The laboratory is a scientific environment where there is no guarantee that the chemicals used or the processes performed are safe. Industrial processes sometimes require hazardous chemicals, while experiments with other substances might be extremely toxic. There are several safety measures that are used in laboratories, and one of them is the lab hood, so all labs in San Antonio TX should have laboratory fume hoods.
In appearance and principle, the fume hood is somehow similar to the extractor hood that some kitchens have above their stove. But the fume hood is more complex in how it operates. The extraction of dangerous gases is the basic concept in both, but some lab hoods filter and then recycle the extracted air. This is sometimes necessary where a reaction requires a specific temperature to be maintained in the reaction environment.
Scientific practice these days involves a litany of toxic chemicals. Skilled staff should be able to observe the essential safety measures relating to experiments or the analysis of unidentified substances. They should know how to work with these or any hazardous chemicals, and they should also be conversant with those substances that they use in their specific area of scientific activity or enquiry.
Mercury is a commonly known hazardous chemical. It is usually encountered in liquid form, since it melts at room temperature, even though it is a metal like any other metal. The problem is that, at room temperature, it also evaporates, giving off a small quantity of vaporized metal. When people breathe in this vapor they become poisoned by the metal because the vapor is equally as poisonous as the liquid form.
Mercury poisoning is medically serious and should be avoided. A famous case occurred in Japan, where mercury was leaked into the ocean and about 50 people died. The resultant illness is known as Minimata and is named after the Japanese disaster. In particular, the nervous system is affected and harmed. The damage is permanent.
Another example of a dangerous vapor is sodium hydroxide. This is more commonly known as caustic soda. It is indeed caustic, so much so that inhalation of the dust that rises from it when the powder form is not handled gently can corrode the respiratory tract and the lungs, potentially causing lung cancer. If it is deposited on the skin, it dissolves in the sweat and starts to corrode the tissue.
Reactions involving sulphur need to be treated with caution too, since hydrogen sulphide gas is highly toxic and can cause death. It is an unmistakable gas because it has an exceptionally unpleasant stench. Rotting eggs release this gas, so if you have ever broken open a bad egg then you should have some experience of it. You may not have realized that it is, in fact, highly poisonous, and exposure to it can be fatal.
If a worker has the attitude that a chemical has no effect on them or that they are "used to" it, they should be reprimanded. This attitude is inappropriate. Noxious gases are insidious in their effect on staff in that they might not be detected or seem significant for some time, even though they are poisoning the workers who are inhaling them. All safety measures should be observed at all times. So, where a fume hood is needed, it should always be installed.
In appearance and principle, the fume hood is somehow similar to the extractor hood that some kitchens have above their stove. But the fume hood is more complex in how it operates. The extraction of dangerous gases is the basic concept in both, but some lab hoods filter and then recycle the extracted air. This is sometimes necessary where a reaction requires a specific temperature to be maintained in the reaction environment.
Scientific practice these days involves a litany of toxic chemicals. Skilled staff should be able to observe the essential safety measures relating to experiments or the analysis of unidentified substances. They should know how to work with these or any hazardous chemicals, and they should also be conversant with those substances that they use in their specific area of scientific activity or enquiry.
Mercury is a commonly known hazardous chemical. It is usually encountered in liquid form, since it melts at room temperature, even though it is a metal like any other metal. The problem is that, at room temperature, it also evaporates, giving off a small quantity of vaporized metal. When people breathe in this vapor they become poisoned by the metal because the vapor is equally as poisonous as the liquid form.
Mercury poisoning is medically serious and should be avoided. A famous case occurred in Japan, where mercury was leaked into the ocean and about 50 people died. The resultant illness is known as Minimata and is named after the Japanese disaster. In particular, the nervous system is affected and harmed. The damage is permanent.
Another example of a dangerous vapor is sodium hydroxide. This is more commonly known as caustic soda. It is indeed caustic, so much so that inhalation of the dust that rises from it when the powder form is not handled gently can corrode the respiratory tract and the lungs, potentially causing lung cancer. If it is deposited on the skin, it dissolves in the sweat and starts to corrode the tissue.
Reactions involving sulphur need to be treated with caution too, since hydrogen sulphide gas is highly toxic and can cause death. It is an unmistakable gas because it has an exceptionally unpleasant stench. Rotting eggs release this gas, so if you have ever broken open a bad egg then you should have some experience of it. You may not have realized that it is, in fact, highly poisonous, and exposure to it can be fatal.
If a worker has the attitude that a chemical has no effect on them or that they are "used to" it, they should be reprimanded. This attitude is inappropriate. Noxious gases are insidious in their effect on staff in that they might not be detected or seem significant for some time, even though they are poisoning the workers who are inhaling them. All safety measures should be observed at all times. So, where a fume hood is needed, it should always be installed.
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