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azo
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HEXAVALENT CHROMIUM
Just near me orica has an ammonium nitrate plant which just recently had a major leak of hexavalent chromium and was forced to do i big clean up of
entire towns.We were told by them and the government that there was no great danger to people which i find hard to swallow.Since then they also had a
major ammonia leak and has now been shut down by the government.But the government is likely to allow the reopening of the plant due to the fact that
the mining industry is now running out of explosives.
And at the moment there is a mining boom like you would not believe.Could anyone tell me or no more about this compound and its dangers,it appears to
me that this is a very reactive and dangerous compound.
shame orica 
regards azo
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DJF90
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Cr(VI) is generally considered carcinogenic (group IB IIRC) by inhalation, but otherwise is fine to work with in the lab with care. Obviously the
danger is proportional to the quantity released and in what form; chromyl chloride (volatile liquid) is obviously more of a danger than say chromic
anhydride (CrO3) or a chromate/dichromate salt.
[Edited on 3-12-2011 by DJF90]
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Sedit
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I'm one to be a fear monger but it honestly does not sound to good for the area around.
| Quote: | Although the exact scenario behind the mishap was a matter for official inquiries, Mr Newman said that hot water, rather than steam, had been fed into
the catalyst, resulting in a ‘‘rain’’ of water-soluble hexavalent chromium coming from the stack in question.
As much as 10kilograms of dissolved hexavalent chromium is believed to have escaped the stack.
The chromium leak took place on Monday, August 8, and was followed by an illegal discharge of arsenic into the Hunter River on Friday, August 19.
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I personally would not want it to rain any form of Cr(IV) on me especially when its a water soluble form. The water table in the area is more then
likely in bad shape and I would get your water tested periodically in the future just to be safe.
10kg may not be much but as I understand it Cr(IV) isn't exactly a lightweight when it comes to causing cancer so there may be some need for concern.
The arsenic does not really help much either.
[Edited on 3-12-2011 by Sedit]
Knowledge is useless to useless people...
"I see a lot of patterns in our behavior as a nation that parallel a lot of other historical processes. The fall of Rome, the fall of Germany — the
fall of the ruling country, the people who think they can do whatever they want without anybody else's consent. I've seen this story
before."~Maynard James Keenan
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AndersHoveland
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There was also a much publicized incident in California involving hexavalent chromium contamination
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinkley_groundwater_contaminati...
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hkparker
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I know Davis, CA is also known for hexavalent chromium contamination. Apparently it is created from chromium 3 compounds and "organic waste".
http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=9392
My YouTube Channel
"Nothing is too wonderful to be true if it be consistent with the laws of nature." -Michael Faraday
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ScienceSquirrel
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There are a lot of questions about any chromium VI release.
How much and what was it released are first questions.
Chromium VI released in to alkaline organic rich waters will rapidly be turned in to chromium IIi species and precipitated out of solution.
Acid water with little in the way of native oxidising agents might carry the chromium VI for miles through the ground water.
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AndersHoveland
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heptavalent manganese can also be toxic
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ScienceSquirrel
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It can be, but it quickly finds reducing agents in the environment that turns it in to manganese IV or III.
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AJKOER
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Remember that bathing in water is also a means to exposure.
I believe I read that Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) can help reduce the Cr to less dangerous forms.
California has set a target level exposure to Hexavalent Chromium in water to .02 parts per billion.
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gutter_ca
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Quote: Originally posted by AJKOER  | Remember that bathing in water is also a means to exposure.
I believe I read that Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) can help reduce the Cr to less dangerous forms.
California has set a target level exposure to Hexavalent Chromium in water to .02 parts per billion. |
Ugh, yes they have. And I can barely see 0.2ppb on my IC-UV/VIS. Serious PITA.
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mr.crow
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Callifornia is full of bullshit laws. Apparently these signs are on everything and everywhere. What a joke
I think the problem comes from being reduced to Cr(III) inside of cells. Oxidants are also bad in general, so thats where the anti-oxidant craze comes
from
Sucks about the leak, stay safe
[Edited on 14-12-2011 by mr.crow]
Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and caldron bubble
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Hexavalent
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Dearie me, Mr Crow. . .I never knew it was that bad. Personally, I have just acquired 500g of pure potassium dichromate. I have read MSDSs but they
seem to be unclear from this perspective; when handling <3 gram quantities, is this sufficient - heavy latex gloves, lab coat, disposable
respirator/dust mask, goggles and working outside? Thanks
"Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm." Winston Churchill
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Bot0nist
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| Quote: Originally posted by mr.crow | Callifornia is full of bullshit laws. Apparently these signs are on everything and everywhere. What a joke
I think the problem comes from being reduced to Cr(III) inside of cells. Oxidants are also bad in general, so thats where the anti-oxidant craze comes
from
Sucks about the leak, stay safe
[Edited on 14-12-2011 by mr.crow] |
Acrylamide! If acrylamide posed a significant threat to human health, then we would not exist. So if we all cut out all food that were not boiled,
steamed, or raw we would achieve what? A year or two added to the average lifespan? At what cost. Seeing that sign as I bite into a delicious scone or
enjoy an espresso would cause me an amount of malaise far greater than the ingested acrylamide.
