Sciencemadness Discussion Board

does a p100 gas mask protect against sulfur dioxide

lordcookies24 - 5-1-2019 at 12:38

Yesterday, I made carbon through the decomposition of sugar with sulfuric acid as a catalyst. The problem is that apparently, it also makes toxic sulfur dioxide. Knowing that, I wore a p100 grade gas mask (seen below) and performed the reaction outside. Tough the deed is already done, I cannot stop worrying about whether a gas mask can actually filtrate gasses since it was made to filtrate particles like paint.I looked online but it did not tell me much. Please tell me if a p100 respirator can actually be used to perform against toxic gasses.

gas_mask.jpg - 167kB

Abromination - 5-1-2019 at 13:26

Don't depend entirely on a respirator when working with toxic gasses, make sure you are upwind of the fumes. If you work upwind of it without a gas mask you probably will be fine, not that much SO2 is produced. Then again, better safe then sorry.

On the respirator, it should say what it is adequate for in the description of the product.

morganbw - 5-1-2019 at 16:01

So you poured some concentrated H2SO4 on some sugar and the black carbon snake happened.
I think you just might survive it this time. With or even without a mask/respirator.

I will say that you should not be so dumb that you ask after the fact if your facemask/respirator is the correct one.

Whether a facemask/respirator is needed at all is something that is decided before a reaction. The reaction needs to be understood well enough for you to decide on the proper protective gear.

Please do not continue acting so clueless and I do believe it is a pretend thing, at least I hope so.

phlogiston - 5-1-2019 at 17:09

I think it is not necessary to be so harsh. OP asks a reasonable question, demonstrates that he's looked into the subject himself, explains what he wants to know and why.

lordcookies24, don't take medical advice from us if you are worried about your health, but if you have not expierenced respiratory irritation, I'd say you don't need to worry about your exposure to SO2, as it is one of the first symptoms of acute exposure.

As abromination says: take advantage of a nice breeze (stay upwind), or use a good fumehood. For the vast majority of experiments, a gas mask is not necessary. Only when you really need to make sure that if all else fails a gas mask might safe your life or health, then wear one.
In those cases, do your research on what type of mask you need. There are many different types. Pxxx types protect against particulate matter. E-types protect against SO2.

McScruff88 - 6-1-2019 at 05:49

It won’t work for SO2. You need a special cartridge. The cartridge will be the one for mercury vapor and chlorine gas as well.

[Edited on 6-1-2019 by McScruff88]

lordcookies24 - 6-1-2019 at 12:00

Quote: Originally posted by morganbw  
So you poured some concentrated H2SO4 on some sugar and the black carbon snake happened.
I think you just might survive it this time. With or even without a mask/respirator.

I will say that you should not be so dumb that you ask after the fact if your facemask/respirator is the correct one.

Whether a facemask/respirator is needed at all is something that is decided before a reaction. The reaction needs to be understood well enough for you to decide on the proper protective gear.

Please do not continue acting so clueless and I do believe it is a pretend thing, at least I hope so.


I don't know what you mean about me acting clueless, so please elaborate

I ask this question after the fact not only because I want to know about how protective a gas mask is against sulfur dioxide but if it is actually safe to use for other toxic gases.

morganbw - 6-1-2019 at 14:43

Quote: Originally posted by lordcookies24  
Quote: Originally posted by morganbw  
So you poured some concentrated H2SO4 on some sugar and the black carbon snake happened.
I think you just might survive it this time. With or even without a mask/respirator.

I will say that you should not be so dumb that you ask after the fact if your facemask/respirator is the correct one.

Whether a facemask/respirator is needed at all is something that is decided before a reaction. The reaction needs to be understood well enough for you to decide on the proper protective gear.

Please do not continue acting so clueless and I do believe it is a pretend thing, at least I hope so.


I don't know what you mean about me acting clueless, so please elaborate

I ask this question after the fact not only because I want to know about how protective a gas mask is against sulfur dioxide but if it is actually safe to use for other toxic gases.


I will offer my apologies to you. I sometimes forget that most people have not spent a lifetime working around chemicals, either as a chemist or in a chemical-heavy industrial setting.
I do apologize and will attempt to work on my curtness.

lordcookies24 - 6-1-2019 at 14:48

Quote: Originally posted by morganbw  
Quote: Originally posted by lordcookies24  
Quote: Originally posted by morganbw  
So you poured some concentrated H2SO4 on some sugar and the black carbon snake happened.
I think you just might survive it this time. With or even without a mask/respirator.

I will say that you should not be so dumb that you ask after the fact if your facemask/respirator is the correct one.

Whether a facemask/respirator is needed at all is something that is decided before a reaction. The reaction needs to be understood well enough for you to decide on the proper protective gear.

Please do not continue acting so clueless and I do believe it is a pretend thing, at least I hope so.


I don't know what you mean about me acting clueless, so please elaborate

I ask this question after the fact not only because I want to know about how protective a gas mask is against sulfur dioxide but if it is actually safe to use for other toxic gases.


I will offer my apologies to you. I sometimes forget that most people have not spent a lifetime working around chemicals, either as a chemist or in a chemical-heavy industrial setting.
I do apologize and will attempt to work on my curtness.


it's fine, you kind of right about me not working my whole life around chemicals, i took my first chemistry class last year and got into it HARD(spending all my free time reading chem books and watching chem videos). i am clueless in safety tho because i am only now starting to get into practice.

Abromination - 8-1-2019 at 19:33

I was the same, lordcookies 24. I gained interest in 8th grade with copper chemistry in my middle school science class and over a month dived deep into it. I didnt even understand chemical bonding at the time, and nearly everything I know now was self taught. Now I look back to that time though its amazing how much first hand experience can teach you. Be safe and keep up the work.

phlogiston - 9-1-2019 at 03:08

I think many of us can relate. I think you'll fit in here very well, and in a few years you'll see that the passion that you have, that drives you to read everything on chemistry you can find and thinking about it all day is a blessing. It can get you very far, and may eventually allow you to do for a job what you simply enjoy doing now.

Don't worry at all about not knowing a lot yet, you can't be expected to have learned everything in one year. You are clearly enjoying it and taking safety seriously from the start. Feel free to take advantage of the experience on this forum.

XeonTheMGPony - 9-1-2019 at 06:58

I wish I where still in Vancouver bc, be happy to help you first hand, sadly I am over 2k Km away now!

With that said, I have a personal policy of working with toxic gasses no less then 2 weeks apart, reason being if you did happen to be exposed it gives the lungs and body time to purge and repair from any minor exposure.

It isn't a race, so spend the time between studying the substance, study its effect on the body, find out if it is cumulative or acute so on. Find out what saturation of exposure could be worst case scenario.

From this you select the required cartridges for your mask, and it's size.