Contamination from 304 grade stainless.....

[MikeyLickedIt]

Just wondering if any suggestions can be given for metal contamination from a push/pull done in a 304 grade stainless tank. It seemed to have made things green to start with, and when lye is added during initial processing, it turns from green to black. Then, it becomes an impossibility to pull anything out. The non polar solvent of choice is camp fuel (Recochem, distilled), and quality bulk purchaced NaOH to bring the ph up. I am assuming the green reaction is probably some of the nickle that has leeched its way out. Does this contamination 'kill' the gogo, or is there still hope? I have unsuccessfully attempted TFSE.

[Rhodium]

Two seconds of googling gave this as the first hit:

Stainless 304 - Technical Data

(http://www.assda.asn.au/304.html)

The alloy contains Chromium (20%), Manganese (2%) and Nickel (10%) in addition to iron, and what you have leached out is various salts of the above metals. How much problem you will experience because of this is impossible to say. Just make sure you distill your methamphetamine base (or at least recrystallize the HCl salt twice) to remove toxic heavy metals.

[geezmeister]

The meth will pull okay. I had the same problem once upon a time with a stainless steel push-pull tank. Gave that up for a condenser and a long wet reflux. No more green honey. I did do a couple of recrystallization of the meth, and cannot recall having had a problem with it, other than probably doing too much of it, as usual.

[MikeyLickedIt]

So far swim has taken a portion of the reaction and washed it with paint thinner a few times before adding NaOH, and hasn't taken it any further,yet. When He puts the keyboard down, he'll continue. What he has noticed is the thinner washes have removed a good deal of something 'bronze' colored. Ill keep you posted on his results.