Sciencemadness Discussion Board - first acid burn?

first acid burn?

scrubs2009 - 17-12-2014 at 05:02

So 2 days ago I was working with a mixture of potassium chlorate and sugar. I added a drop of 18 mol sulfuric acid and while that didnt provide enough for ignition it was enough for the sulfuric acid to splatter everywhere (including on my right hand and foot) this resulted in my very first acid burn! So now im curious, when and how did you guys get your first acid burns?

Little_Ghost_again - 17-12-2014 at 05:58

Quote: Originally posted by scrubs2009

So 2 days ago I was working with a mixture of potassium chlorate and sugar. I added a drop of 18 mol sulfuric acid and while that didnt provide enough for ignition it was enough for the sulfuric acid to splatter everywhere (including on my right hand and foot) this resulted in my very first acid burn! So now im curious, when and how did you guys get your first acid burns?

Like you and most other peoples first acid burn mine was down to utter stupidity in not having gloves on and safety gear.
The first burn should be the last burn, 18mol acid and you burnt your hand and foot, very lucky for you that you had EYE protection on!! You did didnt you?
Funny enough I asked my dad what his most painful acid burn was, he looked at me and said
"Acid burn? how the hell do you get burnt by acid?"
According to him few people get burnt with acid as natural selection normally removes them before they get a chance to mess with it.

Amos - 17-12-2014 at 06:33

I've been in the hobby 10 months; still haven't injured myself with chemistry yet. I did get the tiniest drop of 35% sulfuric acid in my eye when I was just starting out, but I washed that out immediately without incident.

Jylliana - 17-12-2014 at 06:37

When I was 16 or 17 years old and I just started college, I knocked over a beaker with concentrated hydrochloric acid.
Not aware that it should be kept in the fumehood, I took it over to my table/desk, knocked it over by accident and ruined 4 more people's lab journals and school books. My hand was covered in the acid but I held it under the running tap asap and I wasn't injured visibly.

[Edited on 17-12-2014 by Jylliana]

xfusion44 - 17-12-2014 at 07:16

Mine wasn't from acid, but from base. I was pouring sodium hydroxide solution into the graduated cylinder and it somehow splashed all around (tiny drops of it) and one apparently landed on my hand and it was really strong burning feeling, like when you burn yourself on something hot and until I didn't washed it away, it was becoming even worse. And I still have scar from it after one year... I was apparently too confident and I wasn't wearing gloves - when you are doing someting dangerous, please wear them, because if something happens to you, you'll be sorry, trust me, the scar doesn't look nice, although it's small. (at least I was wearing goggles

)

scrubs2009 - 17-12-2014 at 07:46

Quote: Originally posted by xfusion44

Mine wasn't from acid, but from base. I was pouring sodium hydroxide solution into the graduated cylinder and it somehow splashed all around (tiny drops of it) and one apparently landed on my hand and it was really strong burning feeling, like when you burn yourself on something hot and until I didn't washed it away, it was becoming even worse. And I still have scar from it after one year... I was apparently too confident and I wasn't wearing gloves - when you are doing someting dangerous, please wear them, because if something happens to you, you'll be sorry, trust me, the scar doesn't look nice, although it's small. (at least I was wearing goggles

)

....looks like someone.....dropped the base..... :cool:

Praxichys - 17-12-2014 at 08:27

Quote: Originally posted by scrubs2009

this resulted in my very first acid burn!

And hopefully your very last.

I'm with Little_Ghost_again on this one. Comparing scars in chemistry makes you look reckless.

Anyone who brags about burning themselves with chemicals is exactly the reason why so many good reagents are becoming less OTC. I would ask this in a job interview to see whether someone was going to be a liability in the workplace. Would you hire carpenter who bragged about how many fingers he accidentally cut off over the years, and pay for his health insurance?

Zyklon-A - 17-12-2014 at 08:29

Quote: Originally posted by Little_Ghost_again

The first burn should be the last burn.

And if only life was that simple.

