From:
List Moderator <esf**At_Symbol_Here**UVM.EDU>
Subject:
Re: Spill kit portable vs. fixed
Date:
Apr 7, 2006 13:09 UTC
Reply-To:
List Moderator
In-Reply-To:
From: "Paul Harrison"
Date: April 7, 2006 9:07:49 AM EDT
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Spill kit portable vs. fixed
I don't have a lot of experience with HF, but should point out, as a
chemist, first that there is NO WAY that fluorine gas could be evolved
from HF; just think about your level I redox chemistry. Second, I
would imagine that calcium carbonate or hydroxide is a good idea
because CaF2 is insoluble in the water that would be used for clean-up
(it is the natural rock form of fluorine: fluorite, as I recall).
Using sodium carbonate would generate NaF which by contrast is
water-soluble, and thus harder to dispose. Presumably, another feature
of calcium salts is that the excess spill agent is also
water-insoluble, as opposed to sodium salts.
Best,
Paul Harrison
