Even though it was a salt? It wasn't any liquid mercury at all. Only the chloride salt
Re: Lab Accidents
« Reply #40 on: September 11, 2009, 05:02:32 AM »
Topic: Lab Accidents (Read 2279 times)
basstabone
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Vesp
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Re: Lab Accidents
« Reply #41 on: September 11, 2009, 05:03:26 AM »
Symptoms of Mercury Poisoning
By the Environmental Protection Agency
* Impairment of the peripheral vision
* Disturbances in sensations ("pins and needles" feelings, numbness) usually in the hands feet and sometimes around the mouth
* Lack of coordination of movements, such as writing
* Impairment of speech, hearing, walking;
* Muscle weakness
* Skin rashes
* Mood swing
* Memory loss
* Mental disturbance
Chloride might be way more bioavailable..
I believe sulfur is used to react with Hg metal? I may be wrong though.. Seems like any metal sulfide would be pretty good as long as it was less reactive then mercury..
By the Environmental Protection Agency
* Impairment of the peripheral vision
* Disturbances in sensations ("pins and needles" feelings, numbness) usually in the hands feet and sometimes around the mouth
* Lack of coordination of movements, such as writing
* Impairment of speech, hearing, walking;
* Muscle weakness
* Skin rashes
* Mood swing
* Memory loss
* Mental disturbance
Chloride might be way more bioavailable..
I believe sulfur is used to react with Hg metal? I may be wrong though.. Seems like any metal sulfide would be pretty good as long as it was less reactive then mercury..
basstabone
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Re: Lab Accidents
« Reply #42 on: September 11, 2009, 05:05:16 AM »
Are all of those steps really necessary? Ill watch out for those symtpoms but honestly I'm not too worried about it
Agent Madhatter
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Re: Lab Accidents
« Reply #43 on: September 11, 2009, 05:16:48 AM »
Yeah thats really dangerous. Though its a liquid at room temp, so I guess your walls wouldn't hold it very well....and you'd have puddles in your carpet. So...watch out for puddles. Nothing out of the ordinary...just puddles.
Vesp
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Re: Lab Accidents
« Reply #44 on: September 11, 2009, 05:19:44 AM »
Yeah thats really dangerous. Though its a liquid at room temp, so I guess your walls wouldn't hold it very well....and you'd have puddles in your carpet. So...watch out for puddles. Nothing out of the ordinary...just puddles.
.. what?
Douchermann
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Re: Lab Accidents
« Reply #45 on: September 11, 2009, 05:26:12 AM »
Madhatter is thinking about mercury metal. Am I the only one who thinks mercury metal isn't the most dangerous material in the world? The vapors will get ya, but the metal by itself wont hurt you, such as touching it.
basstabone
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Re: Lab Accidents
« Reply #46 on: September 11, 2009, 05:27:24 AM »
Okay and for the third time... This was mercuric CHLORIDE. There is absolutely no elemental mercury in any of it.
#Vesp or Douchermann: Should I take certain clean up precautions? Or should I just not worry about it? I wiped down everything and have been circulating air through the room
#Vesp or Douchermann: Should I take certain clean up precautions? Or should I just not worry about it? I wiped down everything and have been circulating air through the room
jon
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Re: Lab Accidents
« Reply #47 on: September 11, 2009, 05:30:03 AM »
hate to chime in but look into sulfides sulfides of zinc specifically are used for just such a thing.
they turn soluble mercury salts into more benign sulfides.
they turn soluble mercury salts into more benign sulfides.
Agent Madhatter
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Re: Lab Accidents
« Reply #48 on: September 11, 2009, 05:36:35 AM »
Calm down, I was joking...haha The and the 'puddles' should have given it away.
Though my first post about the gas in the walls was serious.
Next time for my jokes I'll be sure to throw in a disclaimer
"NOTE: THIS POST IS A JOKE AND NOT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY"
and the 'puddles' should have given it away.Though my first post about the gas in the walls was serious.
