Hydrofluoric acid decontamination

Soderberg, K., Kuusinen, R, Mathieu, L., Hall, A.H. Hexafluorine An improved method for emergency decontamination of ocular and dermal hydrofluoric acid splashes. Vet Hum Toxicol 46(4), 216-218 (2004)... 

Hall, A.H., Blomet, J., Gross, M., Nehles, J. Hexafluorine for emergency decontamination of hydrofluoric acid eye/skin splashes. Semiconductor Safety Assoc J 14, 30-33 (2000)... 

Spoler, F, Frentz, M., Forst, M., Kurz, H., Schrage, N.F Analysis of hydrofluoric acid penetration and decontamination of the eye by means of time-resolved optical coherence tomography. Bums 34(4), 549-555 (2008). Epub 2007 Sep 14... 

The mineralization of suspended matter involves the decontamination of membrane filters with sediment using a mixture of hydrochloric and hydrofluoric acids, and the subsequent removal of silicon as volatile SiF4.33... 

Early decontamination reagents usually were based on traditional steel descaling solutions, such as mixtures of mineral acids (e. g. nitric acid-hydrofluoric acid). 

Of the bum injury patients admitted to a specialized Regional Bum Center in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, over an 8-year period, the 24 chemically injured patients made up 2.6 % of the total [29], Occupationally related chemical exposures accounted for 75 % of these injuries, and the involved chanicals included hydrofluoric acid, sulfuric add, black liquor (a heated mixture of sodium carbonate, sodium hydroxide, sodium sulfide, sodium thiosulfate, and sodium sulfate), lyes (alkaline corrosives), phenol, and potassium permanganate. Complications were seen in 58 % of chemically injured patients, including chemical ocular injuries, wound infections, tendon exposures, toe amputation, and systemic toxicity. Of these 24 patients, 14 required extensive surgical debridement and skin grafting. One patient with a 98 % TBSA chemical skin injury died. Of those patients who had typical decontamination measures such as removal of contaminated clothing... 

Leonard et al. [187] reported a case series of 957 patients treated in a bum center in Boston, Massachusetts [187]. Of these, 35 (4 %) had chemical skin injuries. Involved chemicals were sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid, phenol, chlorosulfonic acid, trichloroacetic acid, and cement. Sixteen of these patients had immediate water decontamination and 19 patients had delayed water decontamination. Those in the delayed water decontamination group had a fivefold greater incidence of full thickness chemical skin injuries and a significantly longer required period of hospitalization, even though these patients had approximately the TBSA involved compared to those who had immediate water skin decontamination [187]. 

The particular properties of HF forced the scientific community to understand its mechanism and its lesions kinetics (see Sect. 4.1.2.1). The idea was to find a way to improve the water washing. But the first improvement was to add, after initial decontamination with water, a secondary treatment such as to apply calcium gluconate as an ointment or by intravenous or subcutaneous injection. Topical applications are easier to perform but require repeated ointment based on patient s pain. Hydrofluoric acid bums are very painful. The pain depends on the concentration. If the concentration is higher than 50 %, the sensation of pain is immediate. If the concentration is less than 50 %, the pain and the lesions can be delayed. Calcium gluconate limits the evolution of the bum by binding fluoride ions but has only a light effect on H+ ions. 

Using the Dunser s table (Table 4.14 above), five accidents could have presented lethal risk among the 26 skin cases reports to hydrofluoric acid, but no sign of systemic effect was observed. Decontamination with HEXAFLUORINE solution was immediately performed in most of the cases and followed by calcium gluconate, if needed. No surgical treatment or long hospitalization was necessary, except with a delayed use, where the HF bum has already developed. 

Yoshimura C, Mathieu L. Seventy per cent hydrofluoric acid burns delayed decontamination with... 

Mathieu L, et al. Comparative experimental decontamination of concentrated hydrofluoric acid (HE) in an ex vivo human skin model. Presented at ISBl 2008, Montreal. 

Hultdn P, HbjerJ, Ludwigs U, JansonA. Hexafluorine vs. standard decontamination to reduce systemic toxicity after dermal exposure to hydrofluoric acid. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol. 2004 42(4) 355-61. 

Decontamination avec la solution Hexafluorine suite h une exposition h des vapeurs d acide fluorhydrique 70 % (HF) au niveau du visage rapport de cas [Hexafluorine decontamination of 70 % hydrofluoric acid (HF) vapor facial exposure Case report.]. J Chem Health Safety. 2011. doi 10.1016/j. 

Yoshimura CA, Mathieu L, Hall AH, Monteiro MG, de Almeida DM. Seventy percent hydrofluoric acid burns delayed decontamination with hexafluorine and treatment with calcium gluconate. J Bum Care Res. 2011 32(4) el49-54. 

Mathieu L, Nehles J, Blomet J, HaU AH. Efficacy of Hexafluorine for emergent decontamination of hydrofluoric acid eye and skin splashes. Vet Hum Toxicol. 2001 43(5) 263-5. 

Different procedures have been reported for decontamination of chemical distribution systems. One such method described a 0.49% by weight aqueous hydrofluoric acid solution that had been successfully tested for the (purity) qualification of a chemical distribution system comprised of PFA tubing and other components.F Both ion removal and particle count can be efficiently accomplished by 48-hour static extraction with the acid solution followed by six hours of water flush. 

During a 4-year time period from 1976 to 1980 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, 857 inpatients were admitted to a specialized bum center [30]. Of these, 35 (4 %) had chemical injuries. Involved chemicals included acids (hydrochloric, sulfuric, hydrofluoric, chlorosulfonic, trichloroacetic, and undetermined acidic substances) (10 cases) and alkaline caustic substances (lye, cement) (9 cases). The chemical exposures were work related in 51 % of cases, and in 7 cases (20 %), they were due to deliberate chemical assaults. Some patients had relatively immediate copious water washing and some did not. Patients with delayed water decontamination had a fivefold greater incidence of fullthickness chemical skin injuries, but even immediate and copious potable water washing was unable to prevent chemical skin injuries in all cases [30]. 

---