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Chemosynthesis
International Hazard
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Quote: Originally posted by Brain&Force  |
Also, when I get into university (in one week!) I plan on joining the American Chemical Society Student Affiliates. I'm especially interested in doing
outreach in public schools. |
I recommend this very highly.
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Brain&Force
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The ACSSA did some demonstrations at yesterday's chem orientation. Some HMTD was detonated and the iodine clock reaction was performed (a video is
linked on the Rador Labs thread, but I didn't get the HMTD detonation). I mentioned that I'm a hobby chemist when the professor asked us why we picked
chemistry as our majors and suddenly everyone wants to collaborate with me on research projects. 
At the end of the day, simulating atoms doesn't beat working with the real things...
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Amos
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| Quote: Originally posted by Brain&Force | | The ACSSA did some demonstrations at yesterday's chem orientation. Some HMTD was detonated and the iodine clock reaction was performed (a video is
linked on the Rador Labs thread, but I didn't get the HMTD detonation). I mentioned that I'm a hobby chemist when the professor asked us why we picked
chemistry as our majors and suddenly everyone wants to collaborate with me on research projects. |
I'm so jealous. Even if we did have a ACSSA branch at my university, I'm a bioengineering major and not chemistry or chemical engineering, so I
probably couldn't work with them.
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Brain&Force
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It's an informal group, actually. You just need to be interested in chemistry. But I don't know anything about starting such a group.
[Edited on 1.10.2014 by Brain&Force]
At the end of the day, simulating atoms doesn't beat working with the real things...
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The Volatile Chemist
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Prepping (early) for the ACS Chemistry Olympiad.
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Argentum
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Wanted to fill some balloons with hydrogen gas. So I thought of building a generator with glassware. But I decided to build it with bottles instead.
One of the bottles almost imploded, if i had made it with glassware I would be regreting of that. Oh, and balloons were a little loose so I did not
catch any hydrogen. Anyways, I've learned something useful today.
I would upload a picture but I still cannot figure how
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Jylliana92
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So... I have these 60L vessels with chemical waste, one of four is filled with heavy metals(aq).
It was almost full, and I read somewhere that adding a massive amount of sodium bicarbonate to the fluid will precipitate most of the metals as
carbonates, the remaining fluid could be flushed down the drain.
I did as described, and then I discovered that it was a bad idea, because some giant foam slushy stuff started to slowly expand and ooze over the top
of the vessel... at this point I started to slightly panic(60L is not just a little bit).
Opened all the doors and windows, put on my best protective gear and started wiping up the dense, green foam. At this point I was kinda hating myself
of not thinking this through. Now my volume of heavy metal waste is even bigger than before! Darn it...
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Jylliana
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So... I have these 60L vessels with chemical waste, one of four is filled with heavy metals(aq).
It was almost full, and I read somewhere that adding a massive amount of sodium bicarbonate to the fluid will precipitate most of the metals as
carbonates, the remaining fluid could be flushed down the drain.
I did as described, and then I discovered that it was a bad idea, because some giant foam slushy stuff started to slowly expand and ooze over the top
of the vessel... at this point I started to slightly panic(60L is not just a little bit).
Opened all the doors and windows, put on my best protective gear and started wiping up the dense, green foam. At this point I was kinda hating myself
for not thinking this through. Now my volume of heavy metal waste is even bigger than before! Darn it...
[Edited on 28-10-2014 by Jylliana]
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Praxichys
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Try adding sodium carbonate instead of bicarbonate. Ensure first that the waste is basic to litmus. (with NaOH) This will precipitate some metals as
well as prevent a lot of CO2 from forming when the carbonate is added. Bicarbonate tends to release CO2 and isn't really a good choice.
Work with a smaller sample of the waste as a test. This will also help you determine how much solid you need to dispose of after settling and
filtering.
What kind of metals are in the waste?
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Jylliana
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All sorts of stuff.. mostly lead, manganese and copper, I think, but the school's science program is so diverse that I think the entire periodic table
is practically in there(of course, only the metals that are kind of commonly available).
I'll try it out with a small sample first, neutralize it and then add the carbonate. Should've know that..
