Kettle descaler

The nature of a chemical will, obviously, affect its disposition and its effects on the body (the nature of a chemical can be described in terms of its so-called physico-chemical characteristics). These various characteristics wiU affect both the site of exposure and the consequences of the exposure. A chemical may be a solid, a liquid, or a gas. A solid may be in solution in water, for example sugar in a cup of tea, or in another solvent, for example alcohol, which is used to dissolve the fragrances in perfume. Liquids may be volatile such as petrol or white spirit. A solid may be in the form of lumps, crystals (for example, salt), or very small particles. Furthermore, the chemical could be irritant or corrosive, such as an acid like battery acid (hydrochloric acid) or kettle descaler (formic acid), or an alkali like caustic soda (sodium hydroxide), which is found in oven cleaners. The latter may not be weU absorbed from any of the three sites of exposure but will stiU cause damage to the tissues with which they come into contact. Substances that are not at all soluble in fat wiU not be well absorbed, nor wiU substances that are very soluble in fat but not soluble in water. However, sufficient of the chemical may be absorbed for it to be toxic even if it is a very small amount. Substances that are soluble in fat wiU also be more readily distributed around the body and metabolized. 

Exposure to a chemical can cause damage at the point or site of exposure if the substance is reactive, irritant, corrosive, or caustic. Thus substances such as kettle descaler (formic acid), battery acid (sulphuric acid), caustic soda (sodium hydroxide), and bleach (sodium hypochlorite/hypochlorous acid) can cause serious, and maybe permanent, damage to the skin, the eyes or the oesophagus, and stomach if they come into contact with these parts of the body. Unfortunately, people sometimes attempt suicide by swallowing such substances for example, drinking kettle descaler or bleach causes serious damage to the lining of the gut (see case notes, p- 193). 

A haunted Wendover woman died an agonising death after drinking kettle descaler... 

Kettle descaler Drain cleaner Drain cleaner Multi purpose fungicide Chemical toilet fluid Stain remover Kettle descaler Cleaning... 

Note. Formic acid is the principal ingredient (about 60%) of several proprietary preparations used for descaling kettles. 

Dilute solutions of acetic acids are also used as a stop bath during the development of photographic films, and in descaling agents to remove limescale from taps and kettles. In the clinical laboratory dilute acetic acid lyse red blood cells in order to facilitate microscopic examination. 

---