organicchemist25
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Activated carbon filter for my new neighbor
I have a question on a carbon filter/scrubber for growing pot is an effective way of filtering out vapors from the exhaust of my fume hood?
I’ve had my lab set-up for over 10 years and my neighbor moved last month and never complained or even mentioned smelling solvents etc outside. My
nee neighbor, which I don’t know at all, is already jumping all over me. I don’t want to pack my stuff up and enjoy my lab time.
I figured a activated carbon filter would scrub the vapors before they exit out for him to smell etc.
I’m thinking it would work. Also, perhaps, if there is any solvents that would potentially react?
I typically use DCM, Ethanol, Ether, THF, HCl, H2SO4, Acetic Acid, Acetone, Benzene, Toluene, etc.
I just want to resolve this issue with me new neighbor.
Thanks for any help and info! I’m thinking it would be ok and would help a lot.
Happy New Year to everyone around the world!
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metalresearcher
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How close do you live to him/her ?
Is it in an apartment or townhouse / duplex ? In that case you can have that vapors annoy your neighbor.
Particularly benzene or toluene are toxic and should be filtered out.
HCl is corrosive, but can be filtered out with plain water.
CH3COOH stinks, but can be filtered with water with NaHCO3 as well.
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organicchemist25
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It is a house. Typical distance, I guess. I’d say about 40 feet away. Not terribly close, but not a great distance. I guess since I had my other
neighbor for many years and not one discussion or complaint over it. I totally understand now being someone new. I just wanted to see if a “pre”
filter before it exits outside would help. I don’t mind spending 2-300$ to add to the exhaust setup if it’d minimize or even eliminate it for him.
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Sulaiman
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A carbon filter should absorb all of those smells
BUT
I think that you may need to scrub your gasses
or better, recover your solvents.
Use the filter as a backup safety device, for accidental gas releases only,
with your scrubbers being the second line of defence,
the first is to not release gasses from your glassware,
so you will need a good condenser and ice water circulation.
Tedious and extra cost, but I think better than a visit by authorities.
CAUTION : Hobby Chemist, not Professional or even Amateur
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Fyndium
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First of all, activated carbon filters work great. I've used them for the same purpose.
BUT, they will not filter everything. Ammonia and many other fumes will pass through like nothing.
I'd say that you don't control fumes with them, you only control odors. Odors come in treshold of ppm or ppt, which the filter can take care easily.
It creates negative pressure in the fume hood and keeps all the odors in.
So, like said, you need multiple lines of defense, but you will not be able to fully contain stuff, especially when you add, change, clean or
manipulate stuff within a closed glass apparatus. So it becomes a case sensitive issue, for example of some reaction produces fumes, you need to have
at least 2 step scrubber. I made one from multiple plastic bottles, so they also act as suckback traps for each other, allowing for pressure
equalization both ways. This absorbed (the ammonia) with ease, and basically kept the odors in order.
For volatile liquids like ether, you will need two step condenser setup. First you should have coil condenser, and after that, graham, placed
vertically, and it would be beneficial to keep the condensate flask in an immersion bath also. Run with ice water, add salt if you wanna be extra sure
all vapors condense. When I stripped off water with vacuum to dehydrate a substance, I used salt ice water, but added third liebig condenser to the
condensate flask where I put the vacuum pump to, so most vapors from the condensate would condense to that and not go to the coldfinger. Otherwise the
finger would quickly fill up with ice and cause issues.
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