Guess the Chemical?

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

It's water…

I think the clue was " If breathed in, move person into fresh air. If not breathing, give artificial respiration. "

Clearly after that initial insight the person filling it in just went with the default low-hazard answers.

Neil

[David ColwillParticipant @davidcolwill19261]

SECTION 5: Firefighting measures
5.1 Extinguishing media
Suitable extinguishing media
Use water spray, alcohol-resistant foam, dry chemical or carbon dioxide.
5.2 Special hazards arising from the substance or mixture
No data available
5.3 Advice for firefighters
Wear self-contained breathing apparatus for firefighting if necessary.

I had thought water but had ruled it out due to the above!

Regards.

David.

[Frank GorseParticipant @frankgorse]

I believe it’s also called di-hydrogen monoxide which sounds very nasty.

[V8EngParticipant @v8eng]

I am very puzzled about extinguishing burning water (can it catch fire) using water perhaps somebody can explain that one?

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 28/07/2019 10:04:23:

It's water…

I think the clue was " If breathed in, move person into fresh air. If not breathing, give artificial respiration. "

Clearly after that initial insight the person filling it in just went with the default low-hazard answers.

Neil

Very naughty of them. This excerpt from an MSDS for Water may be more typical:

Even though it fails to mention that asbestos burns in the nasty stuff, this MSDS is more exciting.

Dave

[Robin GrahamParticipant @robingraham42208]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 28/07/2019 07:29:33:

Posted by Robin Graham on 28/07/2019 01:05:53:

+1 for water – it's got to be nuts of Neil wouldn't have posted. Had a look at the MSDS for Cleanline deionised water:

Ingestion: Rinse mouth thoroughly with water. Give plenty of water to drink. Get medical attention if any discomfort continues.

Robin.

.

Whilst the statement appears ridiculous, Robin … I believe that there is a safety risk associated with deionised water, due to the use of Sodium Hydroxide in its production.

MichaelG.

Well, OK, maybe! I picked that at random because of its apparent absurdity which seemed to match Neil's example.

I'd be quite unhappy if I found harmful levels of NaOH in the deionised water I use though – it wouldn't really be deionised! The MSDS I quoted from gives a maximum pH of 9.0 which isn't too corrosive – the upper limit for potable water is 8.5 I think.

Apologies if I've got it wrong – I'll wash my mouth, or at least my typing fingers with soap (pH around 10) if so

Robin

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Robin Graham on 29/07/2019 00:03:18:

.

Well, OK, maybe! [ … ]

.

Pedant that I am, Robin … I did carefully use the term 'safety risk' rather than 'safety hazard'

… my logic being that although the product should be within spec. there is a specific risk associated with the process by which it is [presumably] manufactured. This appears to be recognised by the inclusion of reference to Sodium Hydroxide in that MSDS.

For what it's worth [admittedly not much in the present context], there is an outline of the production process here: **LINK**

http://www.tmasc.com/di%20water%20specs.htm

MichaelG.

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

A bigger risk with distilled or DI water is mixing containers. Many years ago I worked for a small airline on an island and we did frequent compressor washes of the turboprop engines but were still having sulphidation issues on the blades. The washes used distilled water bought in large containers from a local supplier. Turned out that their main market was the motor trade and they were not fussy about cross contamination between battery acid and water.
I found out when asked to pick up an order from Boots as I was going into town. My little car was totally filled with 2l bottles of distilled water. When I found out what was going on I suggested an Elgastat deioniser. It took a bit of convincing (DI could strip ions from the blades but as we added a detergent to the wash this was moot) but they changed to DI and had no further issues. It also cured the high failure rate we were getting with the "wet" NICAD aircraft batteries.

Robert G8RPI.

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Curious 'fact' I picked up somewhere is that drinking nothing but de-ionised water for too long is unhealthy. Something to do with kidneys requiring trace ions to function properly. I also believe drinking water made by bulk de-ionising sea-water has salts added back before being piped to customers.

Can de-ionised water damage kidneys? Now I've read my own post again I have doubts…

Dave

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Posted by SillyOldDuffer on 29/07/2019 09:20:32:

Curious 'fact' I picked up somewhere is that drinking nothing but de-ionised water for too long is unhealthy. Something to do with kidneys requiring trace ions to function properly. I also believe drinking water made by bulk de-ionising sea-water has salts added back before being piped to customers.

Can de-ionised water damage kidneys? Now I've read my own post again I have doubts…

Dave

One’s blood electrolytes would come under severe strain in that scenario. Only true if the person was not eating anything else at all, I would suggest, as there are loads of ions in most foods (too much salt in many!)?

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi NDIY, might be worth looking at this **LINK** scroll down to Health effects of drinking purified water, also this **LINK** I think the main concerns are that the deionised water may strip your body of important minerals over time.

Regards Nick.

