Chemicals kit for processing photographic light-sensitive materials

Abstract: Disclosed is a photographic processing chemicals kit comprising a processing agent and a flexible container. The chemicals kit provide a photographic processing chemicals packaging material capable of protecting the photographic processing characteristics of its content against any storage conditions accompanied by a high temperature or oscillation.

Description: FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a chemicals kit prepared for the processing of photographic light-sensitive materials and particularly to improvement of the preservability of a processing chemicals kit by way of preventing the package materials used therefor from degrading; even when used after its long preservation, the kit can provide satisfactory photographic characteristics, and is packed in a compact disposable packaging material whose combustion calorie at the time of its incineration after disposal is as low as not to harm the environment. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A color photographic light-sensitive material for camera use, after being imagewise exposed, is usually subjected to processing steps comprising color developing, bleaching, fixing, washing and/or stabilizing; a color photographic paper, after being exposed in a printing process, is subjected to processing steps comprising color developing, bleach-fixing (bleaching, fixing), washing and/or stabilizing; and a black-and-white light-sensitive material, after being exposed, is usually subjected to developing, fixing and washing. Further, in the case of a reversal-type light-sensitive material, a reversal processing step is added to these processing steps. The processing solutions used for these processing steps are commercially available in the kit form of concentrated solutions from the ease of transport/handling point of view. As the packaging material for these concentrated solutions there have conventionally been used plastic bottles, glass bottles and aluminum-sandwiched film containers. The glass bottle, however, if handled roughly during its transport process, tends to be broken to cause its content to run out. The plastic bottle, when dropped into the discard, is not easily collapsible, so bulky to take up much room in a dumping ground, and, when destroyed by fire, produces such a large amount of heat as to damage the incinerator. In addition, the incineration creates a vast amount of carbon dioxide, which is considered a cause of the latest global warming issue. What is more important is that the plastic bottle, when buried under the ground, does not decompose semipermanently, resulting in the problem that the reclaimed ground cannot be solidified. The film container made of aluminum (as a gas barrier) sandwiched by polyethylene resin sheets has also various shortcomings; for example, when subjected to incineration treatment, the container is reduced to ashes, leaving the aluminum as an incinerated residuum, whose secondary treatment remains as a problem yet to be solved. Further, the ash causes such a trouble as the incinerator's filter clogging at the time of incineration. Besides, when the aluminum-sandwiched film container is used for the storage of low-pH concentrated kit solutions, its aluminum section tends to corrode or to cause delamination, while when used for the storage of a strongly oxidizing bleacher such as ferric 1,3-propylenediaminetetraacetate, the above problem becomes more conspicuous. Further, as packaging materials similar to that of the invention there have conventionally been known large packaging materials of 5-liter to 20-liter capacities such as those described in JP E.P. No. 14209/1929, Ekitight (trade name), produced by Dai Nippon Printing Co., Lontainer N (trade name), produced by Sekisui Seikei Kogyo Co., which are partly used for photographic chemicals. These packaging materials each are one consisting of two or three outer and inner bags. It is difficult to produce such bags because their manufacture not only is costly with a heavy burden imposed thereon but also has the problem that their joined portions tend to become broken at the time of undergoing oscillation. When a concentrated solution containing a bleaching agent or antioxidation agent is stored over a long period of time in the above-mentioned bag, the joined portions of the bag tend to deteriorate the quality of the content with time. In