Rhodamine B
| CI Name | CI stands for "Color Index". It's a short code that easily identifies the pigment. Not all pigments have one.
| |
|---|---|---|
| Toxicity | High | The general rule of thumb to follow is to not inhale, ingest, feed to pets or babies, pour on the ground, or leave on skin. All pigments should be assumed to be dangerous, and potentially lethal if mishandled. If the pigment has high or extreme toxicity, it might be better not to use it at all. |
| Lightfastness | IV | Poor (Fugitive)
Blue wool 2-3. The pigment begins to fade in 2 to 15 years, even with proper mounting and display. (Not suitable for artistic use.) |
| Transparency | ? | Unknown
No data available. |
| Description | Rhodamine B is a staining violet dye that has fluorescent properties. It is extremely soluble in both water and alcohol. In art materials it is laked as a pigment. Rhodamine B, like all fluorescent dyes, is not considered to be lightfast. It is recommended for permanent works of art only if they can be adequately protected from exposure to ultraviolet light. Rhodamine B, discovered in 1887, is used as a staining fluorescent dye in the biological sciences, for microscopy. It is also used as a laser dye. Because of its low cost, high tinting strength, solubility in water and alcohol, and relative stability for a fluorescent, it has sometimes been used as a food colorant, even though its use in food and cosmetics has been banned in most countries for many years. There have been several highly publicized recalls of food and cosmetic products contaminated with Rhodamine B. | |
| Composition | C28H31N2O3Cl | |
Paints
The following paints likely use this pigment.
Multi-Pigment Watercolors
More Information
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