix regeneration kit is utilized to restore the capability of a spent bleach-fix solution to function as a working solution in photographic processing. The first part, which is an aqueous alkaline solution containing a buffering agent and an aminopolycarboxylic acid, is added to the spent bleach-fix solution prior to electrolytic recovery of silver therefrom. The second and third parts, which are aqueous acidic solutions containing, respectively, an iron salt and a thiosulfate fixing agent, are added after electrolytic recovery of silver. The first part functions to increase the pH of the spent bleach-fix solution to a level at which electrolytic silver recovery is optimized, while the second and third parts function to lower the pH to an optimum level for use in photographic processing. In addition to providing the necessary pH changes, addition of the three parts in this manner restores all necessary components to their proper concentration.

Abstract: A method for processing silver halide photosensitive materials comprising developing an exposed silver halide photosensitive material, fixing the developed photosensitive material and then washing it with a washing water, the washing water used in the water washing process being replenished in an amount of 2 to 50 times the volume of liquid carried over by the photosensitive material from a bath preceding the water washing bath per unit area thereof, the amount of calcium and magnesium compounds present in the water washing bath being reduced to not more than 5 mg/l, respectively, on the basis of elemental calcium and magnesium and the washing water containing at least one chelating agent having a stability constant of a chelate, which is formed between the chelating agent and calcium or magnesium, of at least 6 is herein disclosed.

Abstract: A process for developing a silver halide photographic material having, on a support, at least one silver halide emulsion layer comprising a silver halide emulsion spectrally sensitized by an infrared-sensitizing dye, which is subjected to image-wise exposure, then development and fixing processing and then washing or stabilization processing, wherein the silver halide in the silver halide emulsion layer contains 90 mol % or more of silver chloride, the swelling rate for hydrophilic colloid layers containing the silver halide emulsion layer is 150% or less, and the replenishment in the washing or stabilization processing is 1,200 ml or less per square meter of the photographic material.

Abstract: A method of treating a waste solution resulting from the processing of a photographic material with a working solution is disclosed, wherein at least part of said waste solution is absorbed by a resin capable of absorbing at least 50 times its own weight of a liquid.

Abstract: A new process for maintaining the properties of the developer in the preparation of colored images by development of exposed silver halide-containing material at an alkaline pH in a developer bath containing p-phenylenediamine derivative and at least 40 mol-% of the silver halide consisting of silver chloride and replenishing the color developer in the bath in such a limited quantity that no overflow occurs but it is sufficient to make up for the loss of bath constituents.This process preserves the sensitive results from development during use of the developer bath.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for controlling the flow rate of wash water in a silver halide film processor.

Abstract: A voltage set point system is employed to provide a constant illumination of a photographic test strip. The set voltage is used as the supply for a voltage divider comparator network for accurately determining exposed film density levels.

Abstract: A method for processing photographic silver halide color negative film and color negative paper each through its own color developing solutions wherein the paper color developing solution is replenished and the overflow from this replenished solution is used to replenish the film color developing solution and wherein (a) the color paper is based on substantially pure silver chloride emulsions and contains no more than 1% molar silver bromide based on total silver halide and (b) both color developing solutions and the replenisher are free from benzyl alcohol.Apparatus for carrying out the above-described method comprises a series of processing stations and means for advancing the photographic material being processed through the apparatus wherein there is provided means for collecting the overflow from the paper developer station and means for passing it directly or indirectly to the film processing station.

Abstract: A method of processing a photosensitive material with a final processing solution is disclosed. The photosensitive material comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the following Formulas (AI-I), (AI-II), (AI-III), (AI-IV) and (BS-I), a concentration of a soluble iron salt in the final processing solution is at least 5.times.10.sup.-3 /l and a processing time of the final processing solution is not more than 30 seconds.

Abstract: An automatic processor (1) has a developing tank (2) filled with a developer. In a memory (12), five programs for conducting various types of replenishments of the developer with chemicals (A, B and C) are previously stored. Mixing ratios of the chemicals are also stored in the memory. Area of photosensitive materials brought into the automatic processor are detected by a sensor (8), and in accordance with the area, the chemicals are delivered to the developing tank. By variably determining the mixing ratios according to the respective purposes of the replenishments, the replenishments can be attained under optimum conditions.

Abstract: A process for processing a silver halide color photographic material after imagewise exposing said silver halide color photographic material, comprising color developing, blixing, and then washing, wherein the processing time for said blixing is from about 30 seconds to about 70 seconds, the blixing liquid for said blixing contains from about 0.08 to about 0.30 mol/liter of sulfite ion, and the replenishing amount of washing water for said washing is from about 3 times to about 50 times the amount of processing liquid carried from the previous bath per unit area of said color photographic material.