recent years, as the number of small-scale photofinishers called 'minilabs' increases, the consumption of processing chemicals for small-sized automatic processors increases. Under the above conditions the number of processing chemicals packaging materials thrown into the discard naturally increases as well. Thus, the above fact has become an important issue. As another problem, there are cases in which the above concentrated kit solution is stored over an extremely extended period of time, encounters a high temperature exceeding 50°C, or undergoes oscillation; these situations deteriorate the quality of its content, which, when actually used, is unable to provide the desired photographic processing characteristics. Not only that, the deteriorated processing chemicals, when used in an automatic processor, bring about the problem that they tend to deposit on the inside walls of the processor. For this reason, there are demands for the development of a new packaging material capable of retaining the intrinsic characteristics of its content, photographic processing chemicals, under any severe conditions. EP-A-0250219 discloses a photographic processing solution, containing a bleach-fixer in a plastic container, wherein the container is a laminate comprising a layer of polyvinyl chloride, nylon, ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer or polyvinyl alcohol bonded to a layer of polyethylene or ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer. EP-A-0428107 describes a method for processing silver halide colour photographic materials using processing solutions exhibiting bleaching ability. JP-A-3051122 describes a composite comprising a transparent polymer film and a thin film of silicium oxide laminated on the polymer film. The film has a high impermeability of oxygen and steam. EP-A-0347222 describes a package for liquid having a flexible wall. JP-A-2056547 refers to removing oxygen which exerts adverse influence on a photographic sensitive material in a hermetic bag using a laminated sheet formed from a flexible sheet containing an oxygen absorptive material. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a photographic processing chemicals kit, using a packaging material capable of protecting the photographic processing characteristics of its content against any storage conditions accompanied by a high temperature or oscillation. It is another object of the invention to provide a photographic processing chemicals kit, using a packaging material excellent in the aptitude to environmental conditions for the reason that it is easily collapsible and disposable, emits as little heat of combustion at the time of its incineration as not to damage the incinerator, and produces little carbon dioxide gas in the incineration. It is a further object of the invention to provide a processing chemicals kit, using a packaging material in the form of a film container improved to be free from corrosion and delamination. It is still another object of the invention to provide a processing chemicals kit, using a packaging material improved to little cause its content to deposit on the inside walls of an auto-processor. It is a still further object of the invention to provide improvement of the preservability of the processing chemicals kit. Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following descriptions. The above objects of the invention can be accomplished by (1) a photographic processing chemicals kit and'a method of storing a concentrated bleaching solution which is defined in the appended claims. The following embodiments of the invention are preferred: (2) The photographic processing chemicals kit as defined in the appendent claim 1 (numbered as (1), wherein the packaging material has a steam transmittance of not more than 20 g/m 2 .day. (3) The photographic processing chemicals flexible kit of (1) or (2), wherein the packaging material has an oxygen transmittance of not more than 5 ml/m 2 .day. atm. (4) The photographic processing chemicals flexible kit of (1) to (3), wherein the packaging material has a capacity of not more than 3 liters. (5) The photographic processing chemicals flexible kit of (1) to (4), wherein the packaging material comprises a multilayer film having at least a polyolefin resin layer and at least an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer resin layer. (6) The photographic processing chemicals flexible kit of (1) to (4), wherein