I have no idea what my first "burn" was, but I'm sure it was HCl on the hand or some other "harmless" acid.
Since then I've had 98% nitric acid (by far the worst, you can't get it off fast enough), 98% sulfuric acid, more HCl and plenty of other acids/bases.
I use HCl so often that I'd run out of gloves twice a month if I used them every time I pour HCl, so I always bare-hand that one.
Sulfuric aid on the other hand I try to use gloves and goggles whenever I use it (a lot) but it still manages to bite me somewhere on occasion.
NA was an untamable flesh-eating monster for awhile because it would catch every pair of gloves I wore on fire!

But later I found some OTC gloves that can withstand it's oxidizing rages, so RFNA is in the palm of my hand now.

scrubs2009 - 17-12-2014 at 08:30

that wasnt ment in a "Hey guys I got burnt am I a kewl yet?" way, I was saying that with unhappiness. Lack of hearing tone of voice can be a bitch huh?

Atrum - 17-12-2014 at 09:50

I haven't been burned by acid yet. I have however ruined a few shirts when handling sulfuric acid. I'm glad I'm not made of cellulose.

Brain&Force - 17-12-2014 at 10:01

One of my fingers had 6 molar HCl exposed to it which washed off without incident.

Speaking of which, do acids burn on contact with cuts?

Mailinmypocket - 17-12-2014 at 10:17

A drop of 88% formic acid somehow ended up on the top of my hand last year. It can't have been more than 20 seconds before I felt an itchy sting... The skin came off similar to how a blister peels off and left a crater which now is a scar that seems there to stay. A picture is somewhere on SM, in the "bad days in the lab" thread if I remember correctly.

Never had other chemical burns but strong formic acid burns very quickly it seems and is very damaging to skin.

Jylliana - 17-12-2014 at 10:42

Quote: Originally posted by Brain&Force

One of my fingers had 6 molar HCl exposed to it which washed off without incident.

Speaking of which, do acids burn on contact with cuts?

I think they do. Since our skin is a protective organ, and with a cut that protection is gone. I think you'll start to feel the burn after the dissolution of the first few cell layers, where the pain receptors come in.

That's just my theory, though, i'm no expert.

Acids and bases(and a lot of other stuff) let you at least know very clearly where you may have a tiny skin injury, I know from experience

[Edited on 17-12-2014 by Jylliana]

subsecret - 17-12-2014 at 11:38

I've had fuming nitric acid and bromine on my skin before. Luckily, both times it was only one small drop or smear. When I got the nitric acid on my skin, I wiped my hand on my pants, and discovered that nitric acid acts upon trousers.

They have a little bleached spot on the pant leg from the acid.

Both compounds produced no pain, IIRC, but turned the exposed skin orange for a few days. The nitric acid burn peeled after about a week, and left clean skin underneath. I do not have any scars as a result of this.

aga - 17-12-2014 at 12:16

Only acid burns i can remember were on clothing.

Never do chemistry Naked is my motto.

Little_Ghost_again - 17-12-2014 at 13:02

Quote: Originally posted by aga

Only acid burns i can remember were on clothing.

Never do chemistry Naked is my motto.

Arnt some forms of bio chemistry more fun naked? Soon as I know for sure I will confirm

.
i did get a bad burn from hydroxide, but I make soap alot so now I ALWAYS make sure I am well protected. Actually my dad got hold of a pigs eye and put a tiny drop of hydroxide on it, goggles and face shield now for me

, but I handle 25kg sacks when I order it so i dont take any chances

Metacelsus - 17-12-2014 at 13:31

Bromine turns exposed skin brown for about a week. I got a drop on my hand once, and my mom thought I had melanoma.

The Volatile Chemist - 17-12-2014 at 13:33

A good motto, aga, one we should all follow.
Never really gotten an acid burn. Just....Burns. I have a few places on my skin where there could have been a tiny drop of something like tannic acid, but I kind of doubt that tannic acid could do such.
In regards to burns, I have only performed one successful thermite related reaction, involving the typical Iron oxide/aluminum, along with sulfur, on top of a piece of copper sheet metal. The goal was to get the copper to react with the sulfur at the high temperature. As a side note, some copper sulfide and copper sulfate/ite were noticed, the latter being bluish crystals from spattering sulfur (T'was the first time (and last) I saw 'molten' sulfur, rather pretty, wish I hadn't wasted it all then.). After the thermite had finished reacting, I decided I hadn't chosen the best reaction spot, and went to pick it up by the four corners of the sheet of copper metal. It slid down out of my grasp, melting four small lines in my fingertips. That wasn't fun.
I have ruined a few shirts and shorts with bleach and Hydrogen peroxide prior to owning a lab coat (my parents actually bought me one). I have one pair of brownish green shorts, with bright green stains on the cloth. I can't tell if it's from bleach, peroxide (likely) or tetrachlorocuprate(possible). I still wear them to school. Stains aren't as much of an indicator of recklessness, I think, as scars, but state your own opinions, of course.

