Boba155
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Inhaled Bromine Vapors!
So while working in my lab about an hour ago I knocked out a container of bromine, and the lid popped off.
I immediately felt the vapor. There was about 150 ml in the container. I probably breathed in total 40 seconds of the vapor.
I immediately was coughing a fit, now am in a fresh air area and I'm back to normal. Took a shower, threw out the close that may have bromine
exposure.
I feel completely fine now. However, I do know that bromine wounds take a while to appear. Should I seek medical help? Or do you think I did not
inhale enough vapor for it to cause any real damage? 200 ml of Bromine, room temp, under 40 seconds.
Thanks.
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Arthur Dent
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I took a solid whiff of bromine once... but thankfully, it entered my airway but never made it to my lungs because of the gag reflex... My sinuses and
nasal cavity burned like hell and my eyes stinged for a few minutes... A student suggested breathing in water mist for a few minutes and it subsided
after half an hour, but yeah, it's much more intense than straight chlorine gas.
How many whiffs have you breathed down? Did you breathe them deep or did your gag reflex prevent from inhaling further?
Here's the toxicology description of bromine exposure:
--Health effects of acute exposure
The major route of exposure is by inhalation.
Acute inhalation exposure to bromine vapour may cause upper respiratory effects, cough, headache, CNS effects and lacrimation.
Acute oral exposure to bromine results in central nervous system effects.
Deep partial skin loss and skin discolouration have been reported following acute dermal exposure to bromine.
Ocular exposure to bromine causes lacrimation, photophobia and blepharospasm.
--Health effects of chronic exposure
Inhalation exposure to bromine vapour causes disturbances of the respiratory, nervous and endocrine systems.
Chronic oral exposure to liquid bromine results in dermal effects, changes in conditioned reflexes and blood indexes.
Robert
--- Art is making something out of nothing and selling it. - Frank Zappa ---
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Boba155
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I'm not sure how many.
Heres what happened:
I heard something fall off the lab bench and hit the floor behind me. I turned around and bent down close to it to see what it was, as a reflex. I
immediately saw it was a red liquid, did an "oh shi-" moment and quickly backed away. Problem was the spill was between me and the door, so I quickly
slammed all the cabinets shut, grabbed the empty container (perhaps some bromine was still inside, I never got a chance to look at it) ran across the
hall and tossed it into the chemical disposal.
I am thinking that the majority of the exposure I had was when I bent down to see what it was (less than a foot or two away).
It has been an hour an all I have is a slight weeze, but then again, I have asthma, so I cant put too much faith in that. Is there anything I should
look for in the next few hours to see if I had pneumonic edema? I really don't want long term health issues from this one damn accident.
Please help, I'm pretty freaked out.
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Jor
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If you really had to cough bad, and you have asthma, I would at least go to a doctor. You can just tell the doctors you inhaled chlorine because you
mixed bleach and something else by accident. You really don't want to risk pulmonary oedema.
I once had a bromine overexposure (in my young hobby days, the first year) by exposing myself for 30 minutes (it was slightly irritating to my nose,
but the smell disappeared sso didn't really notice exposure until I felt the nose irritation ,I think it was around 1-5 ppm) and even then I got some
pain while breathing later on, so I can imagine that even low levels van produce pulmonary oedema.
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Boba155
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Yeah, I'm hoping I didn't inhale a large enough amount, I have not yet seen any of the CNS effects, like blindness or confusion. In fact, after an
hour I feel completely fine besides the slight wheeze.
I reeeeally don't want to go to a doctor, but I understand if I must.
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