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Re: Hydrofluoric Acid

To: "ShopTalk" <shop-talk@Autox.Team.Net>
Subject: Re: Hydrofluoric Acid
From: John Fisher <jfisher@alabama.com>
Date: Mon, 10 Feb 97 13:09:19 -0600
I have been following the HF thread, and feel compelled to add my $0.02.

I am the director of a Poison Control Center which receives many calls 
about HF exposure each year. These range from disasterous (100% HF fumes 
inhaled) to merely excruciating. HF in dilute solutions does not cause 
any pain at the time of skin exposure, but the fluoride ion migrates 
quite well through skin, and can cause deep, and VERY painful burns. As 
always, the best treatment is prevention. I heartily endorse the wear 
gloves, and IMMEDIATELY wash skin if splashed (plain water is fine) 
approach.


One of the more troubling exposures we see is hand contamination which is 
not washed. Within a couple of hours, mild burning which progresses to 
more severe pain, sometimes accompanied by tissue damage occurs. 
Fingernails are a bad problem, because HF penetrates nails, and nails 
often absorb a fairly substantial amount of HF thus becoming a deposit 
for continuing exposure. In many cases, the best solution is removal of 
the fingernail(s). As you might imagine, this smarts.

Moral of the story: Use according to label directions. Wear protective 
gloves. Immediately decontaminate exposed skin. First aid: (if symptoms 
occur) soak the affected area in cold milk. Milk contains calcium, which 
complexes with fluoride. Other possibilities include soaking in strong 
epsom salts solution (some ice may be added, but too much ice could 
superimpose a frostbite injury on the chemical injury). 

For patients seen in health care facilities, we normally recommend 
application of calcium gluconate or calcium chloride solutions or gels 
covered by a latex glove. Opiates are often required for pain. Deep 
tissue injuries may occur. This stuff is bad news. Be careful!

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