Sniffity
Hazard to Self
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Lab Glassware Cleanliness..
Hey,
So, 2 questions:
Question #1:
So I'm thinking of making some soap. Planning on actually using it, mayhaps selling it...
First thing that came to mind: Glassware has to be clean. I was thinking about buying new glassware. But then I figured maybe that's not necesarry.
So, here's the issue: My glassware is... I'd say relatively safe. Here's a list of things I've done:
-Copper sulfate crystallizations (multiple times).
-One sodium chloride crystallization.
-Prepared nitrocellulose once.
-Prepared different salt solutions (once KMnO4, once sodium potassium tartrate, that's basically it??)
Now, I KNOW that copper sulfate is poisonous. I know that the acids aren't good to be putting on your skin either. Other than these, I've NEVER
prepared any organics, so no risk of by-products or anything else being present in the glassware. I've also NEVER used any heavy metals, or otherwise
poisonous substances. I've had this glassware for slightly over a year, and due to lack of space and time for experiments, I can kind of recall all
I've ever done with it.
I've cleaned the glassware, scrupulously, and soaked it in detergent.
My doubut is: Is this safe enough for making usable soap? Or should I just go ahead and buy new glassware anyway just to be safe?
Question #2:
What about making something edible? Say you wanted to extract some capsascinoids from chili peppers and use it in cooking? IF you were to buy NEW
glassware for that, and ONLY use it for making edible stuff... It would be kind of safe, right?
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j_sum1
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For Q1.
If it looks clean, make soap.
For Q2
I would be more concerned about what is in the reagents I used than what had been in the glassware -- unless I had been playing with lead salts or
worse.
So, new, or meticulously clean glassware and food-quality reagents and I see no reason why you shouldn't.
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Upsilon
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The dose makes the poison. The trace amounts of residue that may still be on the glassware aren't nearly enough to cause any harm. You need to eat
something on the odds of 20g of the stuff to kill you, and that's by ingestion. I doubt that you even have a microgram still in there after a thorough
scrubbing.
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Magpie
lab constructor
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Clean your glassware with a hot 10% NaOH in alcohol solution with a little water added. It will sparkle. Be extremely careful when handling this
cleaning solution.
The single most important condition for a successful synthesis is good mixing - Nicodem
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ave369
Eastern European Lady of Mad Science
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Copper sulfate is mildly poisonous. You would not want it anywhere near your mouth, but that's about it, really.
Smells like ammonia....
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Dr.Bob
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Copper is a trace mineral needed for life. But too much is bad also.
I would suggest that if glassware was new, then used for the four things listed above, then washing well should be fine for making soap. If you are
doing chemistry for fragrances or soap, no big deal if it appears clean after several washings. If you are making food or drinks, then I would
typically use new, dedicated glassware. But keep in mind that pharmaceuticals are made in fixed reactors which are cleaned between uses and drugs are
made with some very hazardous chemicals, but the vessels are just washed down well and used for the next batch, which often is a different compound,
at least in pilot plants and development labs. I would only be worried if you used something particularly toxic, like some heavy metals (osmium,
lead, mercury, etc) or some other toxin.
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