Carbon toxicity

Amberlite XAD resin Amberlite XAD resin will remove a broad range of relatively lower molecular weight organic contaminants. Unlike carbon, toxicants can often be recovered from XAD resin using methanol or other solvents. Samples are passed through a column (or mixed as a slurry) containing the resin, and the pH re-adjusted to pH i prior to testing. 

Agarwal AK, Ahlawat SK, Gupta S, Singh B, Singh CP, Wadhwa S and KUMAR A (1995) Hypokalaemic paralysis secondary to acute barium carbonate toxicity. Tropical Doctor 25 101 — 103. 

An example of this type of ne>v agent may be found in the fluorinated fatty acids, >vhich have been shovm to be taken up by the myocardium (60,61). When these compounds are labeled with attached to an even-numbered carbon atom they are highly toxic because of their ability to be converted to fluorocitrate, which is a suicide inhibitor of aconitase (73). The label thus becomes locked into an intermediate step of the citric acid cycle. When is attached to an odd-numbered carbon, toxicity is dramatically reduced, and )8-oxidation and subsequent metabolism proceeds as with the physiologic FFA substrates. A more detailed understanding of the behavior of such tracer molecules in altered and normal states of myocardial metabolism may provide considerable insight into applying them to the in vivo measurement of metabolic rates. 

Haantaia OMOfnpeaWon or Byprediii acrolein (corrosive). oxides of carbon (toxic, asohvxlants) ... 

Hazardous Decomp. Prods. Combustion oxides of carbon, toxic chloride fumes if product becomes anhydrous HMIS Health 2, Flammability 1, Reactivity 0 Storage Keep container closed Chemquat C/33W [PCC Chemax]... 

Precaution Wear chemical splash goggles, safely glasses spilled product is slippery incompat. with strong oxidizers, acids, bases Hazardous Decomp. Prods. Oxides of carbon, toxic org. vapors/fumes Jeechem GC-30 [Jeen Int l.)... 

Carbon suboxide, C3O2, OCCCO. M.p. — 107 C, b.p. 6-8°C. A toxic gas (malonic acid plus P2O5) which polymerizes at room temperature. Reforms malonic acid with water. 

C. Manufactured by the action of HF on CCI4 using SbClj as a catalyst. Known commercially as Freon-12 or Arcton-12. Widely used as a refrigerant and aerosol propellant. It is much less toxic than carbon tetrachloride. 

CH2CI2. A colourless liquid with a chloroform-like odour b.p. 4I°C. Prepared by heating chloroform with zinc, alcohol and hydrochloric acid manufactured by the direct chlorination of methane. Decomposed by water at 200°C to give methanoic and hydrochloric acids. Largely used as a solvent for polar and non-polar substances, particularly for paint removal (30%), dissolving cellulose acetate and degreasing (10%). It is more stable than carbon tetrachloride or chloroform especially towards moisture or alkali. It is somewhat toxic. U.S. production 1981 280000 tonnes. 

The potential advantages of LPG concern essentially the environmental aspects. LPG s are simple mixtures of 3- and 4-carbon-atom hydrocarbons with few contaminants (very low sulfur content). LPG s contain no noxious additives such as lead and their exhaust emissions have little or no toxicity because aromatics are absent. This type of fuel also benefits often enough from a lower taxation. In spite of that, the use of LPG motor fuel remains static in France, if not on a slightly downward trend. There are several reasons for this situation little interest from automobile manufacturers, reluctance on the part of automobile customers, competition in the refining industry for other uses of and fractions, (alkylation, etherification, direct addition into the gasoline pool). However, in 1993 this subject seems to have received more interest (Hublin et al., 1993). 

Outside of carbon monoxide for which the toxicity is already well-known, five types of organic chemical compounds capable of being emitted by vehicles will be the focus of our particular attention these are benzene, 1-3 butadiene, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, PNA, taken as a whole. Among the latter, two, like benzo [a] pyrene, are viewed as carcinogens. Benzene is considered here not as a motor fuel component emitted by evaporation, but because of its presence in exhaust gas (see Figure 5.25). 

