Are the amounts per kg or total dosage? Because sodium fluoride lethal dose is 7-10 grams according to Wiki. This puts it in the range of caffeine,
hence you can handle it pretty casually with common sense. Brits got it on poisons list, though, so it should be more toxic than a cuppa, at least.
(pun for the nanny banny state)
V2O5 is also available in ceramics and artisan stores sold by the bag, so if it's actually almost as toxic as cyanide, I find there a big how?
I don't actually handle toxic stuff at all unless I have access to my exhaust connected fume hood. With that, I feel much safer handling even the more
toxic stuff, unless it has risk of blowing up, splashing or causing any sudden runaways or stuff like that. And yeah, sulfuric acid is toxic too, but
it's not volatile and is easily decontaminated, so you get the point on toxicity.
Toxicity has little to do with stability. It has more to do with our metabolism, which is just sensitive to some stuff. There are ubiquitous amounts
of molecules that are very unstable and at the same time basically nontoxic.
Some toxic stuff are volatile or dust a lot so they can be breathed. Smaller the molecule, the easier it passes through the skin, hence dermal
exposure can provide fatal, see cyanide solution. Oral toxicity is as invasive way of getting stuff into your body, but metabolism states if it's
absorbed. Metallic mercury and non-reactive, non-water-soluble stuff are generally sparsely absorbed. Cyanide salts hydrolyse with water already, and
in contact with stomach acid will make HCN, and the rest is history.
Sometimes it is stated that if something toxic is ingested, one should not be induced vomiting. I wonder if this is less harmful than puking it out as
fast as possible, meanwhile it is absorbed in the body causing systemic damage.
Fun fact, hydrofluoric acid does not state instructions in case it's ingested. It's unnecessary by that time. |
