From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU] On Behalf Of James Saccardo
Sent: Thursday, September 04, 2014 8:06 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Thirteen people hurt in chemical explosion at Nevada museum

Did a little girl really get burned the way that witness described. The aunt said her niece was burned all over. I think of Sherri. I pray she is okay.

This is a classic Fisher esterfication, most colleges do it with benzoic acid and methanol. They're only conducted in a fume hood, with a stream bath or an electric mantle, a reflux condenser, but never any open flame.

Hard to believe that they carry this out with the children sitting below eye level with no protection (kids that age, I'm thinking a full glass barrier). I am so happy to see this institute carrying out such demonstrations that have a profound effect on young minds, but I wonder if they had an EHS or RMS specialist ever document the deficiency?

Perhaps  there might be a better way to excite the metalloid without the flammable hazard. How does any of this relate to tornados?

James Saccardo, CHMM

Sent from 4G LTE Smartphone

----- Reply message -----
From: "Alnajjar, Mikhail S" <ms.alnajjar**At_Symbol_Here**PNNL.GOV>
To: "DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU" <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Thirteen people hurt in chemical explosion at Nevada museum
Date: Thu, Sep 4, 2014 7:16 PM

Hard to believe they Demo such experiment using that much flammable solvent.

I was a chemistry teacher in a former life (last year in the classroom was 25 years ago).  I’ve never done (nor seen this done) as a demo.  In a MUCH smaller ratio, it was (is?) commonly taught in Chemistry II or Chemistry AP as a part of a qualitative inorganic anion analysis scheme (for boron as borate).  Anion analysis typically followed weeks of lab work (and therefore technique safety training) on the extensive cation analysis scheme.

Larry Wilkinson

Chemist, ExxonMobil Refining & Supply Co.

Does this make sense as the demo being attempted?  And Sandra/Fannie are right on when it comes to this incident sounding all too familiar.

Debbie

Green Borate Flame

Equipment:

-matches, or some source of fire

-glass container with narrow neck

Chemicals:

-Solid boric acid --B (OH) _3(s)

-Concentrated sulfuric acid --H2SO4 (l)

-Methanol --CH3OH (l)

Procedure:

1. In the glass container, combine 2-3mL of H2SO4(l) with 150mL of CH3OH(l)
2. Add 30g of B(OH)3(s) to the mixture.
3. Heat the mixture to a small boil.
4. Ignite the evaporating gas. Swirl the container constantly to ensure that gas is constantly produced and the flame doesn’t go away.

Principle:

-The mixture of B(OH)3(s), H2SO4(l), and CH3OH(l) produces an ester, which is volatile, flammable, and burns with a green flame.