Abstract: A method for processing a silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material which comprises color developing a silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material, the coating amount of elemental silver thereon being not more than 0.8 g/m.sup.2, bleach-fixing the developed material and then water washing and/or stabilizing the bleach-fixed material, the method being characterized in that the concentration of bleaching agents in a bleach-fixing solution is not more than 0.1 mole/l or that of fixing agents in the solution is not more than 0.50 mole/l.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a processing method for a silver halide color photographic material, which makes it possible to substantially reduce the amount of waste liquor and the pollution of the environments. In the process, the color photosensitive material is continuously developed, and the process is characterized in that all or a part of the overflow of a color developer being substantially free from benzyl alcohol is used as a part of a processing solution used in a process other than the color development process.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for processing of a photographic material which comprises carrying out stabilizing processing of a photographic material with a stabilizing solution substantially without washing with water subsequent to the processing with a processing having fixing ability, wherein said stabilizing solution is subjected to electrodialysis treatment.

Abstract: Silver halide photographic light-sensitive materials containing a hydrazine derivative is developed in high contrast by means of an automatic processor, wherein a replenisher less active than a starting developer used at the beginning of development is supplied in a predetermined amount per unit time and, in the case where further replenishment is done in excess of said predetermined amount in said unit time, a replenisher having activity substantially equivalent to that of said starting developer used at the beginning of development is then supplied. Stable treatment results are attained for a long time.

Abstract: A method for processing a silver halide color photographic material comprising a support having thereon at least one silver halide emulsion layer and containing a magenta dye forming coupler represented by formula (I) shown below and a compound represented by formula (II) shown below in the same layer is described, wherein the silver halide color photographic material is subjected to color development using a replenisher for a color developing solution, whose concentration of bromide is not more than 3.times.10.sup.-3 mol per liter and the amount of the replenisher for a color developing solution is not more than 900 ml per m.sup.2 of the silver halide color photographic material, wherein ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 represents an aromatic group, an aliphatic group or a heterocyclic group; R.sub.2 represents a substituent; Za, Zb, Zc and Zd, which may be the same or different, each represents an unsubstituted methine group, a substituted methine group or --N.dbd.; and formula (II) is represented by(R'--COO.sup.

Abstract: A method of processing an imagewise exposed silver halide photographic light-sensitive material characterized in that said material is developed and then processed with a first liquid capable of fixing and is, in succession, processed with a second liquid capable of stabilizing, without applying any intervening washing step, and containing at least one of the following compounds:(A) a guanidine compound represented by ##STR1## (B) a morpholine compound; (C) a benzimidazole carbamate compound represented by 2-carbonyl-amino-benzimidazole;(D) a quaternary onium salt compound;(E) a triazine compound represented by the following Formula (1) or (2) ##STR2## wherein R is an alkyl group and R' is a halogen, amino group, alkyl group, or thioether group; or(F) an oxazolone compound containing at least one each of N, O, and C.dbd.O in the five-membered ring thereof;and wherein a ratio of a volume of said first liquid to a volume of said second liquid is not less than 1/2,000.

Abstract: A method for processing a silver halide color photographic material is disclosed, wherein a washing bath is replenished with water in an amount of from 2 to 50 times the volume of the preceding bath which is carried over with the photographic material into the washing bath per unit area of the photographic material to be processed, and washing in the washing bath is carried out in the presence of at least one compound represented by formula (I): ##STR1## wherein A represents a n-valent aliphatic, aromatic or heterocyclic linking group, wherein when n is 1, A represents a monovalent aliphatic, aromatic, or heterocyclic group, or a hydrogen atom; X represents --O--, --S--, or ##STR2## R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each represents substituted or unsubstituted lower alkyl group; R.sup.3 represents a lower alkylene group; R.sup.4 represents a lower alkyl group; or R.sup.1 and R.sup.2, R.sup.1 and A, R.sup.1 and R.sup.3, R.sup.2 and A, or R.sup.2 and R.sup.

Abstract: In a process for recovering silver from spent photographic treatment solution comprises mixing nitric acid with a quantity of the treatment solution to precipitate from the solution silver sulfide. The silver sulfide may be then converted to pure silver. The improvement comprises mixing less than two parts of concentrated nitric acid solution with more than ten parts of the treatment solution to precipitate out of solution silver sulfide. The solution is filtered to remove the silver sulfide precipitate from the solution to yield a solid residue which includes silver sulfide.