DraconicAcid - 17-12-2014 at 13:37

I was boiling a mineral sample in nitric acid, and it spattered as I went to take it off the hot plate.

chemrox - 17-12-2014 at 13:54

Acid burns from mineral acids such as HCl, H2SO4, HBr etc. are not nearly as bad as burns from strong base. I got burned the other day draining an HCl generator line that has HCl and H2SO4 in it. (don't ask). I had a few things to do before rinsing it off and by then I could feel it and got a small scab a day or two later. Burns from HF are another story since you may not feel anything before serious damage is done.

Etaoin Shrdlu - 17-12-2014 at 17:33

Quote: Originally posted by Little_Ghost_again

Funny enough I asked my dad what his most painful acid burn was, he looked at me and said
"Acid burn? how the hell do you get burnt by acid?"
According to him few people get burnt with acid as natural selection normally removes them before they get a chance to mess with it.

Quote: Originally posted by Little_Ghost_again

Actually my dad got hold of a pigs eye and put a tiny drop of hydroxide on it, goggles and face shield now for me

He sounds fantastic.

blargish - 17-12-2014 at 18:17

I guess I've been lucky that I've never sustained a chemical burn so far. The scariest incident I found myself in was pouring about 50 millilitres of distilled yellow fuming nitric acid into a storage bottle. Some dribbled down the side without me realizing, and I picked the container up. Luckily, I was wearing heavy rubber gloves and the acid didn't permeate it. It did however leave a large brown streak and made the area of contact extremely brittle.

Hellafunt - 17-12-2014 at 18:29

We use NaOH daily in the bakery and it causes a strange sensation on the skin. The food grade product we get comes in pure white prills, but sometimes when you measure it out you can get a tiny piece on your skin and you wont realize it, until it gets wet. Then, rather than burning, it starts itching first, and quickly the itch becomes almost unbearably itchy, then the burning feeling starts. Luckily, running water seems just as effective as an acid to treat the problem.

subsecret - 17-12-2014 at 20:41

The feeling of NaOH solution is strange ... very slippery. I've heard that this is because it's saponifying the oil on your skin, making a slippery human soap. In fact, sodium carbonate solutions have the same feeling.

They should use these solutions to replace water in waterslides.

woelen - 18-12-2014 at 00:06

I never had an acid burn during my hobby time. I am doing this for nearly 30 years already. I normally do not wear gloves, except with very toxic things (e.g. solution containing As or Hg). Conc. HCl, H2SO4, NaOH, HClO4 and NH3 do not scare me, but I do treat them with respect. I of course sometimes get something on my skin, but this NEVER goes unnoticed, I am very aware of what happens to the chemicals while I pour them and as soon as some of the liquid gets on my skin, I rinse under a running tap, which I have at my workbench. I never had adverse effects, even 70% HClO4 does not cause burns when rinsed away within 10 seconds or so.

Some chemicals are so corrosive that I do not handle them differently. I do not handle them by hand (no pouring, and not holding the receiving bottle or tube in my hand). I have some oleum (20% SO3) , HNO3 (> 90%), Br2, HF (48%) and the few experiments I did with these I did by taking a tiny amount of the chemical out of the bottle with a pipette (PP for the HF, glass for the others) and then transfer it to the receiving flask or tube and I do this in a sink, so that any spills (drops at most) simply can be flushed away by opening the tap.

Finally, I want to say that working on microscale also strongly reduces the risk of large spills on your body or clothes. If I get any drops of corrosive stuff on my skin, then it only is at one of my fingers, a few drops.