Next time for my jokes I'll be sure to throw in a disclaimer
"NOTE: THIS POST IS A JOKE AND NOT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY"
Douchermann
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Re: Lab Accidents
« Reply #49 on: September 11, 2009, 05:43:57 AM »
Well mercury chloride sublimes by itself. If there is significant quantity of this salt dissolved into your carpet, or into the walls, etc, it can eventually sublime enough to give significant exposure. On the contrary, if ventilation is kept up for about 6 months, the sublimation can be used to your advantage to rid the place of the salt.
The threshold limit for occupational hazards of mercury chloride is 0.05mg per cubic meter. In a 10ft x 10ft x 10ft room, that's 1.42mg. This is the concentration deemed "safe". Fortunately, as long as there is some form of ventilation, you wont have to worry about that due to it's rate of sublimation. I would not be as worried about mercury lingering in the room as much as I would be concerned about your health. Heavy metals, and their salts, are somewhat cumulative. It would be in your best interest to avoid all heavy metals (and their salts) for the next couple weeks.
I can't imagine you had more than 20g of this stuff on the hotplate, am I correct? How much Hg did you start with, and how much HgCl2 did you end up with?
The threshold limit for occupational hazards of mercury chloride is 0.05mg per cubic meter. In a 10ft x 10ft x 10ft room, that's 1.42mg. This is the concentration deemed "safe". Fortunately, as long as there is some form of ventilation, you wont have to worry about that due to it's rate of sublimation. I would not be as worried about mercury lingering in the room as much as I would be concerned about your health. Heavy metals, and their salts, are somewhat cumulative. It would be in your best interest to avoid all heavy metals (and their salts) for the next couple weeks.
I can't imagine you had more than 20g of this stuff on the hotplate, am I correct? How much Hg did you start with, and how much HgCl2 did you end up with?
heisenberg
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Re: Lab Accidents
« Reply #50 on: September 11, 2009, 05:53:14 AM »
How much of the gas cloud was HgCl2 vapor, and how much was the liquid being boiled off? Can you weigh whatever solids are left in the flask? I'd be worried about the HgCl2 crystallizing in the walls and later subliming out.
basstabone
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Re: Lab Accidents
« Reply #51 on: September 11, 2009, 06:02:11 AM »
I would guess a lot of it would have been the water boiling off. I didnt end up weighing it in the end just because I was so frustrated but there was a fair amount left in the dish as well as some splattered on the desk and floor. I started with 10 g of mercury and would probably guess there was 11 or so grams left in the bowl plus what was on the ground. So probably shouldn't sleep in there tonght?
Sedit
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Re: Lab Accidents
« Reply #52 on: September 11, 2009, 02:28:05 PM »
Basstabone you should learn alot more about chemistry before EVER going near anything like this. For once I am not flaming I am telling you that there is a good possibility you may die from this. I have no idea what to tell you but you seem to have the dangers of Mercury highly confused.
You say you shouldn't sleep in there tonight... Well your right.. Not tonight the next night or the one after that. Give it about 2-5 years and you might be ok at best
.
You said you started with 10g of Hg. Can you tell us the process taken please? Did you boil the Hg in H2SO4 to form the sulfate first? Is this where your cloud came from. If so it was relativly harmless SO2 formed which bails out from the reaction by the ton. This seems much more likely the source of your cloud then the sublimination of HgCl2. Either way if you are toying with mercury in an area where you sleep you have no biz playing with chemicals and you may want to take up a safer hobby such as base jumping or russian roulet.
Please understand that you more then likely are going to need a quick trip to the hospital before your vitals start shutting down a month or so from now at best if what you where breathing in was pure HgCl2 vapors. This is akin to snorting a line of HgCl2 and injecting it directly into your blood stream. Look up the low concentrations HgCl2 need when exposed to the eyes to get an idea of the danger you may be in.
PS: Go to the hospital and tell them you found an old bottle of chemicals used for photography and spilled some of the powders on you hand or something if you fear telling them your playing with chemicals. Be creative but don't be foolish enough to think sublimed HgCl2 all over your house is not that big of a deal.
