Date: Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:09:21 -0400
Reply-To: ILPI <info**At_Symbol_Here**ILPI.COM>
Sender: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
From: ILPI <info**At_Symbol_Here**ILPI.COM>
Subject: Re: Hazardous chemical spill at Lehigh University
Comments: To: List Moderator
In-Reply-To: <0E815E0E-42C7-41A7-86B5-8310083994C9**At_Symbol_Here**uvm.edu>

Whoaaaa, it gets way better!!!  Piranha solution and sodium nitroprusside!   Do it yourself gas chamber...

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-lehigh-hazmat-071509-cn,0,1 779903.story

What the heck were these guys (not) thinking...and why did they have that much???

For info about piranha solution, scroll down to my April 9th, 1997 Usenet posting here: http://yarchive.ne t/chem/piranha_solution.html

MSDS for sodium nitroprusside says "Sodium nitroferricyanide decomposes on contact with biological material to release free cyanide" and "When heated to decomposition or comes in contact with acid or acid fumes it emits toxic fumes of cyanides. "  http://www.jtba ker.com/msds/englishhtml/s4490.htm

Yikes!

Rob Toreki

On Jul 15, 2009, at 3:40 PM, List Moderator wrote:

Hard to tell from the press report what's going on, but it's a reminder that the story will run before things make sense to people familiar with the lab setting...

- Ralph

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-lehigh-hazmat-071509-cn,0,1 779903.story

themorningcall.com

Hazardous chemical spill at Lehigh University
The Morning Call
12:44 PM EDT, July 15, 2009

Bethlehem Fire Department is at the scene of a hazardous chemical spill in a research laboratory at Lehigh University.

Emergency dispatches said the spill has the potential to release hydrogen cyanide, which according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control is extremely flammable and gives off toxic fumes that can result in death.

Lehigh University Police Chief Edward Shupp said the spill is contained and there were no injuries. He said the hazardous materials team was called as precaution.

Shupp said he did not know why type of chemical was spilled.

Emergency dispatch reports said the incident is a Level 2 incident, which means between 10 to 50 gallons of the chemical was spilled, and the building has been evacuated.

-- Reporting by Tracy Jordan, The Morning Call
Copyright =A9 2009, The Morning Call


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