Gearhead_Shem_Tov
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How to ID chemicals making my toolbox stink?
I have a steel Sears Craftsman toolbox filled with Craftsman screwdrivers and nut drivers I purchased at the same time in late 1985. Maybe ten or
twelve years ago I began to notice an off odour every time I opened the darned thing.
The odour most reminds me of the smell of vomit. I first thought it might be coming from my old battery electrode cleaner brush, that maybe there was
some sulfuric acid unpleasantness going on with it. The thing was broken, so I tossed it; I removed every tool, cleaned them, cleaned the box, and put
them all back in.
Next day my toolbox still smelled like barf when I opened it, but not as much. I thought whatever it was would eventually dissipate.
Fast forward to last year. The toolbox is, if anything, more barf-smelling than ever. My suspicion turned to the various plastic pouches that some of
my tools came in. They were looking pretty manky; maybe there were outgassing, so I got rid of them, and re-cleaned everything.
Still barf smell.
Now I suspect the plastic handles of my tools. They look fine, not even much yellowed, and I'd sure hate to have to chuck the lot just because they
stink up the toolbox. Whatever the gas is, it doesn't seem to be corroding the steel of the tools or the box.
My question is, short of submitting gas samples to a lab to be run through a gas chromatograph, how might I determine what chemical(s) I'm smelling?
If I can figure that out, my hope is to then be able to do something to be rid of the odour.
-Bobby
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forgottenpassword
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You'll need to run a simple GC headspace analysis on the toolbox and the individual components, and compare the results. It shouldn't take too long to
find the culprit/s.
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Gearhead_Shem_Tov
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Quote: Originally posted by forgottenpassword  | | You'll need to run a simple GC headspace analysis on the toolbox and the individual components, and compare the results. It shouldn't take too long to
find the culprit/s. |
"GC headspace"? Is that like an "Operator Head Spacing"? 
Seriously, though, I've done a wee bit of googling, and I have come up with at least one mention of Craftsman-brand plastic tool handles being
susceptible to this sort of problem. This was a second- or third-hand account of what a Snapon tool dealer once said, so it's hardly definitive. I'm
sure Snapon tool handles don't stink, but I'm not sure I want to part with quite that much money to solve a nuisance odour.
I'm going to poke around some more.
-B
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Gearhead_Shem_Tov
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After more googling, it seems the handles are most likely the problem. Craftsman translucent driver handles, the ones with blue and red stripes, were
(are still?) made with cellulose acetate-butyrate (CAB). When CAB items are made, butyric acid is added to cellulose acetate as a dimensional
stabilizer, and to improve weathering and chemical resistance characteristics.
The manufacturing process involves first reacting cellulose acetate with sulfuric and acetic acid. Next it's reacted with butyric acid and acetic
anhydride to make the finished CAB compound. Both butyric acid and acetic anhydride are what makes the stink. My reading says butyric acid itself is
a component of human barf, so it's not at all unreasonable to suppose that's why CAB might smell like barf as it decomposes.
I also read that if decomposition continues unchecked, eventually CAB handles will start to smell vinegary as the acetate decomposes.
So, if CAB decompostion is the case, any ideas for arresting or even reversing the process? Failing that, any possibility of milking these handles for
acetic anhydride?
-B
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Oscilllator
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I can personally vouch for the smell of butyric acid - essence of vomit is one way to describe it. As for Acetic anhydride though, I personally think
it smells delicious!
But if you really wanted to isolate the problem, putting your tools in separate ziploc bags for a couple days and then sniffing them should isolate
the problem. If it does turn out to be butyric acid you could try rubbing/soaking the handles in baking soda to see if that neutralises the acid.
Just off the top of my head, it is vaguely possible that you could conduct a thermal depolymerisation of CAB to get some acetic acid or acetic
anhydride. It could be worth a try if you have some scrap lying around, but I warn you: Butyric acid is SERIOUSLY bad.
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HgDinis25
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Yes, the smell you're descrining is exactly the famous vomit smell of Butyric Acid.
If you want to get rid of it, place some Sodium Bicarbonate in some containers with a wide surface area. Put the containers inside your toolbox and
close it. Leave it for at least 24 hours.
The Butyric Acid vapours should react with Sodium Bicarbonate to produce Sodium Butyrate, wich eliminates the vomit smell.
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