The only time I had a real burn was not at home, but at school (now 32 years ago). I was doing experiments with conc. H2SO4 and spilled some drops of it on my bare foot (it was very hot that day and most people walked around in the class rooms on bare feet). It felt bad, painful, a little bit like touching the skin briefly with a lighted cigarette. Nowadays this never could happen in a high school. There is no conc. H2SO4 anymore for the kids and kids do not walk on bare feet anymore in schools, certainly not in chemistry classes. Back in 1982 we still had lots of fun in school with chemistry

[Edited on 18-12-14 by woelen]

Chemical burns

nezza - 18-12-2014 at 00:58

Bromine is the worst stuff for burns. I got 1 drop on my thumb and it burnt it immediately. Of the acids hydrochloric is pretty slow to burn skin (eyes are a different matter) and if its washed off quickly its usually OK. Sulphuric needs instant dousing with LOTS of water and nitric will stain and burn skin pretty much instantly as well.

Mesa - 18-12-2014 at 03:10

I'd had half a dozen or so encounters with small amounts of conc. acids(HCl and H2SO4 for the most part) and followed the "wipe away from skin with dry towel/toilet paper, pour a little sodium bicarbonate on it if it stings after that" procedure. I must have gotten a bit over-confident/impatient over time and assumed that something as weak as glacial acetic acid would be fairly easy to use without harm.

I filled up a capful to suck up with a syringe(the 70ml syringes don't fit in the neck)and splashed a bit on my hand when putting the cap back on the bottle.

Needless to say that was incentive enough to stop flaunting basic lab procedures due to laziness. GAA starts burning the second it hits your skin, and it hurts.

Praxichys - 18-12-2014 at 05:30

Speaking of glacial acetic, this is pretty horrific:

http://www.ismp.org/nan/files/20130121.pdf

Quote:

An experienced pharmacist, yet new to the institution, placed glacial acetic acid at the window for pickup. This was used for 2 days instead of a diluted form. The undiluted solution resulted in burns to the extent that the wounds would not heal, necessitating disarticulation at the hips.

gdflp - 18-12-2014 at 06:11

Quote: Originally posted by Mesa

Needless to say that was incentive enough to stop flaunting basic lab procedures due to laziness. GAA starts burning the second it hits your skin, and it hurts.

Really? I've spilled GAA on my hands multiple times, and never felt any real burning. The first time wasn't really my fault, it was a general chem lab at the local college where we were asked to measure out 8ml of GAA in a 10ml graduated cylinder with no conical funnel at the top. Of course no one thought that this might be difficult from a 1.5L stock bottle.

unionised - 18-12-2014 at 06:14

It's a long while ago, but the short version of the answer is that I was about 8, the acid was sodium bisulphate and I was about as sensible as you expect an 8 year old to be, so when I spilled it on my leg (wearing shorts) I didn't bother to clean it off properly. It took a while, and the burn wasn't serious- red, sore and itchy- but it might have taught me to be more careful next time.

feacetech - 18-12-2014 at 19:17

Glacial acetic acid.

during the early days of my first job I was filling a 10mL measuring cylinder with GAA.

I didnt wear gloves thinking vineger bah it will be fine (I always wore safety glasses and a coat).

Of course I spilt some down the side of the cylinder (or this wouldnt be a burn story).

I didnt think much of it and washed it off after i finished doing what i was doing (so several minutes had passed).

The next day my thumb and forfinger felt very tight and looked a little black under the skin like it was brusied.

For about two weeks I had the urge to constantly lick (and run under a tap) my thumb and index finger as the skin felt so tight like it was going to burst, it was not pleasent.

No scares or breaks to the dermal tissue though

"GAA starts burning the second it hits your skin, and it hurts."

It doesnt always so it may be to do with how sweaty your hands are, how many small breaks in the skin there are, or how sensitive your skin is.

[Edited on 19-12-2014 by feacetech]

TGT - 18-12-2014 at 21:01

I have found Sulphuric Acid that I use is 98 percent and when I got a dribble of it on the back of my hand it did not much damage as I washed it off quickly. I think to get a Sulphuric Acid burn, you have to leave it in contact long enough to do damage. More dangerous is getting it in your eyes. Nitric I have noticed the same, but it reacts a little quicker and stains for a long time. The stain was the most trouble from that incident. In my opinion, bases are much worse.

TGT

DrMario - 19-12-2014 at 10:16

I have been lucky so far - no acid or base accidents. However, I did get a few drops of 35% H2O2 on my hands, and that burns like a mother..... It, however, doesn't have lasting consequences, if the quantity is small.