You say you shouldn't sleep in there tonight... Well your right.. Not tonight the next night or the one after that. Give it about 2-5 years and you might be ok at best
. You said you started with 10g of Hg. Can you tell us the process taken please? Did you boil the Hg in H2SO4 to form the sulfate first? Is this where your cloud came from. If so it was relativly harmless SO2 formed which bails out from the reaction by the ton. This seems much more likely the source of your cloud then the sublimination of HgCl2. Either way if you are toying with mercury in an area where you sleep you have no biz playing with chemicals and you may want to take up a safer hobby such as base jumping or russian roulet.
Please understand that you more then likely are going to need a quick trip to the hospital before your vitals start shutting down a month or so from now at best if what you where breathing in was pure HgCl2 vapors. This is akin to snorting a line of HgCl2 and injecting it directly into your blood stream. Look up the low concentrations HgCl2 need when exposed to the eyes to get an idea of the danger you may be in.
PS: Go to the hospital and tell them you found an old bottle of chemicals used for photography and spilled some of the powders on you hand or something if you fear telling them your playing with chemicals. Be creative but don't be foolish enough to think sublimed HgCl2 all over your house is not that big of a deal.
basstabone
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Re: Lab Accidents
« Reply #53 on: September 11, 2009, 04:25:38 PM »
Well it was in the final stage and I was boiling down the solution to concentrate it. I formed the sulfate, then the oxide, then the chloride and boiled down the solution. You are right, I highly underestimated the potency of mercuric chloride. I know for sure it wouldn't have been pure HgCl2 vapors. It was mostly water I am betting with a small amount of HgCl2 possibly. Any messures I should take? As in vitamins or something else? I know vesp said something about EDTA.
heisenberg
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Re: Lab Accidents
« Reply #54 on: September 11, 2009, 04:38:58 PM »
For starters, find the exact weight of the remaining HgCl2. From there you can approximate the amount of HgCl2 in the air, and from that you can approximate the amount that you ingested.
I wouldn't mess around with self medication if I were you. Clean the house as best you can, and then go to the hospital like sedit suggested. As for the HAZMAT room, I'd scrub everything in sight while wearing a tyvek painting suit with a gas mask on. Need I mention gloves? You'll need to research which type to use though.
Here is a MSDS: http://www.sciencelab.com/xMSDS-Mercuric_chloride-9924616
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Your cleaning supplies, spaceman suit, gas mask filters, etc. should also all be double bagged and brought to the hazmat section of your landfill. Although that part might be tricky, it's just important you don't throw the stuff out at your house.
I wouldn't mess around with self medication if I were you. Clean the house as best you can, and then go to the hospital like sedit suggested. As for the HAZMAT room, I'd scrub everything in sight while wearing a tyvek painting suit with a gas mask on. Need I mention gloves? You'll need to research which type to use though.
Here is a MSDS: http://www.sciencelab.com/xMSDS-Mercuric_chloride-9924616
*****************************
Your cleaning supplies, spaceman suit, gas mask filters, etc. should also all be double bagged and brought to the hazmat section of your landfill. Although that part might be tricky, it's just important you don't throw the stuff out at your house.
Sedit
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Re: Lab Accidents
« Reply #55 on: September 11, 2009, 04:44:50 PM »
Vitamines are a must. Drink lots of milk and eggwhites. EDTA has a chelating effect which can bind the Hg an allow its passing. This is dangerous because its non discriminate and calcium is lost amonst others in the process.
The vitamines will prevent the Hg from falling into its place blocking the Calcium receptors IIRC(that may be for Pb I can't remeber). What you do now means alot on how it effects your body because once its absorbed chelation becomes pretty much your only resort. The bad part of the Chloride is its absorbed in water with ease making it much worse then the elemental metal. Your age is important as well. If you are 18-25 stop fucking around and go to the doctors just to be safe because it Will cause permant damage where as when your older the things it affects at young ages has already been set in place like nerve sheaths.
Ill see what I can find out for Hg test kits because you may be able to wipe down some surfaces and get a color change to tell you what kind of situation your in if one at all. If you find out that your whole house is contaminated your pretty much fucked.
