[meteorite-list] Etching Compounds

From: stan . <laser_maniac_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sat Sep 11 17:02:33 2004
Message-ID: <BAY18-F376QqQaoQi5a00047ffe_at_hotmail.com>

>Of course, the down side of using fluoridated compounds is that they can
>MAKE YOU DIE! ...or just get burned very badly and end up in the
>hospital.


not to belittle the hazards of flourine, but let's keep things in
perspective - just because something can kill you doesnt mean it cant be
used when handled with due caution - after all drinking too much water can
kill you, yet there is no reason to fear water.

I'd say it's a pretty safe bet that the acid solution Adam talked about
contained nitric acid. IF thats the case then the brownish gas that was
evolved was nitrogen dioxide - a VERY toxic gas with a lethal concentration
ten times LOWER than that of hydrogen cyanide - the stuff that was used in
gas chambers to execute condemned prisoner. (LC50 of 200 ppm for 1 minute vs
2000 ppm for 1 minute for HCN). When viewed in that perspective a little bit
of flourine here and there doesnt seem so bad.

in short - so long as you take proper safety precuations when using such
materials you can use the stuff without worry - but sloppy chemical hygene
can cause serious injury or, aqs you pointed out - death.

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Received on Sat 11 Sep 2004 05:02:14 PM PDT