I should point out that I was doing lots of chemistry experiments as a kid (between the ages of 7 and 12), and survived that phase accident-free. And nowadays I handle concentrated sulphuric, nitric, hydrochloric and hydrofluoric acids, as well as concentrated KOH solutions, as part of my research. And the abovementioned H2O2. I have a very healthy respect if not terror, for concentrated H2SO4, HNO3 and HF. Perhaps my nightmare scenario is getting 120C-hot piranha anywhere on my body - very few organic materials are going to survive, so there's little in terms of protection one can do.

Romain - 20-12-2014 at 06:00

My only chemical burn was at school, while making soap with NaOH and coconut oil. We were molding the soap with our hand (with gloves) and some of the soap dripped in my sleeve. I didn't notice it right away, and an hour later it started burning, so I got rid of my lab coat and rinsed. I don't have any scars.

I did get a few burns with my soldering iron though...

kecskesajt - 20-12-2014 at 08:36

My first acid burn was from H2O2.35%...If you spill on your hand you cant wash it down,it will turn your skin white for a few days.But dil. HNO3 will cause orange stains.

blargish - 20-12-2014 at 12:58

Quote: Originally posted by DrMario

I have been lucky so far - no acid or base accidents. However, I did get a few drops of 35% H2O2 on my hands, and that burns like a mother..... It, however, doesn't have lasting consequences, if the quantity is small.

Thats interesting, since I've gotten drops of 35% H2O2 on my hands numerous times, but felt no burning sensation whatsoever... It only bleaches my skin white. Maybe some people aren't as susceptible to the pain response

nlegaux - 20-12-2014 at 13:24

Up to this point, I have been fortunate enough (and safe enough) not to get injured by my chemistry hobby. Of course, I haven't handled anything more dangerous than 30% HCl. I think I remember hearing somewhere that the most common lab injury is puncture wounds from things like glass tubing. Ouch!

Oscilllator - 20-12-2014 at 17:40

Quote: Originally posted by Brain&Force

One of my fingers had 6 molar HCl exposed to it which washed off without incident.

Speaking of which, do acids burn on contact with cuts?

Yes they do. It hurts. A lot.

Zyklon-A - 20-12-2014 at 19:56

I was lucky enough to get two liters of 35% hydrogen peroxide for free, it only burns if in contact with skin for over 15 seconds, also the white stain lasts a mere 3-5 hours. Maybe my skin is different? I have a lot of calluses on my hands.

[Edited on 22-12-2014 by Zyklon-A]

Templar - 21-12-2014 at 01:26

my first and only acid burns were from when I was in my days of making energetic materials. I placed a drop of conc sulfuric and 90% nitric onto the back of my hand.

I lasted about 4 seconds before the pain and depth of the burn got too severe and I had to wash it off.

I always use vinyl gloves and safety glasses. Vinyl is an excellent rubber in my opinion, great for everything.

DrMario - 21-12-2014 at 07:00

Quote: Originally posted by Zyklon-A

I was lucky enough to get t liters of 35% hydrogen peroxide for free, it only burns if in contact with skin for over 15 seconds, also the white stain lasts a mere 3-5 hours. Maybe my skin is different? I have a lot of calluses on my hands.

Your skin is different than mine, for sure.

And so is your luck.

feacetech - 21-12-2014 at 13:09

Quote: Originally posted by TGT

I have found Sulphuric Acid that I use is 98 percent and when I got a dribble of it on the back of my hand it did not much damage as I washed it off quickly. I think to get a Sulphuric Acid burn, you have to leave it in contact long enough to do damage. More dangerous is getting it in your eyes. Nitric I have noticed the same, but it reacts a little quicker and stains for a long time. The stain was the most trouble from that incident. In my opinion, bases are much worse.

TGT

Dilute Sulphuric burns much more readily that conc.

It depends on how sweaty you are.

battery acid will burn you faster than conc.

I have had the odd splash of 98.5 sulphuric on me and had no burn due to being able to wash it off quickly and not being sweaty

maleic - 25-12-2014 at 01:37

I think the most important thing is to be careful! Many experiments will appear burn accident, but did not appear in my life.

Remember this feeling and do not let it happen again!

