The laboratory is a scientific environment where there is no guarantee that the chemicals used or the processes performed are safe. Industrial processes sometimes require hazardous chemicals, while experiments with other substances might be extremely toxic. There are several safety measures that are used in laboratories, and one of them is the lab hood, so all labs in San Antonio TX should have laboratory fume hoods.
The fume hood might seem similar to an extractor hood in the ordinary kitchen. However, it is sometimes more complicated than that. The basic principle, namely the extraction and removal of harmful gases and vapors, is always the same, but some hoods actually return filtered air into the lab. This becomes significant where the reaction or experiment needs to take place at a specific air temperature.
Modern chemistry includes a large range of hazardous chemicals. Trained staff are going to know what these are, and they should also be familiar with those chemicals that are used in their specific line of work. They should be versed in the precautions surrounding experiments, or where their task is to identify unknown substances.
Mercury is a commonly known hazardous chemical. It is usually encountered in liquid form, since it melts at room temperature, even though it is a metal like any other metal. The problem is that, at room temperature, it also evaporates, giving off a small quantity of vaporized metal. When people breathe in this vapor they become poisoned by the metal because the vapor is equally as poisonous as the liquid form.
Mercury poisoning is medically serious and should be avoided. A famous case occurred in Japan, where mercury was leaked into the ocean and about 50 people died. The resultant illness is known as Minimata and is named after the Japanese disaster. In particular, the nervous system is affected and harmed. The damage is permanent.
Another example of a dangerous vapor is sodium hydroxide. This is more commonly known as caustic soda. It is indeed caustic, so much so that inhalation of the dust that rises from it when the powder form is not handled gently can corrode the respiratory tract and the lungs, potentially causing lung cancer. If it is deposited on the skin, it dissolves in the sweat and starts to corrode the tissue.
Reactions involving sulphur need to be treated with caution too, since hydrogen sulphide gas is highly toxic and can cause death. It is an unmistakable gas because it has an exceptionally unpleasant stench. Rotting eggs release this gas, so if you have ever broken open a bad egg then you should have some experience of it. You may not have realized that it is, in fact, highly poisonous, and exposure to it can be fatal.
At all times, only trained personnel should be allowed to work with hazardous chemicals. The proper safety precautions should always be taken in the laboratory. The inhalation of toxic gases can be ignored for a time, but the onset of symptoms might be insipid, and the staff may not realize that they are being poisoned. It is also unwise to claim that one is accustomed to toxic gases, or that they have no effect. If a fume hood is required, it should not be absent.
The fume hood might seem similar to an extractor hood in the ordinary kitchen. However, it is sometimes more complicated than that. The basic principle, namely the extraction and removal of harmful gases and vapors, is always the same, but some hoods actually return filtered air into the lab. This becomes significant where the reaction or experiment needs to take place at a specific air temperature.
Modern chemistry includes a large range of hazardous chemicals. Trained staff are going to know what these are, and they should also be familiar with those chemicals that are used in their specific line of work. They should be versed in the precautions surrounding experiments, or where their task is to identify unknown substances.
Mercury is a commonly known hazardous chemical. It is usually encountered in liquid form, since it melts at room temperature, even though it is a metal like any other metal. The problem is that, at room temperature, it also evaporates, giving off a small quantity of vaporized metal. When people breathe in this vapor they become poisoned by the metal because the vapor is equally as poisonous as the liquid form.
Mercury poisoning is medically serious and should be avoided. A famous case occurred in Japan, where mercury was leaked into the ocean and about 50 people died. The resultant illness is known as Minimata and is named after the Japanese disaster. In particular, the nervous system is affected and harmed. The damage is permanent.
Another example of a dangerous vapor is sodium hydroxide. This is more commonly known as caustic soda. It is indeed caustic, so much so that inhalation of the dust that rises from it when the powder form is not handled gently can corrode the respiratory tract and the lungs, potentially causing lung cancer. If it is deposited on the skin, it dissolves in the sweat and starts to corrode the tissue.
Reactions involving sulphur need to be treated with caution too, since hydrogen sulphide gas is highly toxic and can cause death. It is an unmistakable gas because it has an exceptionally unpleasant stench. Rotting eggs release this gas, so if you have ever broken open a bad egg then you should have some experience of it. You may not have realized that it is, in fact, highly poisonous, and exposure to it can be fatal.
At all times, only trained personnel should be allowed to work with hazardous chemicals. The proper safety precautions should always be taken in the laboratory. The inhalation of toxic gases can be ignored for a time, but the onset of symptoms might be insipid, and the staff may not realize that they are being poisoned. It is also unwise to claim that one is accustomed to toxic gases, or that they have no effect. If a fume hood is required, it should not be absent.
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