I made a very small volcano of Ammonium Dichromate, it is a carcinogen, must i worry?

[hasanmoukalled]

 

Today in the laboratory in my school, I wanted to make a small Ammonium Dichromate volcano. The lab teacher got a very small amount of the substance and then heated it up to see the reaction. She said it is a carcinogen substance, so I got worried about my health. Must I worry? I didn't get in touch with the substance but maybe I inhaled a very small amount of gas while it was burning, and I don't remember I got in touch with the green substance. Can you help me please. The best answer will be chosen. Thanks!

 

[elementcollector1]

Ha! No. Short-term, low-dosage exposure isn't a problem.

And what do you mean by 'best answer'?

[Enthalpy]

MSDS confirm it is a carcinogen, as is almost every non-natural substance.

But you have to distinguish the amounts, exposure duration... Which the MSDS don't.

 

Just as one example, you might read the MSDS for ethanol - you know, the poison that so many humans ingest knowingly and willingly:

http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9927073

http://www.nafaa.org/ethanol.pdf

proven carcinogen, proven mutagen, proven teratogen, lethal dose 7g/kg, and so on.

[hasanmoukalled]

Ha! No. Short-term, low-dosage exposure isn't a problem.

And what do you mean by 'best answer'?

Actually first I asked Yahoo Answers and I got it wont effect, but I wanted to make sure more so I copy-paste it here for more information about it. Thanks

 

I want to know all the carcinogen substances and toxic ones, can you help with a website? Thanks!!

 

MSDS confirm it is a carcinogen, as is almost every non-natural substance.

But you have to distinguish the amounts, exposure duration... Which the MSDS don't.

 

Just as one example, you might read the MSDS for ethanol - you know, the poison that so many humans ingest knowingly and willingly:

http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9927073

http://www.nafaa.org/ethanol.pdf

proven carcinogen, proven mutagen, proven teratogen, lethal dose 7g/kg, and so on.

So I must not worry, right? It was my first exposure for this substance. The amount was too little, barely the size of the upper part of the pointer finger (I mean if you open your hand and turn it around, the upper part of the pointer finger, if you want the third hinge). Thanks!!

[John Cuthber]

Lots of us have done this demonstration with much larger amounts of ammonium dichromate, and possibly with less care..

We are still here.

Stop worrying

[hasanmoukalled]

Lots of us have done this demonstration with much larger amounts of ammonium dichromate, and possibly with less care..

We are still here.

Stop worrying

Thanks!!!

[elementcollector1]

Actually first I asked Yahoo Answers and I got it wont effect, but I wanted to make sure more so I copy-paste it here for more information about it. Thanks

 

I want to know all the carcinogen substances and toxic ones, can you help with a website? Thanks!!

 

So I must not worry, right? It was my first exposure for this substance. The amount was too little, barely the size of the upper part of the pointer finger (I mean if you open your hand and turn it around, the upper part of the pointer finger, if you want the third hinge). Thanks!!

Good luck getting *every* carcinogen - there must be millions! And that's what we know: There's probably billions more that we don't.

I found this with a quick Google search:http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/generalinformationaboutcarcinogens/known-and-probable-human-carcinogens

[ajkoer]

To quote from a reputable authority: "In the past, quite a few great chemists were severely poisoned, not by HNO3, H2SO4 or HCl, but by HF. Some to name: Davies, Moissan (first person who made elemental fluorine). Apparently, some of these great chemists have suffered great pains from fluoride poisoning."

 

On dimethyl mercury, Wikipedia has an article about a chemist who died from just a few drops on her hand a couple of months after exposure. Wow! Apparently, Karen Wetterhahn died a horrific death from dimethyl mercury.

 

Always research chemicals before you use or produce them (start with Wikipedia and MSDSs). Evaluate the risk of your exposure and/or to a third party. If possible, ask the opinion of a professional chemists (they know that some chemicals are just so dangerous they should never be made or employed - seek substitutes).

Edited April 23, 2013 by ajkoer