To prepare gas for evacuation it is necessary to separate the gas and liquid phases and extract or inhibit any components in the gas which are likely to cause pipeline corrosion or blockage. Components which can cause difficulties are water vapour (corrosion, hydrates), heavy hydrocarbons (2-phase flow or wax deposition in pipelines), and contaminants such as carbon dioxide (corrosion) and hydrogen sulphide (corrosion, toxicity). In the case of associated gas, if there is no gas market, gas may have to be flared or re-injected. If significant volumes of associated gas are available it may be worthwhile to extract natural gas liquids (NGLs) before flaring or reinjection. Gas may also have to be treated for gas lifting or for use as a fuel. 

The most common contaminants in produced gas are carbon dioxide (COj) and hydrogen sulphide (HjS). Both can combine with free water to cause corrosion and H2S is extremely toxic even in very small amounts (less than 0.01% volume can be fatal if inhaled). Because of the equipment required, extraction is performed onshore whenever possible, and providing gas is dehydrated, most pipeline corrosion problems can be avoided. However, if third party pipelines are used it may be necessary to perform some extraction on site prior to evacuation to meet pipeline owner specifications. Extraction of CO2 and H2S is normally performed by absorption in contact towers like those used for dehydration, though other solvents are used instead of glycol. 

Nickel tetracarbonyl Ni(CO)4 was the first metal carbonyl to be discovered, by Mond in 1890 it is obtained by passage of carbon monoxide over nickel metal heated to 320 K. It is a volatile, toxic liquid (b.p. 315 K), and has a tetrahedral structure. It has considerable stability, but inflames in air it is believed that in the structure... 

Carbon disulphide. When working with this solvent, its toxicity (it is a blood and nerve poison) and particularly its high inflammability should be home in mind. Distillation of appreciable quantities of carbon disulphide should be carried out in a water bath at 55-65° it has been known to ignite from being overheated on a steam bath. 

Chloroform undergoes oxidation to the very poisonous phosgene upon exposure to light and air. Commercial specimens are therefore stored in brown bottles and contain 1-2 per cent, of alcohol the latter converts the toxic phosgene into the harmless substance diethyl carbonate ... 

As a class of compounds, the two main toxicity concerns for nitriles are acute lethality and osteolathyrsm. A comprehensive review of the toxicity of nitriles, including detailed discussion of biochemical mechanisms of toxicity and stmcture-activity relationships, is available (12). Nitriles vary broadly in their abiUty to cause acute lethaUty and subde differences in stmcture can greatly affect toxic potency. The biochemical basis of their acute toxicity is related to their metaboHsm in the body. Following exposure and absorption, nitriles are metabolized by cytochrome p450 enzymes in the Hver. The metaboHsm involves initial hydrogen abstraction resulting in the formation of a carbon radical, followed by hydroxylation of the carbon radical. MetaboHsm at the carbon atom adjacent (alpha) to the cyano group would yield a cyanohydrin metaboHte, which decomposes readily in the body to produce cyanide. Hydroxylation at other carbon positions in the nitrile does not result in cyanide release. 

The propensity of nitriles to release cyanide subsequent to metaboHsm is the basis of their acute toxicity. Nitriles that form tertiary radicals at their alpha carbon atoms (eg, isobutyronitrile, 2-methylbutyronitrile) are substantially more acutely lethal than nitriles that form secondary radicals at their alpha carbons (eg, butyronitrile, propionitnle). Cyanohydrins are acutely toxic because they are unstable and release cyanide quickly. Alpha-aminonitriles are also acutely toxic, presumably by analogy with cyanohydrins. 

Acrylonitrile is combustible and ignites readily, producing toxic combustion products such as hydrogen cyanide, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide. It forms explosive mixtures with air and must be handled in weU-ventilated areas and kept away from any source of ignition, since the vapor can spread to distant ignition sources and flash back. 

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