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Texium
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I've been considering doing something similar with my toxic waste bucket (which is just about 2.5 gallons). It mainly contains copper, chromium,
manganese, and barium compounds. I tried on a small scale and it worked fine using sodium carbonate to precipitate it. Bicarbonate worked too, but it
was a huge pain to control the CO<sub>2</sub> off-gassing.
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Praxichys
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I think I mentioned it in another thread somewhere, but what I usually do once I get a gallon or two of waste is to mix it with quikcrete portland
cement (using the waste sludge as the water for the cement mix) until the cement is of a thick consistency, then let it solidify in a big chunk on
some newspaper. The hard chunk(s) can just go out with the trash since it is expected that landfills already are full of heavy metals anyway, and the
cement works to keep them from leaching.
If you are disposing of waste for the school, make sure you are in compliance with state and federal regulations or it could cost you heavy fines/jail
time (if you live in the USA anyway).
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gdflp
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If the waste contains copper compounds, adding sodium carbonate will still result in carbon dioxide due to the hydrolysis of copper carbonate so watch
out for that.
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Jylliana
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Sodium Carbonate works much better. It still bubbles, but there's no excessive foam formation.
This could work 
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The Volatile Chemist
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I have a jam jar of manganese gunk. For smaller reactions, I prefer using such containers for waste. But I always try to collect the 'waste' as it's
best not to waste reagents. Especially heavy metals.
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gardul
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I am currently toying with the idea to see if I can extract potassium chloride from barqs root beer just for the hell of it.
I just made you read this very pointless signature. How does it feel?
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Texium
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| Quote: Originally posted by gardul | | I am currently toying with the idea to see if I can extract potassium chloride from barqs root beer just for the hell of it. |
Sounds very aggravating and fruitless. Good luck!
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gardul
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I am sure It will fail... but it could be fun? Could learn some things from doing this rather pointless experiment. who knows..
I just made you read this very pointless signature. How does it feel?
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Texium
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It's true, you definitely could. I shouldn't be so pessimistic, as I am also prone to doing rather pointless seeming things for no particularly good
reason.
The other day I boiled down a few mL of concentrated iodophor cleaner because I read that it was possible to obtain pure iodine from it that way. I
set it up with a cold flask above the boiling beaker, but I wasn't able to condense any of the vapors. It seems like the amount was just too small.
They were visible though. Beautiful violet iodine vapors can't be beat, even when they can't be salvaged for any purpose. I'd say that was worth it
for the experience.
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gardul
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I am sure I will wind up with some nasty goo. I have to figure out how to seperate it from the suger.
I just made you read this very pointless signature. How does it feel?
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The Volatile Chemist
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Finally got some more hydrogen peroxide, so I'll be oxidizing stuff again
Just curious, are there any profitable reactions that involve table sugar as a reagent for the amateur chemist?
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blargish
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Erm, Benedict's Reagent? If you for some reason need Copper I oxide... (I believe sucrose only gives a positive test if you acidify it)
My personal main use of sugar is merely as a fuel in pyrotechnics
Anything interesting planned with the peroxide?
BLaRgISH
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The Volatile Chemist
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| Quote: Originally posted by blargish |
Erm, Benedict's Reagent? If you for some reason need Copper I oxide... (I believe sucrose only gives a positive test if you acidify it)
My personal main use of sugar is merely as a fuel in pyrotechnics
Anything interesting planned with the peroxide? |
OK. I meant more or less organic reactions, as I don't need B's reagent to tell me sucrose is sugar
And no, no interesting plans. Any (Non-pyrotechnic) suggestions?
[Edited on 11-2-2014 by The Volatile Chemist]
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j_sum1
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Well I ignited a sugar/potassium chlorate mix for the kids to watch over the weekend. But I am not sure that is what you mean by profitable.
As for what I have been up to... I tidied my lab. Well, kinda. My lab is a shared space with a whole lot of other things and I cleaned up the lab
bit, unpacked some boxes, sorted and stacked the chemicals so I can see what is there. I still have some labelling to do so I haven't done a count on
how many elements are in my collection. And I have lost a packet of stir bars. Can't find them anywhere.
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Amos
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Profitable reaction using sucrose you say?
Moonshine.
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