the packaging material comprises a multilayer film having at least a polyolefin resin layer and a ceramic layer. (7) The photographic processing chemicals flexible kit of (1) to (4), wherein the packaging material comprises a multi layer film having at least a polyethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resin layer and a polyamide resin layer. (8) The photographic processing chemicals flexible kit of (1) to (7), wherein the packaging material is of a standing pouch-type form. Improvement on the preservability of the processing chemicals kit for the silver halide photographic light-sensitive material of the invention can be accomplished by using a bleacher which contains the compounds B-1 to B-22 as defined in appended claim 1. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the packaging material for the kit has a steam transmittance of not more than 10 g/m 2 . day and the packaging material is of a multilayer structure. Incidentally, the term 'kit' herein is synonymous with the kit used by those skilled in the art. For example, a kit for a color developing solution comprises a color developer part, a preservative part and an alkali agent part. For preparation of a replenisher, the three parts are dissolved in a given amount of water, and to the solution is then added water to make the whole a prescribed amount (designated by a manufacturer). A set of these chemicals parts is called a kit. The 'flexible container' in the invention means a container which is formed with a film having a thickness of not more than 500µm, preferably not more than 200µm and which is easily collapsible when empty.; for example, the container is composed of independent bottom and body parts joined and, when full of its contents, is able to stand alone, while, when empty, is easily collapsible, - the so-called standing pouch, unlike monoblock-molded plastic containers popularly used by those in the art, having a wall thickness of 1000 µm or more and uncollapsible even when empty. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective illustration of an example of the silver halide photographic light-sensitive material processing chemicals packaging material of the invention Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view as seen in the direction of arrows from the line of II-II of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a drawing showing the heat-sealed section and the cutting line of a preferred processing chemicals packaging material of the invention. Fig. 4 is a drawing showing the heat-sealed section and the cutting line of another preferred processing chemicals packaging material of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The resin used for the polyolefin resin layer is preferably a polyethylene, particularly LLDPE (linear low density polyethylene), from the moisture permeability and strength point of view. The thickness of the layer is preferably 30 to 500µm, and more preferably 50 to 300µm. As the polyamide resin, nylon is preferred from the antipiercing strength and antipinhole characteristic point of view. Its thickness is preferably 3 to 50µm, and more preferably 5 to 30µm. Particularly, drawn nylon is preferable for the object of the invention. The aforementioned ceramic is an inorganic material composed principally of silicon oxide, which may be used under vacuum for coating a polyethylene or polyethylene terephthalate film. Particular examples of this include GL type ceramic-evaporated film, manufactured by Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. As the ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer resin there are, for instance, Kuraray Eval Films EF-XL, EF-F, EF-E, manufactured by Kuraray Co., Ltd. The halogen for the foregoing polyhalogenated vinylidene resin and polyhalogenated vinyl resin includes chlorine, fluorine and bromine. Examples of the resins include polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene fluoride, polyvinyl fluoride. In the invention, however, for the reason that emission of a harmful gas at the time of incineration is undesirable from the viewpoint of the protection of environment, out of the foregoing group of resins the resins A to E as defined in appendent claim 1 are preferably used, and more preferably the resins A to C. As the resin for the invention, there may be used any common one of those as described in the revised edition of the 'Plastic Film,' written by Gisaku