Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Magnesium In Citric or Ascorbic Acid

FragranceLover89 - 29-4-2021 at 15:39

Whenever I put magnesium shavings into citric or ascorbic acid it produces a slightly sulfury burning rubber type smell (like the smell of mercaptan in natural gas)as the magnesium dissolves. I have presumed I am making small amounts of phosphine although that should smell fishy -- right? Is it arsine, germane, borane, or silane? This magnesium is made in china so it probably has all these other trace elements in it and I cannot figure out, which hydrogenated impurity has a burning rubber smell.

[Edited on 29-4-2021 by FragranceLover89]

[Edited on 30-4-2021 by FragranceLover89]

Kobold vor NH4 - 29-4-2021 at 17:45

Well, whenever I make some iron chloride just from some steel and HCl, I smell a rubbery type smell with a strong scent of artificial watermelon. when it is dried, it smells like burnt honey. I've used different sources of iron and they all do the same.

Bezaleel - 30-4-2021 at 05:34

Quote: Originally posted by Kobold vor NH4  
Well, whenever I make some iron chloride just from some steel and HCl, I smell a rubbery type smell with a strong scent of artificial watermelon. when it is dried, it smells like burnt honey. I've used different sources of iron and they all do the same.
So it seems likely it has something to so with your HCl.

I dissolved steel filings of many different sorts in HCl, and never smelled this. Instead, I always smell the "iron" smell as I call it - a mixture of the smell of rust on my hands with a hint of hydrochloric.

draculic acid69 - 30-4-2021 at 18:11

I'm sure that the "metal" smell your getting is a rxn of metal+skin or skin oils.
Octen3ol is formed apparently. And I'm surprised anyone is getting any odours
over the top of HCL fumes. I can't stand HCL fumes but hbr is worse.that stuff smells
like farts.

draculic acid69 - 30-4-2021 at 18:13

I've also noticed a weird smell from mg metal+ balsamic vinegar but just thought it was the balsamic. I'll try this again and report back.

draculic acid69 - 30-4-2021 at 18:52

Ok so the mg in balsamic rxn: smell starts out vinegary and grapey and as rxn proceeds smell changes but I'd attribute that to less vinegar being around means more balsamic odour(grape,dirty socks) becoming the prominent smell thus accounting for any changes in smell.
The Berocca+mg metal rxn: I have no citric or ascorbic acid so substituted with Berocca. for those who are unfamiliar with Berocca
it's a Calcium carbonate and citric acid orange drink/supplement drink
in the form of a tablet U drop In a cup of water.3/4 of a tablet was placed
was placed in a cup W/H2O the other 1/4 was placed in a smaller cup
with a tiny bit of water and a strip of mg. After fizzing stopped smells
we're compared.the mg one smelled more like orange cleaning product
than orange drink like the non mg one.not much of the mg dissolved
the Berocca but there was etching of the strip.whether smell was different
due to concentration or presence of mg I can't say for sure but definitely smelled
different

[Edited on 1-5-2021 by draculic acid69]

Amos - 1-5-2021 at 04:52

Quote: Originally posted by draculic acid69  
I've also noticed a weird smell from mg metal+ balsamic vinegar but just thought it was the balsamic. I'll try this again and report back.


Y-you used balsamic vinegar...? Are you sure you like science?

Panache - 1-5-2021 at 05:55

Quote: Originally posted by Amos  
Quote: Originally posted by draculic acid69  
I've also noticed a weird smell from mg metal+ balsamic vinegar but just thought it was the balsamic. I'll try this again and report back.


Y-you used balsamic vinegar...? Are you sure you like science?

Well if you’re short on vinegar and as many in Australia you live very very remotely I thought it was genius. Besides if it’s really high quality balsamic it’s kinda syrupy meaning you can paint it over things...

[Edited on 1-5-2021 by Panache]

rockyit98 - 1-5-2021 at 15:03

reacting magnesium with acid creates very short lived hydrogen free radicals that can reduce organic and sometime inorganic acids.it is possible what you smelling is one of those or mix of compounds.

Bedlasky - 2-5-2021 at 07:13

Quote: Originally posted by rockyit98  
reacting magnesium with acid creates very short lived hydrogen free radicals that can reduce organic and sometime inorganic acids.it is possible what you smelling is one of those or mix of compounds.


Concept of nascent hydrogen (and nascent gases in general) is abandoned. This phenomena still isn't fully clarified, but there are multiple effects, which cause this high reactivity of diatomic gases evolved by metal + acid or by electrolysis, like adsorbtion or high pressure in the bubbles.

For example - if you introduce very small bubbles of H2 in to the solution, it will behave exactly like "nascent hydrogen".

Here is article about history of nascent gases:

http://acshist.scs.illinois.edu/bulletin_open_access/num6/nu...

draculic acid69 - 3-5-2021 at 22:47

Quote: Originally posted by Amos  
Quote: Originally posted by draculic acid69  
I've also noticed a weird smell from mg metal+ balsamic vinegar but just thought it was the balsamic. I'll try this again and report back.


Y-you used balsamic vinegar...? Are you sure you like science?


Yeah I know I know. I done this before as a mg supplement for myself and I don't have any plain vinegar
around