How dangerous is Aqua regia

[FrugalRefiner]

For terms you don't understand, see A Glossary of Common Terms.

Dave

 

[Yggdrasil]

Excuse me, I have a question for you. What is AR?

Aqua Regia

 

[geowizard]

The rational solution:

"If you don't know how to cook stay out of the kitchen".

Chemistry and in particular, reactive chemicals like acids are absolutely dangerous and are known to be deadly. Yes, be paranoid.

IMHO soliciting an answer to "how much?" with reference to exposure to acids including AR has no correct answer. The correct answer if there is one - is "zero"!

Never sniff acids or any other chemicals that may be toxic. Read about and learn about chemistry. Heed all of the cautions! Be smart. Grow smarter!

- Geowizard

 

[geowizard]

Aqua Regia

The subject is Aqua Regia.

- Geowizard

 

[Yggdrasil]

The subject is Aqua Regia.

- Geowizard

?

 

[Martijn]

"If you don't know how to cook stay out of the kitchen".

Or learn how to cook.

 

[FrugalRefiner]

The subject is Aqua Regia.

- Geowizard

?

He's pointing out to Birtan Varol, who asked what AR meant, that the title of the thread is How dangerous is Aqua regia.

Dave

 

[Yggdrasil]

He's pointing out to Birtan Varol, who asked what AR meant, that the title of the thread is How dangerous is Aqua regia.

Dave

Aah, but it seemed to be directed to me.

 

[Jell00]

extremely is you don’t have proper PPE and ventilation, pretty benign if you do,


I inhaled a lot of it, couple years ago, my lungs definitely didnt like it had breathing issues for a couple weeks, but it can kill you

 

[Argentum Auricle]

If you are worried about NOx fumes, use a scrubber. It's real easy to set up with some plastic tubing and some glass Ball jars. I use a two stage scrubber for NOx - first stage is for H2O2 to capture and convert NOx back into HNO3; second stage is for NaOH solution to catch any fugitive NOx not converted by the first step. See the attached pic. These gas scrubbers are in their gold refining configuration, but also double as air cleaners. I just dont have any picks of these in use as scrubbers. By using scrubbers with a closed reaction vessel, i produce exactly ZERO detectable NOx.

 

[J.Najam]

If you are worried about NOx fumes, use a scrubber. It's real easy to set up with some plastic tubing and some glass Ball jars. I use a two stage scrubber for NOx - first stage is for H2O2 to capture and convert NOx back into HNO3; second stage is for NaOH solution to catch any fugitive NOx not converted by the first step. See the attached pic. These gas scrubbers are in their gold refining configuration, but also double as air cleaners. I just dont have any picks of these in use as scrubbers. By using scrubbers with a closed reaction vessel, i produce exactly ZERO detectable NOx.

What concentration is your h202?

Edit : also I dont see your NaOH outlet

 

[Yggdrasil]

What concentration is your h202?

Edit : also I dont see your NaOH outlet

The bottles are identical so it is hidden by the position of the bottle.

 

[J.Najam]

The bottles are identical so it is hidden by the position of the bottle.

Right. Got it

 

[Argentum Auricle]

What concentration is your h202?

Edit : also I dont see your NaOH outlet

These bottles are in Cl2 gas - gold dissolution configuration, so there is is no H2O2, only NaOH.

For the NOx scrubber setup, first gas trap is 12% H202, second trap contains NaOH solution.

 

[J.Najam]

For the NOx scrubber setup, first gas trap is 12% H202, second trap contains NaOH solution.

Yeah my question was for this actually, and I appreciate your reply What concentration (HNO3) do you achieve?

 

[Argentum Auricle]

Yeah my question was for this actually, and I appreciate your reply What concentration (HNO3) do you achieve?

It depends. The spent scrubber solution can have a mix of both nitric and nitrous acids - the ratio of which is highly dependent on reaction temperature of the gas and scrubber liquor. On average, I'd say my recovered, dilute HNO3 solution is somewhere around 35% concentrated. It's good enough to be used (without diluting any further) for silver dissolution and 6k gold parting.

 

[J.Najam]

It depends. The spent scrubber solution can have a mix of both nitric and nitrous acids - the ratio of which is highly dependent on reaction temperature of the gas and scrubber liquor. On average, I'd say my recovered, dilute HNO3 solution is somewhere around 35% concentrated. It's good enough to be used (without diluting any further) for silver dissolution and 6k gold parting.

Oh nice!

Have you done a silver digestion with it?

 

[Argentum Auricle]

Oh nice!

Have you done a silver digestion with it?

Yes. Instead of covering silver scraps with distilled water, cover with recovered, dilute HNO3 solution. Of course, you will still need to add incremental shots of concentrated HNO3 for large lots after the HNO3 is exhausted from your recovery solution.

 

[Argentum Auricle]

I enjoy chemistry... especially GREEN chemistry that has minimal impact on the world around me.

 

[J.Najam]

Of course, you will still need to add incremental shots of concentrated HNO3 for large lots after the HNO3 is exhausted from your recovery solution.

Got it! Good luck with your recoveries!