I'm going to go eat some really crusty french bread with salted butter and basil right now. 
[Edited on 4-3-2012 by Bot0nist]
U.T.F.S.E. and learn the joys of autodidacticism!
Don't judge each day only by the harvest you reap, but also by the seeds you sow.
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ScienceSquirrel
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Think about it in terms of your overall exposure to toxins and carcinogens.
In the morning you may use a petrol powered lawn mower or saw. so you have the exposure to the fuel when filling it and also the exhaust.
You fire up the barbecue. There are all sorts coming from the burning of the charcoal and the cooking of the food.
You walk past your neighbour's garden and smell the smoke from his bonfire, a bus goes past and you catch a whiff of diesel fumes.
Finally you have a couple of cigarettes with your beer before returning home.
I would not slop potassium dichromate around but as long as you deal with it on a small scale it is pretty safe.
Compared with potassium cyanide it is pretty safe.
I did undergraduate experiments with it on the open bench and thirty years later I am still here.
When I started my small brewery I had some arguments with Environmental Health about nitrates in the water. I had 40 - 50 mg/l and they were worried
about that. After some research I found that hops are full of nitrate so beer can be as much as 150mg/l.
This is low in nitrate compared with spinach, preserved meat, etc so they withdrew their objections.
Sadly too many of these MSDS are being written by people who do not seem to have any understanding of reasonable limits or environmental exposure.
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borrowedlawyer
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I just bought some ammomium dichromate not realising how toxic it actually is, i just read some sources that sate it as extremely, extremely toxic. Is
there any way to safely handle it (is gloves, respirator, face shield, work area covered in foil sufficient) or should i leave it alone? Or am
I being stupid?
Thanks
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ScienceSquirrel
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Just use it in small quantities.
Do not spill it on your hands or the bench, snort it like cocaine or swallow it and you will be fine.
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borrowedlawyer
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Thanks Mr. Squirrel for the reply.
Regarding the first post of this thread, I also live around this area.
What really enrages me is this, 'Orica failed to notify government authorities until 16 hours after the incident and residents were not formally
notified for three days.'
One year on from the +6 Chromium leak: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-08-08/one-year-on-from-toxic...
It amazes me the things they have leaked last year and this year and it is still not shut down; +6 chromium, arsenic, ammonia, mercury, ammonium
nitrate, sulfuric acid, cyanide, ANOTHER mercury leak and finally their hydrogen stack ignited.
It is obvious that their facility is dangerous and is not contained correctly, yet they are allowed to continue to operate.
They are finally being taken to court: http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/national/orica-denies-n...
[Edited on 7-12-2012 by borrowedlawyer]
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IrC
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| Quote: Originally posted by azo | Just near me orica has an ammonium nitrate plant which just recently had a major leak of hexavalent chromium and was forced to do i big clean up of
entire towns.We were told by them and the government that there was no great danger to people which i find hard to swallow.Since then they also had a
major ammonia leak and has now been shut down by the government.But the government is likely to allow the reopening of the plant due to the fact that
the mining industry is now running out of explosives.
And at the moment there is a mining boom like you would not believe.Could anyone tell me or no more about this compound and its dangers,it appears to
me that this is a very reactive and dangerous compound.
shame orica
regards azo |
A very easy and entertaining way to see how Chrome 6 can mess you up is just watch the movie 'Erin Brockovich'.
"Science is the belief in the ignorance of the experts" Richard Feynman
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mycotheologist
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Did they not say what particular hexavalent Cr compounds were leaked?
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S.C. Wack
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| Quote: Originally posted by IrC | A very easy and entertaining way to see how Chrome 6 can mess you up is just watch the movie 'Erin Brockovich'.
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Yep, it's a great illustration of just how easily some nobody from out of town, with little expertise in anything, can fool a court into massive
liability judgements against you, with (even now many years later) no evidence of causing anyone any bodily harm.
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smaerd
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I have a nice little tub of sodium dichomate but I haven't used it yet because I'm not sure how I could do safe disposal? Any hints or ideas?
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ScienceHideout
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| Quote: Originally posted by smaerd | | I have a nice little tub of sodium dichomate but I haven't used it yet because I'm not sure how I could do safe disposal? Any hints or ideas?
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I know that in the USA, the city I live in offers hazardous waste meets every so often. You basically drive your car to a parking lot specified on
the website, and unload it, giving leftover paints, thermostats, batteries, you name it, to workers.
Usually I get a couple funny looks when I give them milk jugs full of mercury, nickel, chromium, and other various solutions... but they are happy to
take it knowing that I didn't pour it down the drain 
hey, if you are reading this, I can't U2U, but you are always welcome to send me an email!
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borrowedlawyer
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It was sodium chromate.
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borrowedlawyer
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| Quote: Originally posted by smaerd | | I have a nice little tub of sodium dichomate but I haven't used it yet because I'm not sure how I could do safe disposal? Any hints or ideas?
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Why get rid of it, its not that bad if handled in lab conditions. Gloves, goggles, lab coat, outside and maybe a disposable respirator.
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smaerd
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I just mean post-reaction, not that I want to toss it out, rather the waste from using it. Thanks for the advice though I'll have to look into that.
[Edited on 11-12-2012 by smaerd]
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