Adas
National Hazard
Posts: 711
Registered: 21-9-2011
Location: Slovakia
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Mood: Sensitive to shock and friction
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Possibly dangerous dust?
Hello guys,
today I was demounting an old TV. There were tons of smelly dust, you probably know what I'm talking about.
I could feel the dust irritating my upper respiratory tract.
Is it toxic or harmful? I am a little worried. I am asking you just to be sure. Thanks for your time.
Rest In Pieces!
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elementcollector1
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Europium and yttrium phosphors? Beryllium from some old part? No, I have no idea what you're talking about.
Is there an older person here who would care to enlighten us?
If you could feel the dust irritating your *upper* respiratory tract, that's going to be common with most forms of dust (irritation does not mean
poison). As for the lower tract, as well as any symptoms after the fact, I would say call Poison Control Center, or whatever it is in your area.
Should probably do so even if no symptoms manifest; after all, we don't quite know what we're dealing with.
It all really depends on the age of the TV. Most old electronics contain stuff like mercury, cadmium, phosphors, beryllium, etc., while the newer ones
contain such fun things as lithium, manganese, tin, gold, and other less toxic substances.
Elements Collected:52/87
Latest Acquired: Cl
Next in Line: Nd
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Adas
National Hazard
Posts: 711
Registered: 21-9-2011
Location: Slovakia
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Mood: Sensitive to shock and friction
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Well, it is old, but not VERY old. I don't know the year. I am talking about all the dust that was inside the TV. Almost black and smelled metallic. I
didn't work with the monitor itself, just with the electronics.
Rest In Pieces!
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phlogiston
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Which part of the TV? The cathode ray tube itself? The electronics board? the outer casing?
Usually, a bit of dust from the environment is attracted by the high voltage circuits and they tend to be covered in a layer of sticky dust. It
usually feels a bit greasy but fortunately, I can't tell you what it ought to taste like. This is simply dust from your house, so depending on what
you do in your house it may be anything fom very toxic to completely harmless.
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"If a rocket goes up, who cares where it comes down, that's not my concern said Wernher von Braun" - Tom Lehrer |
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jock88
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I know the dust that collect on the front of the CRT when brushed off (with your finger say) and placed in front of an Alpha sensitive geiger counter,
(a pancake probe) gives an amazing amount of clicks compared to background.
Don't suppose you have a Alpha sensitive probe?
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phlogiston
International Hazard
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Registered: 26-4-2008
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The solid daughters of radon attach to airborne dust and give rise to detectable levels of radiation. There are beta transmitters in the decay chain
as well, so I would not be surprised if you were able to measure something with more common non-alpha sensitive detectors.
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"If a rocket goes up, who cares where it comes down, that's not my concern said Wernher von Braun" - Tom Lehrer |
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Adas
National Hazard
Posts: 711
Registered: 21-9-2011
Location: Slovakia
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Mood: Sensitive to shock and friction
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The outer casing and electronics. I left the monitor with the tube untouched.
Rest In Pieces!
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