Questions tagged [toxicity]

Questions on the harmful effects of various substances on the human body, or biological organisms in general.

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Toxicity of cell phone materials [closed]

My farmer friend has a very old, hand dug water well, about 65 feet in depth. His "flip phone" slipped out of his shirt pocket and fell into the well. I worry that as it dissolves it will ...
James R. Martin's user avatar
-2 votes
1 answer
421 views

If I spilled mercury in a carpeted room 28 years ago will it have evaporated by now? [closed]

I made a really stupid mistake as a kid 28 years ago and spilled about one teaspoon of mercury onto a carpeted floor of a room about 12x12 feet. I’m assuming it was organic mercury only because it was ...
Mercury worrier's user avatar
-5 votes
1 answer
80 views

betamechaptoethanol smell [closed]

I am doing my masters in science and today one of our neighbors from the other lab came to heat his samples on a heating pad. the samples were in small tubes which contained Betamechaptoethanol, when ...
HHSS's user avatar
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1 vote
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Do we understand why Dimethyl Mercury is so toxic?

I have read extensively about Prof. Wetterhahn and in the Wikipedia Wetterhahn mercury poisoning article it said her blood mercury (I do not know if the test measures mercury or the compound) was 4000 ...
releseabe's user avatar
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Are there any real dangers to using lead fishing sinkers to hold a shower curtain in place?

I am hoping someone can help me consider if there are any factors that would make the use of lead fishing sinkers such as these in the shower risky enough to stop doing it. Specifically, they are ...
Douglas B's user avatar
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2 answers
64 views

Can you infer toxicity of an ionic compound based on the toxicity of its ions in other configurations?

Suppose I have two ionic compounds: "NaY" and "XCl". If these were both 'safe' to eat, would it be true that ...
alex_danielssen's user avatar
-1 votes
2 answers
53 views

Relationship between grams of root and content in a tea

When we make a tea from a some herb, what exactly is the relation between the weight of the herb/root stepped in hot water and how many grams/milligrams are in the tea. For context and giving a ...
Jim's user avatar
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1 vote
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Could a beach have green or blue sand due to a nearby copper deposit? How poisonous would such a beach be? [closed]

I am in the midst of a world building project and am wondering about green sand from copper oxide/patina material. The material could either be washed into the water from a nearby land deposit or be ...
Lynx's user avatar
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4 votes
0 answers
103 views

Why is cyanuric triazide environmental friendly and less toxic?

This is the first line on Wikipedia: Cyanuric triazide ($\ce{C3N12}$ or $\ce{(NCN3)3}$) is described as an environmentally friendly, low toxicity, and organic primary explosive with a detonation ...
Nilay Ghosh's user avatar
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1 answer
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How fast does potassium hydroxide turn into potassium carbonate, in the case of leaked AA or AAA batteries? [closed]

When batteries start to leak, the highly toxic potassium hydroxide comes out, but it reacts with the carbon dioxide in the air and turn into the less toxic potassium carbonate salt. I'm wondering how ...
HaoQi Li's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
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Understanding grades of steel for cookware. 18/10 vs 18/8

I am looking for a stainless steel cookware and while researching on the best kind of stainless steel cookware, I came across this comment on youtube: Actually 18/10 steel is better and costlier. You'...
4-K's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
462 views

Purpose of measuring chloroform soluble extractives

I noticed that tests such as the FDA ones are measuring "chloroform soluble extractives". I understand that chloroform is toxic and its effect to human if exposed to it. But does that mean ...
xcoder's user avatar
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1 answer
224 views

Would the addition of Citric and Phosphoric Acid or Potassium Carbonate to agricultural water supply result in health/safety concerns?

I am doing a small greenhouse project for fun. As a side benefit of this project, I was hoping to consume the food that I will be producing. I have been checking all of the products that I will be ...
Jeff's user avatar
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3 votes
2 answers
598 views

Producing hydrogen sulfide—difficult to do much?

When I was young (nearly sixty years ago), my "chemistry set" taught me how to heat sulfur and candle wax to stink up the house.  It had no warning that hydrogen sulfide is toxic and ...
WGroleau's user avatar
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1 answer
138 views

How does this coin-and-strike-paper trick work (and is it safe)?

When I was a kid I remember a thing an adult showed me where you would take a piece of strike paper from a matchbox, rest it on a "copper" coin (I have no idea what these coins are made of), ...
sh1's user avatar
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1 answer
1k views

What are the safest non-toxic elements I can own? [closed]

As in a recent question, I mentioned I collect elements. My collection already has quite a few elements and a rare alloy (I have silicon, molybdenum, tungsten, gold, platinum, silver, copper, ...
Mister SirCode's user avatar
15 votes
4 answers
2k views

Can osmium react with oxygen at room temperature?

