Hydrochloric Acid Fumes

https://fscimage.fishersci.com/msds/11155.htm

thanks. but i am looking at a concentration of 5-7% HCl to decide whether to include a fume scrubber in my package design or not.

Any concentration, under the right circumstances.

thanks lyn. but i am looking at a concentration of 5-7% HCl to decide whether to include a fume scrubber in my package design or not.

Why didn't you say that in the first post?

lyn, any inputs on the revised comment.

5-7% represents the vapour space above the tank contents. Putting any operator in this vicinity represents an opportunity for the employer to be prosecuted under most nations' health & safety legislation!

If 5-7% is the concentration of the fumes, then concentrate on loss prevention, first. Anything else is simply bad housekeeping!

i am actually diluting 35% HCl with potable water to attain 5-7% concentration. I will like to know if fume scrubber is needed to be installed or not.

Why not just go ahead and do it.

Getting opinions from total strangers is not a safe way to go about this.

Go ahead and do it and see if you seriously burn, or kill, someone.

Adjust concentration downward until skin damage is minimal.

adithyaperi: It is very UNPROFESSIONAL of you to ask tota strangers technical safety questions of this nature.

PAY a professional to render an opinion, don't ask strangers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Better idea. You try it and report back to us, if you still have fingers.

Where does the basis for the need come from?

For example, in the UK it will come from the

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_and_Safety_at_Work_etc._Act_1974.

I suppose this is quite a good question, but it has no specific answer. You could equally ask "what concentration of carbon dioxide is harmful to the operator?" We breath it all the time. We exhale it with no problem, we drinks sodas saturated with it, but eventually at higher concentrations it becomes fatal. At 50% no doubt it would be fatal in a short time. At 5% it might be tolerable for a certain time. It's all a question of concentration and exposure time.

Similarly with HCl gas. HCl is not a particularly poisonous gas - we have moderately strong hydrochloric acid in our stomachs, but the gas does attack the mucous membrane. My gut feeling is that a 5% HCl solution is not harmful, but don't take my word for it!

http://epi.publichealth.nc.gov/oii/hcl/