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Author: Subject: How to scrub ethyl acetate vapors before releasing into the outside air? Hundreds of neighbors are complaining.
Morgan
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[*] posted on 30-12-2018 at 11:54


https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/toluene/health_hazards.html
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Herr Haber
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[*] posted on 3-1-2019 at 07:40


1 )Ask your local authorities how you can deal with the problem before it comes back to bite you (legally). You cant expect to incomodate hundreds of people without payback.
2) Dont ask ScienceMadness members as they'll recommend being cautious.
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unionised
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[*] posted on 3-1-2019 at 09:04


Quote: Originally posted by beerwiz  
Most of the smell is generated when pouring from one container to the other and during the buchner filtration when the vacuum pump dissipates all the VOC's all over the place.


Why not switch the pump off?

Once it has pulled the air out of the flask then all it can do after that is pump vapour and upset the neighbours.
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clearly_not_atara
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[*] posted on 3-1-2019 at 09:47


Consider using different solvents? I'd be surprised if ethyl acetate were causing these problems but toluene/chlorocarbons/etc certainly will.

Quote: Originally posted by VSEPR_VOID  
The only reason you are using gallons of solvents that would seem reasonable would be if you were preparing drugs. Dont you have posts about extracting alkaloids? I dont care either way but at least spill the beans on what you are doing. Also please dont gas your neighbors well doing it.

Any drug manufacturer ought to have sufficient capital to procure a better venue. You can make gram quantities of most drugs operating on a much smaller scale than that.

[Edited on 3-1-2019 by clearly_not_atara]




[Edited on 04-20-1969 by clearly_not_atara]
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Sigmatropic
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[*] posted on 4-1-2019 at 15:45


To remove traces of nasty volatile organic compounds consider leading the off-gasses into something like a catalytic oxidiser, a furnace or an engine (as was suggested further up in this thread). The catalytic oxidiser method is shown in the video linked below. But be carefull to avoid the explosion mentioned in the video, so be sure to check out the recommendations at the end of the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2UnKLm2Eag
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clearly_not_atara
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[*] posted on 4-1-2019 at 16:50


Actually one thing that should work pretty well is venting the exhaust through a big container of a low-volatility solvent that dissolves everything. I think polyethylene glycol (PEG 400 or maybe 600) would be particularly suitable.

After a while though you're gonna have one nasty bucket of polyethylene glycol. Presumably this can be disposed of by combustion.

[Edited on 5-1-2019 by clearly_not_atara]




[Edited on 04-20-1969 by clearly_not_atara]
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zed
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[*] posted on 4-1-2019 at 17:51


Yup! Folks are complaining? Stinking up the neighborhood? Got laws against that.

You are in legal jeopardy.

Figure out how to cool and trap those vapors.

Dry ice ? An expensive solution, but better than an ominous knock on the door, followed by exorbitant legal fees.
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lordcookies24
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[*] posted on 6-1-2019 at 12:50


i am not exactly mr. safe myself but if you want to deal with gallons on top of gallons of solvent, just don't do it in a residential area.



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