White Flakes

[JoyfulNoise]

.....
Right-o.

Perhaps Matt will correct me if I'm wrong...

All chemical substances, known and unknown, should be treated with the respect they deserve. This is why old school chemists (and even those in the field today) had and have shorter lifespans. I had a chemistry professor in college that studied and did research on Shrock catalysts (metallorganic carbene compounds) and many of the intermediate compounds are both highly toxic and highly explosive. This professor was missing part of his right ear....

As for "strength" of any chemical, that word has no precise scientific meaning in chemistry terminology. HCl will dissolve many things and it will not affect many things. For example, if I place a bar of pure copper in a cup of 20 Baume MA, all that will happen is the copper will get very shiny. The discolored surface oxides will dissolve, but the copper metal will remain entirely unaffected. If I do the same thing to a pure titanium rod, none of the surface oxide will dissolve and neither will the metal. If I place a chunk of rock in the acid that has a high content of carbonate minerals in it, the acid will bubble and fume like gangbusters and, if it gets vigorous enough, it will over-boil and potentially explode (if hydrogen gas is evolved). If I put a drop of MA in my bare handed palm, I can hold it there for several minutes with no effect. If I get even the smallest droplet of MA on the cornea of my eye, it will burn like crazy and cause severe tissue damage. If I expose a few square inches of my skin to hydrofluoric acid, I will feel nothing. However, the acid will diffusion through my skin and cause massive bone loss as well as severe cardiac arrhythmias that will almost certainly kill me. Less than 0.1mL of dimethyl mercury (less than a tiny droplet) can penetrate most rubber and synthetic polymer PPEs and, once in the human bloodstream will cause irreversible and severe mercury poisoning that will last for several months until the person exposed dies from organ failure or brain damage (it has happened, you can look it up, it's horrible...).

So, as you can see, the "strength" of anything is directly related to the "thing" that is exposed to it...prudence dictates being careful at all times, no matter what you may think is safe or unsafe....

 

[Jimrahbe]

Perhaps Matt will correct me if I'm wrong...

Dirk,

I'm thinking with you there is about a 50/50 chance...

Jim R.

 

[Dirk]

^^^^^ Yah, what Matt said!!

 

[cfherrman]

Hate to delve more into it but I'm very intrigued, I have been working with hcl for over ten years mostly in 15% but up to 28% in the oilfeild, I even get my acid for free from oilfeild acid companies in raw 36% form. I have had hcl acid in my eye nurmious times and on my hands as well, sucks when it's raining acid water from a well! Also been in a huge cloud of something when somebody used a aluminum quick coupler instead of brass. I've done acid jobs up to 8000 gallons!

I'm curious why you say you can't get it in your eye?

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Hate to delve more into it but I'm very intrigued, I have been working with hcl for over ten years mostly in 15% but up to 28% in the oilfeild, I even get my acid for free from oilfeild acid companies in raw 36% form. I have had hcl acid in my eye nurmious times and on my hands as well, sucks when it's raining acid water from a well! Also been in a huge cloud of something when somebody used a aluminum quick coupler instead of brass. I've done acid jobs up to 8000 gallons!

I'm curious why you say you can't get it in your eye?

If you truly got HCl in your eye, you would be blinded. See these resources -

CDC - Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH): Hydrogen chloride - NIOSH Publications and Products

CDC - HYDROGEN CHLORIDE - International Chemical Safety Cards - NIOSH

https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaqs/tfacts173.pdf

Depending on the concentration, hydrogen chloride can produce from mild irritation to severe burns of the eyes and skin. Long-term exposure to low levels can cause respiratory problems, eye and skin irritation, and discoloration of the teeth.

I don’t know anything about drilling wells but I suspect whatever the HCl gets mixed with or comes in contact with in and around the drill site neutralizes it. If you are working with chemicals like that, then you should be wearing protective eyewear (proper PPEs) at all times.

 

[cfherrman]

I don't know much about drilling Wells either or why they would need acid as well. Each time it has happened it has always been mild burning. Things happen even with ppe, I use safety sunglasses every time I'm outside home or work. I'll have to look at the links later.

 

[cfherrman]

I must admit I was expecting more scientific ariticles than this stuff is bad. Thanks for the links

 

[JoyfulNoise]

I must admit I was expecting more scientific ariticles than this stuff is bad. Thanks for the links

Sorry to disappoint you. HCl has been around since antiquity and the nature of chemical burns caused by it have been known and studied. If you want basic research papers on it, I suppose you could go digging up old scientific reports from the 1800’s but you might have to brush up on your old English dialects....here’s a quick report from the American Academy of Opthomology (AAO) complete with gross pictures of eyeballs that have been exposed to chemical burns

Treating Acute Chemical Injuries of the Cornea - American Academy of Ophthalmology


Here’s another one with a picture of eyeball exposed to HCl

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1034/j.1600-0420.2002.800102.x

Personally speaking, eyeball injury’s creep me out and make me nauseous so I’m not going to search any further.

 

[Leebo]

Ok, let’s try to move this thread back on track a bit. As Matt mentioned ALL chemicals should be treated with respect as ALL can do harm. I understand wanting to save a few bucks but is it worth the risk in the long run????????

To your question Dirk, knowing your history with CH issues I too suspect it’s some leftover gunk from your SWG. You’ll likely know more once you tear it apart and look at things.

 

[Dirk]

Thanks, Lee. It's almost gone, whatever it is (Just a flake or two yesterday). My Pentair kit is here, so I'll open it up this weekend and see what's up.