I’m an avid collector of elements (I love shiny rocks - don’t judge). I’m looking to buy some osmium, as it’s one of the heaviest and hardest metals out there. However, people online told me to avoid ...
Mister SirCode's user avatar
-3 votes
1 answer
179 views

Why is Denaturated alcohol made poisonous? [closed]

I understand the need to denaturate alcohol, as to have a material that can be used for non-food products without the heavy alcohol beverage tax. So, adding a foul tasting bitter substance like ...
Juan Perez's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
59 views

What replaced lead-based pigments? [closed]

In the 1960s and before, even black and white letters had some lead from the actual metallic letters used by typesetters—some rubbed off. Same thing with books printed before 1970 or so and libraries ...
releseabe's user avatar
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I mix table salt and baking soda with water to make mouth rinse, and leave them for several days. It started to form precipitation, and a bad odor [closed]

I mixed 2 spoons of baking soda with 1 spoon of salt and mixed them with water (but not mixing totally) and left them for several days. At first I saw some bubble but the water was clear, but then it ...
Kim Dong's user avatar
-4 votes
1 answer
347 views

when copper oxide is dissolved in vinegar does it release copper oxide gas [closed]

i was cleaning my pennies in a bowl of vinegar and table salt and was wondering when the copper oxide on the pennies dissolves does it release copper oxide gas or a gas i should be worried about. I ...
stephen austin's user avatar
-4 votes
1 answer
99 views

Do baking soda or vinegar reduce toxicity? [closed]

Both baking soda and vinegar can be used to remove cigarette odor from cloth and surfaces, at least temporarily. Do they reduce toxicity of the third hand cigarette smoke too or just 'hide' the smell?
Sinusx's user avatar
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1 answer
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What are chemicals that will create a similar reaction to baking soda and vinegar for my book?

I'm writing a book based on a dream I had, but after some research I can't find too much on a specific reaction I want. The main character mixes a clear liquid and yellow powder which hisses and ...
Haybug's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
183 views

Why are zinc shot and mossy zinc not considered toxic but zinc granules are?

In our lab we have three forms of zinc. We were initially experimenting with these three forms to optimize our application. We have "zinc shot", "mossy zinc", and "zinc ...
ajschauer's user avatar
-4 votes
1 answer
177 views

Why are tri-organotin chloride compounds so dangerous? [closed]

Organotin compounds are compounds with the tin-carbon bond and some of them(specifically the tri-organo chloride ones) are as toxic as hydrogen cyanide. Why is this though as I don't really know some ...
Bruh Moments's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
1k views

Why is osmium(VIII) oxide so toxic?

Osmium(VIII) oxide or osmium tetroxide is a volatile chemical compound with the formula of $\ce{OsO4}$. It is highly toxic for supposedly irritating mucous membranes, but I'm not too sure if it is ...
Bruh Moments's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
221 views

Why are all of the group 16 hydrides/hydrogen chalcogenides except H2O toxic? [closed]

I mean ($\ce{H2O}$) is non-toxic and is needed everyday but all of the other group 16 hydrides (hydrogen sulfide ($\ce{H2S}$), hydrogen selenide ($\ce{H2Se}$), hydrogen telluride ($\ce{H2Te}$) and ...
Bruh Moments's user avatar
0 votes
4 answers
294 views

What toxic gases are emitted during the combustion of potassium ferrocyanide? [closed]

I have read that Hydrogen Cyanide is emitted if Potassium Ferricyanide is combusted, but would this be the same case for Potassium Ferrocyanide? I am preparing to perform some case hardening on steel ...
Tinca's user avatar
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1 vote
0 answers
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Avoiding chemical reactions with carbonated alcoholic drinks

I'm making a cooling beverage dispenser for carbonated drinks. The keg remains room temperature and the beverage rises through a pipe that's coiled up inside a cooling unit filled with water or ...
Jo-Erlend Schinstad's user avatar
16 votes
4 answers
4k views

Is Fluorine more toxic than Chlorine?

Fluorine is more reactive than Chlorine. But does it mean that Fluorine can cause more damage to living tissues? If so, why wasn't Fluorine used in WW1 instead of Chlorine?
My Name's user avatar
  • 295
3 votes
2 answers
116 views

Biological activity of the isotopes of the same element

I have a question regarding biological activity of different isotopes of the same elements, notably $\ce{^206Pb}$ and $\ce{^208Pb}$. Lead is known to be toxic, such that it can replace calcium from ...
hmm...'s user avatar
  • 101
0 votes
1 answer
209 views

What compound(s) contribute to bleach's smell and are they dangerous?

Just a few hours ago, I had to deal with a mold problem on some untreated wood and was told by a hardware store worker that bleach was an effective way to deal with the problem, following up with some ...
ajent's user avatar
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-1 votes
0 answers
299 views

Accidentally sprayed the wrong product in my mouth [closed]

I sprayed the wrong product in my mouth the other day. It was a spray hand cleaner. Noticed the mistake right away and immediately spit it out and then rinsed my mouth. But even so, my tongue and ...
Nick's user avatar
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2 votes
0 answers
25 views

Chemical safety information: Where to look to find out how poisonous poisons are?

Could someone point me toward a primer on how to read the toxicity warnings on standard chemical data sheets? Or alternatively, where one should look for more precise information than is contained on ...
andrewH's user avatar
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5 votes
1 answer
86 views

How are the toxic components in a mixture identified?

