Absorbed acid through skin

[Goldmember123]

Hello I have a question ! I have tried looking this up on the internet but having a hard time finding my answers, and I don't know if it's the way I'm typing my question But if a person were to have absorbed acid into their hand. From not carefully handling sulfuric acid in the past...does anyone off hand know of any remedies to help remove acid from the inside of your body ? mabe flush it out ? Or a vitamin or vegetable regime ? I know amputation is an option but I'm asking about remedies that don't require amputation ! Thank you ! All constructive answers to my question are welcome. Thank you ! May you be blessed on all your shifts !

 

[Yggdrasil]

My first reaction is go to the hospital and tell what happened.
They have trained people and equipment.

 

[orvi]

Sulfuric acid is non-toxic. It is corrosive and dehydrating when concentrated, but certainly it is not toxic. There is no need to be concerned about "acid in your body", your body dealt with it right away.
Chemical burns from sulfuric acid are just destructive - etching and charring your flesh, but actually nothing much else. But it is sufficient to f**k your life for some weeks, slow healing :/ Sulfates are common anions.

 

[niks neims]

I wouldn't worry about virgin sulfuric (apart from immideate physical damage)
But if it had anything in solution - metals, salts - you can certainly get in trouble. First course of action would be to get full blood work done, look for heavy metal poisoning.

Edit: I think I read somewhere that nitric (upon contact with skin) can be carcinogenic, don't know about sulfuric...

 

[doctor]

Hello I have a question ! I have tried looking this up on the internet but having a hard time finding my answers, and I don't know if it's the way I'm typing my question But if a person were to have absorbed acid into their hand. From not carefully handling sulfuric acid in the past...does anyone off hand know of any remedies to help remove acid from the inside of your body ? mabe flush it out ? Or a vitamin or vegetable regime ? I know amputation is an option but I'm asking about remedies that don't require amputation ! Thank you ! All constructive answers to my question are welcome. Thank you ! May you be blessed on all your shifts !

You could try activated charcoal.

 

[trouvail]

You could try activated charcoal.

Sulfuric acid will cause more or less severe burn wounds to skin and untherlying tissue, all depending on concentration, duration of exposure before adequate removal... Absorbtion through (damaged) skin is very unlikely to occur. If small amounts should get in the bloodstream body fluids will immediately neutralize the acid. No further steps needed. Larger amounts directly into the circulation (how? Injection...?) cause death in seconds. Hence, there are two outcomes : 1) more or less chemical burn of skin, (and deeper tissue if not rinced off ASAP) or 2) instant death.
Work safe

 

[michelegray25]

I had a sulfuric acid spill on my arm a couple of years ago. I didn't know that I had it on my arm until it started burning really bad, it hurt. I washed it really good with water, and I kept it clean. It was an open wound for a while, but it healed and everything was okay for me.

 

[Alondro]

Sulfuric will just cause chemical burns, as others have said. Same with hydrochloric acid. Nitric acid is more dangerous. That can nitrosylate biochemical components of the cells and cause longer-term damage to the tissues, also forming carcinogenic compounds. Concentrated formic acid (used for one method of palladium reduction) is a poison, though at much more dilute concentrations it's harmless, anti-microbial, and often used as a food preservative!

Concentration is key for the actions of so many chemicals!

 

[Martijn]

Larger amounts directly into the circulation (how? Injection...?)

Some medical info like that was found after tests on people in WW2 in the concentration camps.
How much air can you inject in the blood stream without death or serious blood clogs.. How long without water / air / food before you die? How much oxygen is the absolute minimum for how long... etc. etc. etc.

Awful but true.

We now use rats.