>David, I would be very careful about the fumes containing oxalates. Are
>you wearing a respirator?
Oxalic acid and oxalates decompose in the dry state, forming carbon
dioxide, carbon monoxide (toxic), formic acid, and water. I can find no
record that decomposition occurs in weak aqueous solutions. The oxalates
themselves are quite toxic, but decompose on heating to the above
compounds. A simple respirator would be of no value at all, but a good
exhaust system would be of help to get rid of the carbon monoxide - but
that's only with the dry chemical.
Anyone have experience with this? Personally, dust (including that from
ordinary chemicals) is more of a problem to me than fumes.
Sil Horwitz, FPSA
Technical Editor, PSA Journal
silh@iag.net