Abstract: A method for processing of a silver halide color photographic material for photography, which comprises a fixing or bleach-fixing step, followed by a water washing or stabilizing step, characterized in that:(i) said water washing or stabilizing step comprises multistage countercurrent baths which are countercurrently replenished with a washing water or stabilizing solution,(ii) the amount of the replenishing material is 3 to 50 times the volume of the solution taken by the photographic material into said water washing or stabilizing bath from the preceding bath and,(iii) said photographic material comprises at least one 2-equivalent magenta coupler represented by the formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 represents hydrogen atom or a substituent, X represents a split-off group, Za, Zb and Zc represent individually methine, substituted methine, .dbd.N-- or --NH--, one of the Za-Zb and Zb-Zc linkages is a double bond and the other is a single bond,or the formula (II): ##STR2## wherein R.sub.

Abstract: A novel process and apparatus for multistage contacting of two materials advantageously provides high chemical efficiency and low losses of components of one of the materials caused by that material being carried out of the process with the other material. The process comprises contacting, in a series of stages, a first material with a second material containing a component whose concentration therein is reduced by such contact. Replenishment material is introduced to at least one of the stages to compensate for such concentration reduction. The concentration of the component in the second material is highest in one of the stages, and the first material carries a part of the second material out of each stage. The first material is contacted with the second material at least one once in each stage of the series.

Abstract: A method of processing a light-sensitive silver halide color photographic material comprising color developing an imagewise exposed light-sensitive silver halide color photographic material comprising a blue-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer, a green-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer and a red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer on a base, said blue-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing a high speed reactive yellow coupler having a relative coupling reaction rate of not less than 0.3, followed by processing with a processing solution having a fixing ability and then processing with a stabilizing solution without a substantial washing step, said stabilizing solution containing a sulfite in an amount of at least 1.times.10.sup.-3 mole per 1 liter of said stabilizing solution. The processed photographic material has superior stability of the dye image.

Abstract: There is disclosed a processing solution for silver complex diffusion transfer process which contains at least one amino alcohol having a pKa value of less than 9 and at least one amino alcohol having a pKa value of 9 or more which are measured in a 50 wt % aqueous ethanol solution at 25.degree. C.

Abstract: A method for processing a silver halide color photographic material by subjecting a light-exposed silver halide color photographic material to a color development and then subjecting it to bleach processing and fix processing or to blix processing, which comprises performing said bleach processing or blix processing using a bleach bath or a blix bath containing a ferric ion complex salt as a bleaching agent, said bleach bath or blix bath, or a prebath for said bath containing at least one of compounds represented by the following general formula (I) or (II); ##STR1## wherein, X represents a hydrogen atom, ##STR2## Y.sup..crclbar. represents an anion; Q represents an atomic group necessary for forming a quaternary nitrogen-containing unsaturated heterocyclic ring; n represents an integer of 1 to 5; R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.6 and R.sup.8, which may be the same or different, each represents a hydrogen atom or a lower alkyl group; R.sup.3, R.sup.4 and R.sup.

Abstract: A flotation process for the continuous recovery of silver or silver compounds from solutions or dispersions is described, wherein finely divided, inert gas bubbles are injected into the dispersions of silver and silver compounds in the presence of protein and the pH of the medium is maintained at the isoelectric point of the protein. Addition of a surface active agent accelerates the process. The desilverized effluent has a silver content of less than 1 mg of Ag/l. The quantity of flotate (12) is less than 2% of the quantity of effluent (5) put into the process.

Abstract: A developing or peeling solution for developing or imagewisely peeling an alkali-type photosensitive film containing a suspension of released photosensitive film is regenerated by introducing one or more reagents and a gas for depositing the suspension in floating state and removing the floated deposit by a skimmer from the developing or peeling solution. The regenerated developing or peeling solution can be used again and again for the development or peeling.

Abstract: A color photographic processing apparatus including color developing, blixing and wash water tanks through which photographic materials are sequentially processed on passing the tanks comprises a reverse osmosis apparatus having a wash water inlet connected with the wash water tank, a condensed fluid outlet connected to said blixing tank and a diluted water outlet connected with said wash water tank.

Abstract: The efficiency of silver recovery from photographic processing solutions is improved by the installation of a silver recovery water tank between the fix or blix tank and the wash water tank, which is provided with a mechanism for maintaining the silver concentration of said recovery tank at a substantially constant value, said mechanism comprising a detecting means for measuring the amount of the photographic material treated by the processing line involved and a means to supply water thereto operatable by signal from said detecting means.

Abstract: The useful life and stability of fixer used in the processing of film through developer, fixer and wash stages is significantly improved by withdrawing used fixer, electrolytically removing silver therefrom, stabilizing the withdrawn fixer by adjusting its pH to a substantially constant value and recirculating thus-treated used fixer for further film processing.