PS: I just read the reply. Heisenburg is right find out what its possible your exposed to... and for fuck sake where gloves.
The vitamines will prevent the Hg from falling into its place blocking the Calcium receptors IIRC(that may be for Pb I can't remeber). What you do now means alot on how it effects your body because once its absorbed chelation becomes pretty much your only resort. The bad part of the Chloride is its absorbed in water with ease making it much worse then the elemental metal. Your age is important as well. If you are 18-25 stop fucking around and go to the doctors just to be safe because it Will cause permant damage where as when your older the things it affects at young ages has already been set in place like nerve sheaths.
Ill see what I can find out for Hg test kits because you may be able to wipe down some surfaces and get a color change to tell you what kind of situation your in if one at all. If you find out that your whole house is contaminated your pretty much fucked.
PS: I just read the reply. Heisenburg is right find out what its possible your exposed to... and for fuck sake where gloves.
Douchermann
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Re: Lab Accidents
« Reply #56 on: September 11, 2009, 04:56:03 PM »
They speak words of wisdom, basstabone. I hate to be a bummer, but they are correct. Mercury salts are unreasonably dangerous. More dangerous than hydrogen cyanide by a couple times. If HCN doesn't kill you within 10 minutes of exposure, it wont kill you. Hg salts sneak up on you.
Do as they suggested and find out how much was potentially lost. Scrape up the splatters of HgCl2 and add it to the total weight. Theoretical yield from 10g of mercury is 13.54g. If you can come up with 12 to 13g of mercury chloride, you're in the clear (remember, this procedure doesn't produce 100% yeilds) as far as the room goes. Drink lots and lots of milk. I also second (or third) the hospital visit if you're unable to come up with at least 9g of HgCl2 (you claimed you only had a 3 second burst of air from there).
Speaking of which, how much pain did the breath of air cause? How irritated was your throat/upper respiratory tract.
Do as they suggested and find out how much was potentially lost. Scrape up the splatters of HgCl2 and add it to the total weight. Theoretical yield from 10g of mercury is 13.54g. If you can come up with 12 to 13g of mercury chloride, you're in the clear (remember, this procedure doesn't produce 100% yeilds) as far as the room goes. Drink lots and lots of milk. I also second (or third) the hospital visit if you're unable to come up with at least 9g of HgCl2 (you claimed you only had a 3 second burst of air from there).
Speaking of which, how much pain did the breath of air cause? How irritated was your throat/upper respiratory tract.
heisenberg
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Re: Lab Accidents
« Reply #57 on: September 11, 2009, 05:01:14 PM »
It would also be very useful to know what temperature the hotplate was set to.
basstabone
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Re: Lab Accidents
« Reply #58 on: September 11, 2009, 06:56:39 PM »
I couldn't tell the temperature of the hotplate but it is a 275 watt plate with the dial turned to 2/5. I don't know the temp that this will register at. I felt no pain when I took a breath, but my throat felt as if it had mucus in it for about an hour after that. I scraped up everything I could find and ended up with 9.36 grams. This is the second time I have done this synth and the first time I only ended up with 10.2 grams.
heisenberg
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Re: Lab Accidents
« Reply #59 on: September 11, 2009, 07:05:11 PM »
Wonderful, so you might have had a whole gram of material vaporized in the room. I guess that probably won't kill you (quickly that is, I don't know long term effects). However, that doesn't mean that the room is anything near habitable.
Ask your hardware stores if they sell any mercury detection kits for drinking water. You could probably just dissolve small scraping from the floor and walls in tapwater, and then check to see what ppm is mercury with the kit. Check your air ducts too. If you have air vents in the room, they could be circulating contaminated air throughout the building. Hopefully you can avoid total reconstruction of the room.
Ask your hardware stores if they sell any mercury detection kits for drinking water. You could probably just dissolve small scraping from the floor and walls in tapwater, and then check to see what ppm is mercury with the kit. Check your air ducts too. If you have air vents in the room, they could be circulating contaminated air throughout the building. Hopefully you can avoid total reconstruction of the room.