Fyndium
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Formic acid and carbon monoxide?
It has happened three times. Every time I go through the box I store a few bottles of formic acid, I get annoying headache about 15 minutes after and
feel sort of confused.
I know that formic acid forms carbon monoxide when in contact with acids and some stated it forms it even when it just sits there on it's own. I also
have some acetic acid in the vincinity, but I don't think it leaches through the bottles in any measurable quantities.
Could it, by somehow, be possible that the headache is caused by CO symptoms?
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macckone
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CO causes headaches.
Detectors are cheap, $20 or so.
Substantial amounts of CO are only formed from formic acid with concentrated sulfuric via dehydration.
That doesn't mean you aren't sensitive to it or that it isn't producing CO.
If it is sitting for years and you open the bottle you could get a good whiff but that isn't normal.
Lots of people have mild chemical sensitivities, you could be one of those people.
But it may not be CO, it could be HCl or formic acid itself or anything else stored in there.
Acetic acid isn't likely but you never know.
If you suspect CO then get a detector, it may not be coming from the formic acid.
It could be a malfunctioning gas appliance.
Many people store chemicals near water heaters and such.
I don't know in your case but it never hurts to have a CO detector.
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Fyndium
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I actually got one, gotta check it when I get back on my lab. There's only electric heaters or central heating where I live and the box I keep the
stuff is located in partly-outdoors shed with good ventilation. The carton box itself is made so though it contains vapors that are both denser and
lighter than air, so vapors could accumulate there.
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macckone
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Outdoor shed with good ventilation isn't likely to accumulate CO.
Mold is a different story.
You may be sensitive to mold in or around the shed.
There could be other allergens as well that could cause that.
Not a doctor but I have allergies so I know the feeling well.
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TriiodideFrog
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You can install a fan to circulate the air but handling formic acid in outdoors can better guarantee that no carbon monoxide can accumulate. Another
idea is to carry the box out into to the open if you want to take something out of the box. if you ty that, it might be a good idea to open the box to
let any fumes inside the box to escape.
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zed
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Dunno. Are you allergic to bee stings. Ant bites? Are you perhaps have a reaction to formic acid itself?
Or, are you perhaps reaching your current limits, to chemical exposure. Need a break?
Many of my colleagues suffered from environmental illness back in the day. In many, the sensitizing chemical was formaldehyde.
Why not formic acid? The path is Methanol, Formaldehyde, Formic acid. All problem chemicals.
Your body transforms each into the other, during the oxidation process.
[Edited on 18-10-2020 by zed]
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