[meteorite-list] Orange to green desiccant beads and chlorine content

From: Mendy Ouzillou <ouzillou_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed, 2 Jan 2013 11:30:15 -0800 (PST)
Message-ID: <1357155015.41377.YahooMailNeo_at_web126201.mail.ne1.yahoo.com>

Thank you Dr. Korotev.

I wanted to make sure it was not an issue and, based on your response, does not seem to be especially since the chlorine is trapped int the beads which are never in actual contact with the specimen.

Regards and happy New Year.
?
Mendy Ouzillou


----- Original Message -----
> From: Randy Korotev <korotev at wustl.edu>
> To: Mendy Ouzillou <ouzillou at yahoo.com>
> Cc:
> Sent: Wednesday, January 2, 2013 11:20 AM
> Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Orange to green desiccant beads and chlorine content
>
> Mendy:
>
> Methyl violet contains 8.7% ionic chlorine by mass, so that's 0.017%
> "max" chlorine in the product you describe.? That compares with 64%
> (!) chorine in common anhydrous calcium chloride desiccant, which often contains
> cobalt chloride.
>
> Silica gel without a coloring agent can be obtained.
>
> Randy Korotev
>
>
> At 12:40 PM 2013-01-02 Wednesday, you wrote:
>> I've been researching the desiccant beads we typically use to draw
> moisture away from meteorites and needed to ask a question from more
> knowledgeable people on the list. These orange to green desiccant beads are the
> ones generally recommended as they supposedly do not contain chlorine.
> http://www.desiccantpackets.com/pounds-loose-bulk-orange-indicating-silica-gel-desiccant-2-4-mm-beads-moisture-absorber-dehumidifier.html.
>>
>> I asked the company specifically if the product contained chlorine and they
> said no chlorine and no cobalt.
>>
>> The composition is from the MSDS they sent is as follows:
>>
>> Chemical Description: Orange to Green Indicating Silica Gel
>> Formula: SIO2 + H20 + C25H30CLN3
>> CAS (R Phrase Classification): 112926-00-8 amorphous silica 98.2%,
> activated coloring agent 0.2% max.
>>
>> The coloring agent is called methyl violet and the chemical formula clearly
> shows chlorine is present. The amount is obviously very small but still present.
>>
>> Is this an issue? Is there a different desiccant that is also orange that
> has no chlorine?
>>
>> Thank you!
>>
>> Mendy Ouzillou
>
Received on Wed 02 Jan 2013 02:30:15 PM PST