Re: About sizing gum: Hey -- READ THE LIST !!!

[phritz phantom <phritz-phantom@web.de>]

Judy Seigel schrieb:
> As for chrome alum & company, it's my understanding that they are 
> quite poisonous, and remain so, and not what you want to drop into the 
> water table (along with all those hormones and pthylates).  Whether 
> glyoxal is poisonous or not, it does break down (as I understand these 
> matters, but admit that I am not a chemist), and certainly by the time 
> I dispose of it seems entirely attenuated.
i saw this mentioned before, among others by sandy king. when i first 
ordered the chemical, i looked around, if there was any info available 
on the toxicity, precautions when handling... etc. but there wasn't much 
info available. to my understanding (from what i was able to find out), 
chrome alum is a chrome (III)-compound, which are not as toxic as chrome 
(IV)-compounds (such as the dichromates). there aren't any hazards 
mentioned on the english and german wikipedia pages. but i don't know, 
if there really aren't any, or if just nobody added them yet.
effects on the water table could maybe be neglected, since most of it 
should stay on the paper (within the gelatin size) anyway.

but maybe someone more chemistry-literate than me could shed some light 
on the whole thing.

phritz