KPernicano@aol.com
Mon, 21 Jun 1999 00:22:23 -0400 (EDT)
Additionally, there may be some medical pracititioners who can support this:
One of the gases given off by the process of making any noble metal salt
using aqua regia is NO2, Nitric Dioxide. The immediate effect of a good
whiff of this gas, which looks like rustcolored dust, is irritating and
choking. Enough of it will bring death to its victim, but not for 48-96
hours. It apparently oxidizes and then necrotizes the lung tissues ( a
technical way of saying that is sort of bleaches them and then causes
suffocation by destroying tissue). HCL gas does the same thing, but it is
much more acrid and people are very much aware of their exposure, and can
usually get away before it causes such serious damage as with nitric oxides.
Although we don't use it much in alt-processes, hydroflouric acid is another
deadly one with the potential to be subtly fatal in small doses. The sneaky
thing about these acids is that the potential for death is not immediate, as
with cyanide, so people may be led into a false sense of security when they
do not feel ill effects immediately.
Anyway, IF anyone decides to make any salts using Aq.Reg., take heed of the
expert chemists on the list. I work in a hospital environment, and I can
tell you that exposure to nitrogen oxides is not a thing to toy with.
Take care,
-K pernicano
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