Brake Cleaner = Phosgen

[towe001]

Got this article from a yahoogroup ([email protected])

http://www.brewracingframes.com/id75.htm

 

After a quick search around, mostly other forums that had the link to the same article, one had this

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/phosgene/basics/facts.asp

 

One forum has this to say http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/commu...ead.php?t=18108

Anything with chlorine in it will do that. If you see chlo... or chlor, chloro, etc, anywhere in the name of any of the ingredients, it has the potential to produce phosgene when burnt. Even welding in a commercial swimming pool's mechanical room will make phosgene

 

So i went out to the garage and had a hunt through my cans (brake cleaners of different brands a carby cleaner, a can of RP7 and typical paint spray cans) and all they said was what their propellent was and nothing of the active ingredients ?!

 

But then i came across this - http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/cnc-l...y-issue-185470/

Here's from OSHA http://www.osha.gov/doc/outreachtrai.....;/weldhlth.html

 

 

CHLORINATED HYDROCARBON SOLVENTS

 

Various chlorinated hydrocarbons are used in degreasing or other cleaning operations. The vapors of these solvents are a concern in welding and cutting because the heat and ultraviolet radiation from the arc will decompose the vapors and form highly toxic and irritating phosgene gas. (See Phosgene.)

 

PHOSGENE

 

Phosgene is formed by decomposition of chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents by ultraviolet radiation. It reacts with moisture in the lungs to produce hydrogen chloride, which in turn destroys lung tissue. For this reason, any use of chlorinated solvents should be well away from welding operations or any operation in which ultraviolet radiation or intense heat is generated.

Which seams interesting cause all but one of my cans uses hydrocarbons as its propellent. Carbon dioxide was used in a can brake cleaner.

[7shades]

Ever since I saw that article a few years ago (or may have been one just like it) I've taken to having a charcoal canister mask hanging in the shed. Its not hard to just hold it over your face for 30 seconds while you're spraying anything... Never know, might just save your life.

 

Same theory with other protective gear like eye masks... Only takes a few seconds to put on, potentially saves you from living the rest of your life with one eye or something.

 

Safety first kids |blink|

[corollaart]

Thats fairly scary stuff ,when you think about all the sh#t you spray around with out a thought. |blink|

[altezzaclub]

Chlorinated solvents make great de-greasers, but the ozone hole BS of a few decades ago meant they were banned in most applications. They don't burn by themselves, and cans containing them are very heavy. Carbon tetrachloride was one of the first, used in drycleaning for all the last century.

 

Carbon dioxide can be used as a propellant in some cases, depending on the solubility of the aerosol's contents, and its main advantage is that it only needs 5% of the can as a propellant. Most chlorinated/fluorinated propellants have been replaced by hydrocarbons (read butane/propane, like a cigarette lighter) but they take up a third of the can just for the propellant, and go up with quite a bang near a flame.

 

The heavy cans of brake cleaner still have chlorinated solvents in, the lighter ones have hydrocarbons.

[towe001]

I've taken to having a charcoal canister mask hanging in the shed.

Just remember to change the filter/s every so often - eg: breathing feels like its getting hard or your starting to smell the fumes.

[camerondownunder88]

Phosgen gas was used back in the war also to kill the enemy. usless history lesson there.

 

But to make phosgen gas from a can you need heat to start the reaction for it to form so I wouldnt worry to much. Id worry more about the crap in a can of diet coke or some thing killing you faster than spraying a can of brake cleaner.

 

But it has been out of many cans for ages as it was a CFC. Another place phsgen gas can be found is in halon fire fighting stuff. Halon puts flames out then under the heat a LOT of phosgen gas forms adn poisions the whole area.

 

Cheers

Cameron