Takahashi, published by Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun Dec. 20, 1976. The steam transmittance of the packaging material is preferably not more than 20 g/m 2 .day, more preferably not more than 10 g/m 2 .day, and most preferably not more than 5 g/m 2 .day. While the correlation between the steam transmittance of the packaging material and the change in quality of photographic processing chemicals has so far been unknown, it has been found that the effect of the invention can become significant by controlling the steam transmittance to a specific value. Measurement of the steam transmittance was made in the usual manner according to JIS Z 0208. The oxygen transmittance of the packaging material is preferably not more than 10 ml/m 2 .day.atm, more preferably not more than 5 ml/m 2 .day.atm, and most preferably not more than 3 ml/m 2 .day.atm. The oxygen transmittance was measured in the usual manner according to JIS Z 1707. The thickness of the film as the packaging material is preferably 40 µm to 500 µm, and more preferably 100 µm to 300 µm from the viewpoint of the effect of the invention. The thickness, if less than 40 µm, lowers the film's gas barrier effect, while if more than 500 µm, increases the throwing amount into the discard in the dump to result in an increase in combustion heat in the incinerator. The multilayer film used in the invention is allowed to take various layer arrangements; from the side in contact with photographic processing chemicals layers may be arranged, for example, in various orders as described below: (1) LLDPE/Ny(nylon)/PET(polyethylene terephthalate), (2) LLDPE/Ny/EVOH(Eval)/Ny/ONy(orientated nylon), (3) LLDPE/EVA(ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer)/Ny, (5) LLDPE/KON(vinylidene chloride-coated nylon), (6) LLDPE/GLPET(ceramic-coated polyethylene terephthalate), (7) PE(polyethylene)/EVOH/OPP(oriented polypropylene), (9) LDPE/EVOH/ONy, (10) PE/KPE(vinylidene chloride polyester), (11) PE/Ny, (12) PE/EVOH/Ny, (13) PE/EVOH/KPE, (14) PE/EVOH/KPET(vinylidene chloride-coated PET), (15) LDPE/EVOH/KPET, (16) EVA(ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer)/Ny, (17) EVA/ONy, (18) EVA/EVOH/ONy, (19) LDPE/PAN(polyacrylonitrile)/Ny, (20) LLDPE/S.PE/LLDPE/Ny/EVOH/Ny/ONy, (21) LLDPE/S.PE/HDPE/S.PE/LLDPE/Ny/EVOH/Ny/PET. (22) LLDPE/S.PE/LLDPE/Ny/EVOH/Ny/ONy, and (23) LLDPE/S.PE/LLDPE/Ny/EVOH/Ny/PET. Production of the multilayer film may be carried out with no restrictions in various methods such as of film-to-film sticking together with an adhesive, film-to-film sticking together with a molten resin, laminating two or more different resins extruded from slits or other prevalent film laminating methods. These methods may be used alone or in combination. The silver halide photographic light-sensitive material processing chemicals packaging material is preferably in the standing pouch form, an example of which is shown in Figures 1 and 2. The packaging material is composed of a multilayer film, the number of laminated layers of which is not limited. In the figures, 1 is the pouch body, and 2 is its bottom. Each section is made of a multilayer film. The capacity of the pouch is preferably not more than 3 liters, and more preferably not more than 2 liters for ease of handling. It is preferable for the pouch to be provided with a catch or stopper in order to make it easier to handle. The processing chemicals packaging material may be formed by, e.g., heat sealing the side and the upper part of body 1 and in the lower part also heat sealing body 1 and bottom 1, but for the heating sealing section in the upper part there are various embodiments as shown in Figures 3 and 4, wherein 3 is a heat sealing section, L is a cutting line. By doing this, various embodiments can be obtained at the take-out opening for the processing solution. In the processing chemicals kit used in the invention the bleacher is characterized by having at least a compound represented by the foregoing Formulas B-1 to B-22. Acetic acid is conventionally used as an essential constituent of the bleaching solution for use in processing color photographic light-sensitive materials or of the fixing solution for black-and-white films for general use, X-ray films and lith films for graphic arts use. The use of an acetic acid-free bleaching solution in processing color photographic light-sensitive materials causes bleaching fog or silver retention, thus adversely