is this dangerous?

[jordehwa]

i am doing electrolysis on a highly saturated solution of sodium chloride in a glass in the first 10 minutes the solution was yellow and only a salty smell.10 mins after that about an inch of thick stuff on top it was dark orange and the rest was not thick and was also dark orange and the very bottom of the glass was about an inch of clear almost colorless but a tiny bit of pinkish color . i stoped here just in case

 

can some please tell what all this is and what would of happend if i let it go on longer like much longer. anyone that sees this and knows please tell me. thanks

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update i collected the pink stuff and then i mixed the solution and let it settle on the bottom for about an hour and there was a very thin layer of stuff on to very thick layer on the bottom and in middle it was ver clear no color at all i also collected this. so again please tell me what all this is thanks

Edited October 16, 2009 by jordehwa

[dr.syntax]

i am doing electrolysis on a highly saturated solution of sodium chloride in a glass in the first 10 minutes the solution was yellow and only a salty smell.10 mins after that about an inch of thick stuff on top it was dark orange and the rest was not thick and was also dark orange and the very bottom of the glass was about an inch of clear almost colorless but a tiny bit of pinkish color . i stoped here just in case

 

can some please tell what all this is and what would of happend if i let it go on longer like much longer. anyone that sees this and knows please tell me. thanks

---

Merged post follows:

Consecutive posts merged

update i collected the pink stuff and then i mixed the solution and let it settle on the bottom for about an hour and there was a very thin layer of stuff on to very thick layer on the bottom and in middle it was ver clear no color at all i also collected this. so again please tell me what all this is thanks

 

REPLY: sodium chloride is table salt . Is table salt what you are working with ? If you are not working with table salt you are not working with sodium chloride. If you don`t know what you are doing stop dong it and stick whatever you have there outside. Are these some homemade electrodes ? Please stop what you are doing if you are unsure of what you are working with. What is the container you are using made of ? All of these things enter into whatever chemical reactions you are creating. As far as I know the process you described would result in chlorine [ a very poisonous element ] collecting around the positive electrode and sodium [ a very reactive metal ]collecting around the the negative electrode. You may be creating a dangerous mixture. Please stop what you are doing and put that container out side. ...DS

Edited October 16, 2009 by dr.syntax

[hermanntrude]

As far as I know the process you described would result in chlorine [ a very poisonous element ] collecting around the positive electrode and sodium [ a very reactive metal ]collecting around the the negative electrode.

 

you'll never make sodium by electrolysis of an aqueous solution. Don't worry about that (read my thread on "no you CAN'T make sodium!"). However if he was using iodised salt, it could be a touch of iodine dissolved in the water, perhaps? certainly he'll be making chlorine, and he's already been warned about that.

[jordehwa]

i am using table salt and the electrodes are made of copper. the salt i used says it does not supply iodide.

 

so do you think the thick orange stuff is chlorine it does not smell like it how can i find out.

 

and whats the pink stuff .

 

is there any other possible chemicals in the solution.

[Caleb]

i am doing electrolysis on a highly saturated solution of sodium chloride in a glass in the first 10 minutes the solution was yellow and only a salty smell.

 

REPLY: What is the container you are using made of ?

 

Where you using disstilled water, and where there any bubbles?

If you were not using disstilled water it could be the other minerals in the water. If you were using disstilled water it could be, like Dr. Syntax stated, the chemicals composing of the container.

 

Now, my wild theory is, if there where not any bubbles it might be the hydrogen and oxygen from the electrolysis of the water reacting with something else in there, but, I am not an expert and I am not completly sure.

[StringJunky]

Anticaking agents are used in table salt. Its probably one of those that's causing the red and orange residues. I've extracted this from Wikipedia:

 

" Since the 1950s it has been common to add a trace of sodium ferrocyanide to the brine in the United Kingdom; this acts as an anticaking agent by promoting irregular crystals.[21] The safety of Sodium ferrocyanide as a food additive was confirmed in the United Kingdom in 1993. [22] Other anticaking agents (and potassium iodide, for iodised salt) are generally added after crystallization.[citation needed] These agents are hygroscopic chemicals which absorb humidity, keeping the salt crystals from sticking together. Some anti-caking agents used are tricalcium phosphate, calcium or magnesium carbonates, fatty acid salts (acid salts), magnesium oxide, silicon dioxide, calcium silicate, sodium aluminosilicate, and calcium aluminosilicate. Concerns have been raised regarding the possible toxic effects of aluminium in the latter two compounds[citation needed]; however, both the European Union and the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) permit their use.[23] The refined salt is then ready for packing and distribution."

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt

[jordehwa]

it was just a plain glass jar and the water was tap there were bubbles on both electrodes.

 

i have another question what will happen if i use electrolysis

on alcohol?

 

or on a solution of alum?

 

or on 30% H202 (Hydrogen peroxide)

[dr.syntax]

it was just a plain glass jar and the water was tap there were bubbles on both electrodes.

 

i have another question what will happen if i use electrolysis

on alcohol?

 

or on a solution of alum?

 

or on 30% H202 (Hydrogen peroxide)

 

REPLY: jordehwa, what is this all about my friend ? You are on some dangerous trip here. You need to eat some food and get some sleep. Do you have a relative or friend to turn who can comfort you ? Hydrogen peroxide in strong enough concentration is highly unstable and explosive. What subjecting it to electrolysis may do I do not know. It may turn it into water and O2. I really don`t know. There are many dfferent compounds that are alcohols. Many. So what specific alcohol are you referring to ? Most if not all of your questions can be answered doing a google search. Why not try doing that for a while, You will be sure to learn much. Take Care, ...Dr.Syntax

[hermanntrude]

dr syntax is perhaps being a bit heavy-handed with his words but he does have a point, jordehwa. You can't do chemistry by just randomly choosing some random chemicals and then subjecting them to a random procedure. Most of the time nothing very interesting will happen, sometimes something interesting will happen but you won't have a clue what it was and every now and then, something will kill or hurt you.

 

Please plan your experiments first and be prepared for safety issues that might come up.