[Martin KyteParticipant @martinkyte99762]

Toxic in large quantities if ingested (Brain swelling, fits, coma, death)

**LINK**

regards Martin

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Posted by Nicholas Farr on 29/07/2019 11:14:40:

Hi NDIY, might be worth looking at this **LINK** scroll down to Health effects of drinking purified water, also this **LINK** I think the main concerns are that the deionised water may strip your body of important minerals over time.

Regards Nick.

Hi Nick,

This bit from the first link really sums it up, I think.

Quote ”This results in demineralized water, which has not been proven to be healthier than drinking water. The World Health Organization investigated the health effects of demineralized water in 1980, and its experiments in humans found that demineralized water increased diuresis and the elimination of electrolytes, with decreased serum potassium concentration. Magnesium, calcium and other nutrients in water can help to protect against nutritional deficiency.” Unquote

 

Not proven (either way?) and as I indicated, there are plenty of minerals in a proper, balanced diet. I’m most certainly not “nutritionally deficient”. Are you? Somehow I doubt that would be the case for the vast majority on here.

Some Scots must be quaking in their shoes – well at least those that live at altitude and drink run-off from granite rocks – long before it has chance to collect lots of minerals.

De-ionised water might be classed as a ‘junk’ drink. Perhaps like a lot of the ultra-processed junk some people eat?

I would suspect that the ‘five-a-day’ would likely counteract any mineral loss without needing extra protection via the water one drinks.

But it seems clear that you must be agreeing with me – that it is blood electrolytes that are the problem, not the kidneys directly?

Regards, NDIY

Edited By not done it yet on 29/07/2019 11:56:13

[JAParticipant @ja]

Is drowning a health risk?

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

A weird one is "Smartwater" from Coke where they distil perfectly good British spring water and then add Calcium Chloride, Magnesium Chloride and Potassium Bicarbonate back in! For starts if you are going to distil it why use spring water rather than tap water?

Bizarrely (to me anyway) people buy the stuff. I guess they are the same people who pay 3 to 4 times as much for the same painkiller or other medication with a fancy name and packet as the generic version. I just checked Boots website Neurofen 200mg tablets 14p each, generic 3p each. Neurofen is more than 4.5 times the price).

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Many moons ago the New York health authority tested various brands of bottled water for purity. The best was the stuff that comes out of the tap at very little cost. Just shows the power of advertising

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by duncan webster on 29/07/2019 12:52:55:

Many moons ago the New York health authority tested various brands of bottled water for purity. The best was the stuff that comes out of the tap at very little cost. Just shows the power of advertising

.

Sorry, Duncan … I can't afford to import vintage tap-water from New York

MichaelG.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 29/07/2019 13:08:39:

Posted by duncan webster on 29/07/2019 12:52:55:

Many moons ago the New York health authority tested various brands of bottled water for purity. The best was the stuff that comes out of the tap at very little cost. Just shows the power of advertising

.

Sorry, Duncan … I can't afford to import vintage tap-water from New York

MichaelG.

A similar UK test many tears ago scored Welsh tap water highest.

Neil

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by Robert Atkinson 2 on 29/07/2019 12:40:16:

A weird one is "Smartwater" from Coke where they distil perfectly good British spring water and then add Calcium Chloride, Magnesium Chloride and Potassium Bicarbonate back in! For starts if you are going to distil it why use spring water rather than tap water?

Ordinary tap water is legally spring water if it comes from a groundwater source and meets drinkability standards.

I think it is possible to fill 'spring water' bottles directly from the water main in some parts of the country.

Mineral water has to have special certification.

Neil

[mark costello 1Participant @markcostello1]

I live near a natural spring, My MIL also uses it for Her water. Down the road it is used for brewing beer and bottled water. The beer is sold locally and gets big raves. The water is shipped out and probably sold where no one knows about where it comes from. Other bottled water does indeed come from other places city water. They are shipping city water to Us from 90 miles away. We have no problems supplying Our own city water.

[Jon LawesParticipant @jonlawes51698]

When posted on to Harriers a rite of passage was to drink a glass of the de-ionised water used for injection into the engine when hovering. It might have just been water but you'd spend the day in the toilet.

[JAParticipant @ja]

The water out of my taps comes from Birmingham! Sometimes the smell of chlorine is almost overpowering.

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

JA

Not may people seem to survive serious drowning, so it must a SERIOUS risk to life.

water is safe if drunk in accordance with the safety instructions, and in the right spirit, I am told.

Howard

[CHARLES lipscombeParticipant @charleslipscombe16059]

Many people in Australia outside of the cities use collected rainwater as their only source of water for drinking washing etc. Where I live, we do have mains supply but I collect rainwater for use on the veggie patch and in my home brewing. Not sure whether it affects the taste of the beer as I have never tried brewing from the horribly chlorinated and fluoridated stuff that comes through the mains.

Chas

[JAParticipant @ja]

Posted by Howard Lewis on 29/07/2019 22:37:46:

water is safe if drunk in accordance with the safety instructions, and in the right spirit, I am told.

Howard

Whisky?

I drink it neat.

Edited By JA on 29/07/2019 23:36:49

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