affecting photographic characteristics. The light-sensitive materials processing chemicals kit can be divided into some parts, acetic acid in one part of which is more concentrated than the other chemicals parts. Accordingly, the influence by the acid upon its packaging material is significant. In order to reduce the degradation of the packaging material to improve the preservability of processing solutions to thereby improve photographic characteristics, we, the inventors, have made our continued investigations. As a result, to our surprise it has now been found that the filling of a processing solution containing at least one of those compounds represented by Formula B in a kit packaging material prevents the packaging material from degradation. In the invention, a processing solution containing at least one compound represented by the foregoing Formula B is filled in a flexible packaging material having an oxygen transmittance of preferably not more than 5.0ml/24h.atm, more preferably 2.0ml/24h.atm, and most preferably 1.0ml/24h.atm under conditions of 30°C/70%RH, wherein the oxygen transmittance is measured with an oxygen transmittance tester, manufactured by Oxtrancommon Corp. The preferred among compounds B-1 to B-22 are the aliphatic dicarboxylic acids B-2 to B-7, B-10 to B-12 and B-16 to B-19, and the most preferred are B-5, B-6 and B-16. The adding amount of the compound of Formula B is 0.2 to 4.0 mol, and preferably 0.4 to 2.5 mol per liter of the concentrated bleaching solution. Subsequently, the bleaching solution solution is explained. The bleaching agent to be used in the bleaching solution is not restricted, but is preferably a ferric complex salt of an organic acid represented by the following Formula A or B or a ferric complex salt of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid. wherein A 1 to A 4 may be either the same as or different from one another and each represent -CH 2 OH, -COOM or -PO 3 M 1 M 2 , wherein M, M 1 and M 2 each represent a hydrogen atom, a sodium atom, a potassium atom or an ammonium group; and X is a substituted or unsubstituted alkylene group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms. wherein A 1 , A 2 , A 3 and A 4 may be either the same as or different from one another and each represent a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, -COOM, -PO 3 M 2 , -CH 2 OH or a lower alkyl group (for instance methyl, isopropyl or n-propyl), provided at least one of A 1 , A 2 , A 3 and A 4 is -COOM or -PO 3 M 2 ; and [0045] M, M 1 and M 2 each represent a hydrogen atom, an ammonium group, a sodium atom, a potassium atom, a lithium atom or an organic ammonium group (e.g., trimethyl ammonium or triethanol ammonium). The following are preferred examples of the compound represented by Formulas A and B: Exemplified Compounds : In addition to these compounds A-1 through A-13, sodium salts, potassium salts or ammonium salts of them may be suitably used as well. From the viewpoint of the effect of the invention as well as the solubility, ferric-ammonium salts of the above compounds may be preferably used. In the invention, the preferably usable among the above compounds are A-1, A-4, A-7, A-9 and A-13, and most preferably A-1 and A-9. The concentration of the organic acid ferric complex salt contained in the processing chemicals concentrated solution composition according to the invention is preferably not less than 0.3 mol, more preferably 0.35 to 2 mol and most preferably 0.4 to 1 mol per liter of the composition. The bleaching solution kit of the invention may have both the above organic ferric complex salt and a compound of Formula B contained in one and the same part of the kit. The bleaching solution used in the invention is used at a temperature of preferably 20°C to 50°C, and more preferably 25°C to 45°C. The bleaching solution used in the invention has a pH of preferably not more than 5.0, and more preferably 2.0 to 4.7. Generally speaking, as pH becomes lowered, the bleaching power increases, but it causes a leuco dye problem to tend to occur. The problem, however, can be solved by combining the pH control with the use of the compound used in the invention and an organic ferric complex salt, particularly, ferric complex salts of organic acids represented by Formulas A and B. The pH of the bleaching solution used in the invention is the pH of the processing bath used when processing a silver halide light-sensitive material, and