The Volatile Chemist - 26-12-2014 at 09:14

Quote: Originally posted by DrMario

Quote: Originally posted by Zyklon-A

Your skin is different than mine, for sure.

And so is your luck.

Yeah, Zyklon-A, calluses seem to be what protect me to, I wouldn't be surprised if that's what makes the difference. In being more honest on this forum, I get ~20% HCl on my hands every so often, and sulfuric acid at ~50%, or at least used to, but I really haven't ever had a chemical burn. It might have to do with calluses, as I have rather hardened hands (Typical Portuguese thing).

bismuthate - 26-12-2014 at 09:21

SO3.
It kills (in terms of pain and literally) I sniffed a very small amount accidentally.
I guess that counts as an acid burn due to the H2SO4.
Also my skin is pretty resistant to acid burns.

CuReUS - 27-12-2014 at 08:55

Quote: Originally posted by bismuthate

SO3.
It kills (in terms of pain and literally) I sniffed a very small amount accidentally.
I guess that counts as an acid burn due to the H2SO4.
Also my skin is pretty resistant to acid burns.

are you the same guy from this video ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6MfZbCvPCw

i burnt myself once while working with hot phenol

bismuthate - 27-12-2014 at 09:05

No.
Also I wonder if anybody has been burnt while extracting Capsaicin.

dermolotov - 27-12-2014 at 14:05

Quote: Originally posted by nezza

Bromine is the worst stuff for burns. I got 1 drop on my thumb and it burnt it immediately.

no one mentioned hydrofluoric acid?
I remember it burns your nerve endings so you can't feel it. I remember carrying it very carefully by putting gloves on, wetting them, dipping my wet gloves in sodium bicarbonate, and putting on another pair of gloves.
If it burnt through my gloves, i could hear and feel it instead of not feeling the pain and having it eat through my hands.

blargish - 27-12-2014 at 22:51

Quote: Originally posted by bismuthate

SO3.
It kills (in terms of pain and literally) I sniffed a very small amount accidentally.
I guess that counts as an acid burn due to the H2SO4.
Also my skin is pretty resistant to acid burns.

I can vouch for that one. Just finished distilling some SO3 for the first time; those fumes are vicious!!

HgDinis25 - 28-12-2014 at 04:42

I haven't had any real accidents in Chemistry. Clothes and gloves on the other hand, are another story. They saved me a few times...

There was this one time, a long time ago, when I was using acetone in a bowl to remove the air in Styrofoam. As is my protocol, no real protection is needed to work with acetone. I was pressing it down, when the bowl slipped and a few mLs of Acetone went right into my eyes. Oh did that hurt. I washed them immediatly and no harm happened. Perhaps the worst "burning" effect I had.

[Edited on 28-12-2014 by HgDinis25]

Dan Vizine - 3-1-2015 at 19:59

Jeez, I've always just viewed burns as an occupational hazards and I expect them to occur infrequently. I've had brief exposures to bromine, conc. nitric and sulfuric acids, acetyl chloride, et. al.. They are just nuisances. As long as it isn't eye exposure, oleum or hydrofluoric acid, pfft. I know this sounds terrible, but I don't have any scars after a lifetime. I was utterly amazed that 98 per cent sulfuric on my hand felt mainly slippery and warm. No burn.

nezza - 4-1-2015 at 02:33

Other nasties that burn are 30% hydrogen peroxide and phenol. Particularly with phenol the burn is not immediately apparent which can lead to it being un-noticed for a while.

Random - 12-1-2015 at 15:25

Actually my worst burn feeling was from masonry, spraying fresh mortar in the eye starts burning like hell. Always thought oh I probably wouldn't feel if a base ends up in my eyes but yeah once it got inside I knew it.

Other than that I was careful.. ammonia gas whiffs were also unpleasant.

The Volatile Chemist - 12-1-2015 at 16:49

Quote: Originally posted by Random

Actually my worst burn feeling was from masonry, spraying fresh mortar in the eye starts burning like hell. Always thought oh I probably wouldn't feel if a base ends up in my eyes but yeah once it got inside I knew it.

Other than that I was careful.. ammonia gas whiffs were also unpleasant.

I know exactly what you mean by 'mortar in the eye'.

I prefer the ammonia gas 'smell' to the smell of c. H₂SO₄.