aromaticfanatic
Hazard to Others
Posts: 173
Registered: 10-9-2019
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Current Lab Setup Ventilation Question
So currently I have been working inside a lot since I'm not making explosives, using crazy amounts of acids, making loads of fumes, etc. My setup is
in the garage on a table. I have a big box fan to my right which blows air across my setup at a good rate. Along with the large air flow I also either
leave the garage door cracked 1/3-completely open. Depends on what I'm doing.
The reaction I just performed produced some NO2 but I had a NaOH scrubber handle most of the NO2 produced. When dismantling while there was some NO2
trapped inside I was able to faintly smell it and just went outside for a little bit and whithin around 2 minutes I went back in and couldn't smell it
anymore. I also handled chloroform quite a lot to extract the product but never smelled it except for a few short times where I had the uncovered
glassware near my nose. Chloroform's odor threshold is around 150-250ppm depending on the person. 10ppm is the recommended exposure limit for an 8
hour work day. I worked for probably 4 hours in the lab today.
My question is whether the current setup I have is good enough ventilation? I can't really go off of smell for the chloroform so how likely is it that
I just exposed myself to quite a bit of chloroform? During the whole process I think I lost around 75mL of chloroform into water, the air, and waste
containers.
It's worth noting that my setup is on the complete opposite wall of the garage door. It's a two car garage.
[Edited on 26-8-2020 by aromaticfanatic]
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Sulaiman
International Hazard
Posts: 3692
Registered: 8-2-2015
Location: 3rd rock from the sun
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I think that the airflow is OK for small scale not-too-toxic situations
BUT
I interpret your description to mean that a large gas leak would just swirl around inside the garage
The fan would add to your misery
Ideally you need to either blow in fresh air or blow out internal air,
preferably with the 'air out' side downwind.
P. S. If 'run away' is one of your risk mitigation strategies then
be sure that you are able to reach fresh air from your normal working location in seconds - with your eyes shut.
and have emergency washing facilities ready.
(I keep a garden hose nearby)
... just in case..
Hope for the best and prepare for the worst.
[Edited on 26-8-2020 by Sulaiman]
CAUTION : Hobby Chemist, not Professional or even Amateur
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