is clearly distinguished from the pH of the so-called replenisher. A halide such as ammonium bromide is normally added to the bleaching solution. The bleaching solution may also contain a brightening agent, defoaming agent or surfactant. The preferred amount of the replenisher added to the bleaching solution is 20 to 500 ml, preferably 30 to 350 ml, more preferably 40 to 300 ml, and most preferably 50 to 250 ml per m 2 of a silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material. The smaller the replenishing amount, the more conspicuous the effect of the invention becomes. The processing chemicals kit form is usually comprised of a bleaching solution part, but may be partitioned into more parts. In the invention, in order to highly activate the bleaching solution, air or oxygen may, if necessary, be blown into its bath or its replenisher tank, or else an appropriate oxidizing agent such as hydrogen peroxide, a bromate or a persulfate may be discretionally added thereto. In the invention, even if the accumulated silver and iodide amounts increase in the fixing solution (e.g., up to Ag + 6g or more/liter, up to I - 0.6g or more/liter), the objects of the invention can be accomplished without deteriorating the bleachability. The total processing time of the bleaching solution is preferably not longer than 3 minutes and 45 seconds, more preferably 20 seconds to 3 minutes and 20 seconds, still more preferably 40 seconds to 3 minutes, and most preferably 60 seconds to 2 minutes and 40 seconds. The bleaching time may be discretionarily selected within the above total time limits, but is preferably not longer than 1 minute and 30 seconds, particularly 10 seconds to 70 seconds and most preferably 20 seconds to 55 seconds. In a processing method using the kit of the invention, it is preferable to apply a forced stirring to the bleaching solution because the use of a forced stirring is suitable not only for raising the effect of the invention but also for rapid processing. The forced stirring herein is not the usual diffusion transfer of a liquid but implies that a liquid is forcibly stirred by the application of a stirring means. As the forcibly stirring means there may be used the means described in Japanese Patent Application No. 48930/1588. Suitable examples of the procedure steps using the processing kit of the invention are given below: (1) Color developing → bleaching → fixing → washing, (2) Color developing → bleaching → fixing → washing → stabilizing, (3) Color developing → bleaching → fixing → stabilizing, (4) Color developing → bleaching → fixing → 1st stabilizing → 2nd stabilizing, (5) Color developing → bleaching → bleach-fix → washing, (6) Color developing → bleaching → bleach-fix → washing → stabilizing, (7) Color developing → bleaching → bleach-fix → stabilizing, (8) Color developing → bleaching → bleach-fix → 1st stabilizing → 2nd stabilizing. The preferred among the above processing procedures listed in above are (3), (4), (7) and (8), and the more preferred are (3) and (4). In the following Example the packaging material was evaluated with the following criteria. Joint sections of the packaging material after aging: A: No degradation is found at all. B: Slight interlayer gaps are found, but insignificant. C: Interlayer delamination of the packaging material is found, degrading its value of commodity. Stain of the packaging material after aging : A: Not stained at all. B: Slightly stained. C: Stained dark. Packaging materials used in the following example: Packaging material Oxygen transmittance ml/m 2 .24h.atm a. LDPE 50µm 2700 b. OPP 20µm/LLDPE 50µm 2100 c. ONy 30µm/LLDPE 60µm 25 d. K-ONy 40µm/LLDPE 50µm 4.0 e. ONy 14µm/LLDPE 50µm 2.4 g. Ny 15µm/EVOH 12µm/LLDPE 50µm 2.0 h. OPP 20µm/EVOH 20µm/LLDPE 50µm 0.4 i. K-ONy 15µm/LLDPE 60µm 5.0 j. OOP 20µm/LLDPE 40µm 1000 k. K-OPP 20µm/LLDPE 40µm 4.0 l. ONy 15µm/EVOH 12µ/LLDPE 50µm 1.0 m. Polyester 12µm/aluminum-evaporated polyester 12µm/LLDPE 40µm 0.3 n. PET 12µm/Ny 5µm/EVOH 5µm/Ny 5µm/ LLDPE 25µm/S.PE 25µm/LLDPE 80µm 0.8 o. ONy 25µm/Ny 5µm/EVOH 5µm/LLDPE 5µm/S.PE 20µm/LLDPE 80µm p. PET 12µm/Ny 5µm/EVOH 5µm/Ny 5µm/LLDPE 5µm/S.PE 20µm/HDPE 40µm/S.PE 2µm/LLDPE 80µm 1.1 LDPE : Low-density polyethylene OPP : Oriented polypropylene ONy : Oriented nylon Ny : Non-oriented nylon K-ONy : Vinylidene chloride-coated oriented nylon PNA : Polyvinyl alcohol EVOH : Ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer resin LLDPE : Linear