I was doing research on buckwheat sprouts (as to whether I should include them in my diet) and I came across a website that said eating too much can cause fagopyrism, which is caused by compounds ...
Dan 's user avatar
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1 vote
0 answers
25 views

How do I understand exactly how hazardous a material is based on SDS?

I work with a lab occasionally and get asked often if a chemical is safe to breathe, how hazardous is it if it lands on skin, etc. For the most part, I'll try to go to an SDS and look it up. The ...
user267587's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
31 views

How do structural differences between neostigmine and TL-599 contribute to differences in toxicity?

Stevens and Beutel studied the activity of several carbamate anticholinesterases. Among other things, they found that the (4-trimethylammonio)phenyl dimethylcarbamate iodide (The para-analog of ...
user73910's user avatar
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5 votes
0 answers
67 views

Why are S-thiocarbamates less toxic than carbamates?

According to Haley and Rhodes, neostigmine bromide (alternatively known as Prostigmine) has an LD50 in mice of around 0.165 mg/kg by IV injection. Pubchem claims that this is also the LD50 for ...
user73910's user avatar
  • 1,254
0 votes
1 answer
78 views

How does lead toxicity from jewelry happen vs. occupational exposure?

It is known that lead levels in jewelry is a problem, especially for children (https://dtsc.ca.gov/toxics-in-products/lead-in-jewelry/). As a parent with jewelry-loving children I am aware that ...
evgenymik's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
1k views

Is it OK to dispose of potassium hydrogen phthalate into the sewer system?

I have been using potassium hydrogen phthalate (KHP) for creating primary standards. I have looked into the Flinn catalog, and the disposal consideration is classified as "organic acids, must be ...
124c41's user avatar
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-4 votes
1 answer
100 views

Could there ever be a way to safely handle visible amounts of elements like astatine, francium, or protactinium? [closed]

This is something I'd actually be interested in doing if possible. I've asked about artificial stability here https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/584595/could-there-at-least-theoretically-ever-...
user17584's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
135 views

Do hydrogen sulfide and oxygen produce pure sulfur or sulfur dioxide? If both, under which circumstances does each scenario occur? [closed]

If both of the following hydrogen sulfide and oxygen chemical equations can occur, under what circumstances is the harmless pure sulfur and the toxic sulfur dioxide produced? $\ce{2H2S + O2 -> 2H2O ...
HaoQi Li's user avatar
  • 107
1 vote
1 answer
881 views

Is elemental lead as toxic as lead compounds? [duplicate]

On the internet, nobody mentions about lead's oxidation state when talking about lead poisoning. I assume it's Pb(II) and Pb(IV), as chelation therapy is suggested as a treatment. Also, its ...
hmm...'s user avatar
  • 101
0 votes
1 answer
180 views

Using the right equipment for successful detection of Novichok [closed]

Apparently, Navalny’s biomaterials were flown to Moscow's Nii Sklif lab which didn't find any traces of the poison. But they used an American Agilent Technologies GC-MS [1], while Bundeswehr ...
rych's user avatar
  • 117
1 vote
0 answers
50 views

A dataset of drugs or molecules that failed the FDA approval process

I am looking for a dataset of bad drugs, the opposite of FDA approved drugs. There is this database of withdrawn drugs, but these drugs were withdrawn after making it into the market. Is there any ...
BND's user avatar
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5 votes
2 answers
1k views

What chemical properties of ethanol make it usable for drinks as compared to that of methanol? [closed]

Methanol ($\ce{CH3OH}$) and ethanol ($\ce{C2H5OH}$) both are the organic compounds having an alcoholic group. The alcoholic beverages (liquors and spirits) for human consumption (albeit injurious to ...
Harish Chandra Rajpoot's user avatar
23 votes
3 answers
5k views

How toxic chemically is plutonium (Pu), neglecting the radioactive damage?

In Rhodes' The Making of the Atomic Bomb, he says that, while Pu is not that radioactive (which is surprising -- maybe he means compared with radium and some other elements), it is very toxic. I would ...
releseabe's user avatar
  • 461
4 votes
2 answers
125 views

What is the mechanism of AChE inhibition by Onchidal?

A naturally-occuring neurotoxin, called Onchidal, produced by a species of sea slug acts as an irreversible inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase. The structure of Onchidal is presented below: How and ...
user73910's user avatar
  • 1,254
2 votes
1 answer
199 views

Why is methyl parathion less toxic than ethyl parathion?

According to the PubChem pages on ethyl parathion and methyl parathion (pages 11 and 12 of the toxicity section, respectively), methyl parathion is significantly less toxic than ethyl parathion. The ...
user73910's user avatar
  • 1,254
1 vote
0 answers
2k views

Will a dangerous amount of lead leach into soil from a galvanised corrugated steel raised bed? [closed]

I have searched, found similar questions but none answer my specific need. I have built a raised garden bed to grow vegetables (ironically due to a high lead content in our garden soil - planning to ...
ttt's user avatar
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