Swede
Hazard to Others
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Registered: 4-9-2008
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Hazardous Particulate Collection
Obviously a true fume hood is the ultimate in home lab safety devices, but how about a device that traps dangerous particles and dust? I am into
electrochemistry, and am going to be doing significant work with Pb, Co, Sn, maybe ruthenium or some other more exotic oxides, and I am worried about
these salts drifting and landing on horizontal surfaces, to be "picked up" later while bare-handed.
My lab is really more like a work shop, and sees multiple duties and interests. While actually working with the salts, I plan on gloves and a
respirator, but the thought of contaminating my "happy" area is not a good one.
I also understand no HEPA dust filter stops dangerous gasses. Only a fume hood (or high quality respirator) will do so. But are there means/methods
to keep potentially toxic dusts from drifting? Am I worried about something that really doesn't happen when care is taken?
Example - A Lead Nitrate plating bath at 60 degrees for several days, with a bit of agitation - I'm envisioning microdroplets being ejected, drifting,
landing, and leaving their toxic cargo behing for later bare-handed, unintentional consumption. Thoughts? Am I being a nervous nelly for no reason?
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Jor
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You are not a nervous nelly. Dust particles are a serious health risk in the long run.
I do not run several days long 60C plating baths, but I can imagine quite some small droplets containing the metals will be taken in the air together
with the volatising water, and this may land up anywhere.
This is exactly the reason why a hobby lab should never be in the same place as where you live, such as the kitchen or bedroom. Always wash your hands
when you go out of your lab. And clean the bench now and then. And sometimes, use a vaccuum cleaner to clean your lab of particles.
Anyone will spill SOME chemicals, even when you work very careful. For example, I was trasferring yesterday 100g of lead(II)oxide, litharge, to a
reagent bottle. I used a containment bag to catch any powder falling, and a dust mask, so i didn't breath the stuff, (it was very fine). Now after
cleanign everything up, I looked very carefully at my working table and yes, there were some very small amounts of powder on the bench. I worked
extremely carefully.
So take precautions when working with fine powders, and do not boil or strongly heat solution containing things such as lead. If you need to boil, put
some tissue paper over the opening of the flask or bath, so any small droplets with Pb in it will remain behind in this, and not go in the air.
A bit like this on my website:
http://sites.google.com/site/chemlabchemistry/experiments-1/...
This tissue paper made sure almost no remaining ammonium dichromate could get in the air. I made a very small hole to let the gas be able to escape.
[Edited on 8-12-2008 by Jor]
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watson.fawkes
International Hazard
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Dust goes everywhere. Either you install lots of ventilation, and for dust, that's a whole lot, or you sequester it at the point of ventilation.
Barring a full-on fume hood, you could also make a filtration box for your dust-generating activities. You might consider an ion generator and an
electrostatic collection plate if you're more worried.
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Swede
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I've been constructing stuff for weeks now and not really doing any chemistry, hence my less than motivated desire to NOT have to construct anymore,
for a while, at least. Would a Home Depot or other big-box HEPA-rated filter do a reasonable job? I'm thinking about taking one of those huge PE
Rubbermaid storage containers, inverting it on my bench, cutting one side of it away, and on another wall, opening it up for the inlet of a HEPA power
filter rig. Think that might do the trick?
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watson.fawkes
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Yeah, a cobbled-up filter box would work as an expedient. I'd also suggest a sacrificial piece of hardboard over the workbench surface to catch any
stray chemicals.
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