pantone159
National Hazard
Posts: 586
Registered: 27-6-2006
Location: Austin, TX, USA
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Wire gauze with asbestos - should this smoke when I heat it???
I have a couple of squares of wire gauze/mesh, these both have asbestos in the center of them. (At least, there is a circle of white stuff in the
middle, I assume this is asbestos.)
I hope to use these for heating flasks when using a flame, namely a backpacking stove. My setup has the stove on the bottom, an iron ring above that
(with the gauze sitting on top of the ring), and the flask clamped above that, not touching anything. The gauze is supposed to disperse the heat to
be more gentle to the glassware.
My problem, is that when I turn on the stove, the gauze starts to smoke. This seems bad. If I just heat it for a while, will the smoke-producing
stuff soon burn off? Or am I just supposed to put up with the smoke?
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Magpie
lab constructor
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Mood: Chemistry: the subtle science.
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I have one of those and use it all the time just as you have described. It doesn't smoke. I bought it new a year or so ago. I don't think it
contains any asbestos as there has been so much hysteria over asbestos for so long now.
If your gauzes are very old they might well contain asbestos. I would think they would be fibrous if they contain asbestos.
I remember using a slurry of asbestos to form a filter mat in Gooch crucibles for analytical chemistry in the mid 60's. I also remember seeing old
asbestos heating gauzes in school labs in the mid 80's.
[Edited on 13-11-2006 by Magpie]
[Edited on 13-11-2006 by Magpie]
The single most important condition for a successful synthesis is good mixing - Nicodem
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Jdurg
Hazard to Others
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Asbestos is still routinely used in labs and in certain lab equipment. As much as they have tried, there is still no better fire and chemical
resistant compound out there than asbestos. It is only a problem when it becomes airbone and can be inhaled. When confined in a matrix of other
compounds, it is 100% non-toxic. Although the airborne fibers are nasty carcinogens, the "contained" fibers are the best fire/chemical-resistant
compound known to man.
\"A real fart is beefy, has a density greater than or equal to the air surrounding it, consists of the unmistakable scent of broccoli, and usually
requires wiping afterwards.\"
http://maddox.xmission.com. |
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unionised
International Hazard
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Location: UK
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I could witter on about the availability and toxicity of asbestos or I could read your question
"If I just heat it for a while, will the smoke-producing stuff soon burn off?"
and answer it
Yes
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pantone159
National Hazard
Posts: 586
Registered: 27-6-2006
Location: Austin, TX, USA
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Mood: desperate for shade
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Upon further review the culprit is actually the iron ring. It has some sort of coating which is not surviving burner heat. (And then smokes and
stinks.) I think I can do without it, though: since I am using a backpacking stove, I can just set the gauze right on top of it, and skip the ring.
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