Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Toxic Carnival

gutter_ca - 24-5-2012 at 16:28

Of interest here is the "Our Favorite Toxic Chemicals" blog carnival organized by ScienceGeist. A whole bunch (41 at last count) of chem bloggers wrote about their favorite toxins, mainly in response to some recent mainstream press chemophobia.

Yeah, I'm kinda whoring because I wrote a post for it.

Edited to add description, since apparently ..." the "Our Favorite Toxic Chemicals" blog carnival..." is ambiguous.

[Edited on 5/25/2012 by gutter_ca]

kristofvagyok - 25-5-2012 at 11:13

Quote: Originally posted by gutter_ca  
Of interest here is the "Our Favorite Toxic Chemicals" blog carnival organized by ScienceGeist.

There is a few thing to mention:

At first: what is this about?

Second: on the linked page there are experiences from different kind people, sometimes they mention chemicals what are absolutely not poisonous:
Quote:

Captain Pegleg brings it back to food (always a favorite here) and writes about capsaicin. Capsaicin is the molecule in peppers that is responsible for the “heat” that we sense. The heat is a warning to us that we are eating something dangerous. But, we continue to eat this poison.

Also:
Quote:

Oxybenzone is very effective at blocking UV-A radiation and may help prevent DNA damage. But, there are studies showing that large amounts (more than we can apply to ourselves) can disrupt hormone regulation.

And they sometimes mention things what can't happen if you live a "normal life". E.g.: I think fluorine gas poisoning is a rare symptom in the local hospital...


And back to the original topic: my fav. toxic substance is what won't hurt me when I work with it.

[Edited on 25-5-2012 by kristofvagyok]

gutter_ca - 25-5-2012 at 11:33

Quote: Originally posted by kristofvagyok  
Quote: Originally posted by gutter_ca  
Of interest here is the "Our Favorite Toxic Chemicals" blog carnival organized by ScienceGeist.

There is a few thing to mention:

At first: what is this about?

Second: on the linked page there are experiences from different kind people, sometimes they mention chemicals what are absolutely not poisonous:
Quote:

Captain Pegleg brings it back to food (always a favorite here) and writes about capsaicin. Capsaicin is the molecule in peppers that is responsible for the “heat” that we sense. The heat is a warning to us that we are eating something dangerous. But, we continue to eat this poison.

Also:
Quote:

Oxybenzone is very effective at blocking UV-A radiation and may help prevent DNA damage. But, there are studies showing that large amounts (more than we can apply to ourselves) can disrupt hormone regulation.

And they sometimes mention things what can't happen if you live a "normal life". E.g.: I think fluorine gas poisoning is a rare symptom in the local hospital...


And back to the original topic: my fav. toxic substance is what won't hurt me when I work with it.

[Edited on 25-5-2012 by kristofvagyok]


First, if you read the page, it explains what it's all about--a bunch of chemists writing about their favorite toxic compounds.

Second, capsaicin is absolutely poisonous, at a high enough dose, as is water. Capsaicin LD50(rat) is 47.2 mg/kg.

Last, we're chemists--certainly we're exposed to things others aren't.

EDIT: Mixed pronouns. Also, point of the exercise was to counter chemophobia.

[Edited on 5/25/2012 by gutter_ca]

99chemicals - 25-5-2012 at 14:59

So are you trying to advertize this guy website or do you want people to talk about their most favorite toxic chemicals?

Your first post seemed like an adverizement.

gutter_ca - 25-5-2012 at 15:43

Advertising what, exactly? There isn't even ads there.

A whole lot of chem bloggers (41 at last count) wrote about there favorite toxic chemical. I thought more might, you know, go to the site and read it for themselves.

99chemicals - 25-5-2012 at 16:44

I dont know... My first post sounds a little acusing. Sorry. It just seemed like you were trying to bring people into that website.

Swede - 27-5-2012 at 06:25

Some of the stories are entertaining. I like the FOOF entry. Dioxygen difluoride. Wonderful stuff. Exists only in a cryogenic vessel and explodes/ignites on contact with just about anything.

Eddygp - 3-6-2012 at 11:05

Ummm, maybe aconitine. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aconitine