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Re: oops with ammonia test soln.
> It was actually the Ammonia Test Solution. I put in quite a bit
>before I looked at the label. The contents are sodium hydroxide and mercuric
>iodide.
> Do I have to worry about any thing or can I just add fish?
>
>Mark
Well, I'm no chemist, but I do have a couple of thoughts.
1. NaOH is a strong base, and if anything, your pH would *rise* (not what
you were after); however, those dropper bottles are pretty small, and I
can't imagine the concentration of NaOH is super high; otherwise you'd have
to have all sorts of warnings on the label (anybody know the [NaOH] of
these solns?). With a large amount of water, and a few drops of the stuff,
my GUESS is that not much would happen w/ the pH. I woudn't make a
practice of gettting the stuff on you, though.
2. The mercuric iodide is of more concern. It is registered as a poison,
and apparently has some fairly nasty effects. Again, don't know the
concentration, and you have further diluted it, but I'd still be very
careful.
Just for general edification, there is a good web site sponsored by
Interactive Learning Paradigms, Inc. that has all kinds of links for MSDSs.
The MSDS is good place to start when you have questions about chemicals.
The address is http://www.ilpi.com/msds/index.chtml
Best,
Dorian
P.S.--Thanks to the Canadians for the cold front--it's a beautiful 82 degrees!
*************************************************************************
Dorian R McMillan "Success is nothing more than
Laboratory Manager going from one failure to the
Dept. of Biology next with undiminished
College of Charleston enthusiasm" W. Churchill
66 George St.
Charleston, SC 29424
Opinions are mine, not my employer's, expertise is not implied, blah, blah,
blah.
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