low-density polyethylene PET : Polyethylene terephthalate S.PE : Sand polyethylene EXAMPLE A concentrated bleaching solution of the following part constitution for color negatives were prepared for 5 liters of a replenisher solution and filled in a container as shown in Fig. 1 made of the packaging material given in Table 1, and the opening of the container was heat-sealed, whereby a bleaching solution kit was prepared. Bleaching solutions kit (1) Ferric salt of A-1 0.45 mol Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid 2 g Ammonium bromide 1.4 mol 90% acetic acid or a compound of Formula B (carboxyl group equivalent molar amount) 1.3 mol Ammonium nitrate 120 g 25% ammonia water 8.5g Pure water to make 0.70 liter. The above bleaching solution kit for color negative films was allowed to stand over a period of three weeks at 50°C/30% RH. The conditions of the joint section and stain of the packaging material of the kit after being aged were visually examined. And the pH of the aged kit was measured; the results are shown in Table 2. Test No. Packaging material Exemplified compound of Formula B or acetic acid Joint condition of packaging material after aging Stain on packaging material pH Comparative a Acetic acid C C 3.70 " j " C C 3.65 " c " C C 3.60 " n " C B-C 3.60 " o " C B-C 3.59 " p " C B-C 3.59 " d " C C 3.61 " g " C C 3.62 " w " C C 3.62 " a B-5 A-B B 3.60 " j " A-B B 3.59 Invention c " A A 3.53 " n " A A 3.50 " o " A A 3.50 " p " A A 3.50 " d " A A 3.52 " g " A A 3.52 " h " A A 3.51 " n B-6 A A 3.50 " " B-6/B-5 A A 3.51 " " B-16 A A 3.51

Claims: A photographic processing chemicals kit comprising a bleaching solution part, characterized in that in the bleaching solution part a concentrated bleaching solution is contained in a sealed flexible container, wherein the bleaching solution comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of the following compounds (B-1) to (B-22) in an amount of from 0.2 to 4.0 moles per liter of the concentrated bleaching solution in the bleaching solution part: (B - 1) HOOCCH 2 C(OH)(COOH)CH 2 COOH (B - 2) HOOC(CHOH) 2 COOH (B - 3) HOOCCH 2 COOH (B - 4) HOOCCH(OH)CH 2 COOH (B - 5) HOOCCH=CHCOOH (B - 6) HOOCCH 2 CH 2 COOH (B - 7) HOOC(CH 2 ) 4 COOH (B - 10) NaOOCCH=CHCOONa (B - 11) KOOCCH=CHCOOK (B - 12) H 4 NOOCCH=CHCOONH 4 (B - 19) HOOCCH 2 CH(CH 3 )COOH (B - 20) HOCH 2 COOH (B - 21) ClCH 2 COOH ( B - 22) NH 2 CH 2 COOH and wherein said flexible container is composed of a multilayer film comprising at least one layer of a polyolefin resin or an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resin, and at least one layer selected from the group consisting of: A. ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer resin, B. polyamide resin, C. acrylonitrile resin, D. polyethylene terephthalate resin, E. polyhalogenated vinylidene resin, F. polyhalogenated vinyl resin, and G. polyethylene or polyethylene terephthalate film-deposited with ceramic. The photographic processing chemicals kit of claim 1, characterized in that the water vapor transmission rate of the multilayer film is not more than 20 g/m 2 .day. The photographic processing chemicals kit of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the multilayer film comprises at least one. polyolefin resin layer and at least one ceramic layer. The photographic processing chemicals kit of any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the thickness of said flexible container is 40 to 500 µm. The photographic processing chemicals kit of any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the thickness of said flexible container is 100 to 500 µm. The photographic processing chemicals kit according to any of claims 2 to 5, wherein the oxygen transmittance of the multilayer film is not more than 5 ml /m 2 .day.atm. Method of storing a concentrated photographic bleaching solution in a sealed flexible container, characterized in that the concentrated photographic bleaching solution comprises from 0.2 to 4.0 moles per liter of a compound selected from (B-1) to (B-22) as defined in claim 1 and wherein that said flexible container is composed of a multilayer film as defined in claim 1.

Inventors: HARAGUCHI TSUYOSHI, KOBAYASHI HIROAKI, KUSE SATORU, YAMASHITA HIROSHI, HARAGUCHI, TSUYOSHI, KOBAYASHI, HIROAKI, KUSE, SATORU, YAMASHITA, HIROSHI
Applicants: KONISHIROKU PHOTO IND, KONICA CORPORATION
Application year: 1993
Main classification: G03C5
IPC codes: G03C5, G03C7