Leader Bee Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 (edited) DHMO also known as hydric acid is a major component of acid rain and can cause severe burns. This same substance usually has a very high concentration in soft drinks and is readily available to many households. So you think there should be government controls restricting access to this chemical? Discuss. N.B: Should be under Inorganic Chemistry, sorry about that. Edited September 7, 2010 by Leader Bee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Skeptic Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 No -- DHMO is a very valuable industrial solvent and cleaner, and the economic costs of banning it would be insurmountable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leader Bee Posted September 7, 2010 Author Share Posted September 7, 2010 Do you not feel that such a readily accessible substance should not be banned, given how even children will have contact with it? DHMO can cause suffocation if inhaled? the risks are quite great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
insane_alien Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 it also causes tissue damage from prolonged exposure to its solid form Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sisyphus Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 So you think there should be government controls restricting access to this chemical? Eliminating altogether would be extremely undesirable, as there aren't really any workable substitutes for many of its most important applications. And enforcement would be very difficult anyway, due to its generally easily acquirable nature and the strong motives for evading such a law (think the war on drugs times a thousand). However, restricting certainly makes sense in some cases, though usually because of shortages rather than harm directly caused by usage. In fact, whole governments have been based on such restrictions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cap'n Refsmmat Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 I thought there were already efforts underway to collect DHMO from rivers and springs and contain it in secure plastic containers to prevent it from further leaking into the environment. This bottled DHMO can then be safely used in a controlled environment. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Skeptic Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 Do you not feel that such a readily accessible substance should not be banned, given how even children will have contact with it? DHMO can cause suffocation if inhaled? the risks are quite great. Given that it's so common, I think it would make more sense to educate children of the dangers. Mostly that they should not inhale any and avoid prolonged exposure to the crystalline form. Oh, and come to think of it, you probably should have linked to a website explaining DHMO. Otherwise, who knows what links your readers might find if they search for it themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cuthber Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 The details are, of course, kept closely guarded, but I understand* that DHMO formed part of the culture media used in the preparation of both the Soviet and US biological weapons. * I heard this from a "bloke down the pub" but I have talked in rather general terms with some microbiologists and I believe this is true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGK Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 I do believe Penn & Teller covered this particular little gem on one of their shows (season 1 Ep 13), they collected several hundred signatures on a banning petition at an environmentalist rally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mississippichem Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 It is a major contaminant in many of our lakes and rivers with concentrations reported near 55 M ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leader Bee Posted September 8, 2010 Author Share Posted September 8, 2010 Given that it's so common, I think it would make more sense to educate children of the dangers. Mostly that they should not inhale any and avoid prolonged exposure to the crystalline form. Oh, and come to think of it, you probably should have linked to a website explaining DHMO. Otherwise, who knows what links your readers might find if they search for it themselves. You're quite right. Please see the following link for further information on Dihydrogen Monoxide. http://www.dhmo.org/facts.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 Anyone can suffocate from inhaling water and it is dangerous around significant voltage/current in homes containing clumsy folk we should ban it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainPanic Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 Anyone can suffocate from inhaling water and it is dangerous around significant voltage/current in homes containing clumsy folk we should ban it Haha! You lose! You said "water"! :) At the same time, all statements above were true! DHMO is the cause of great suffering and misery on this planet. It left millions homeless only this very year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leader Bee Posted October 14, 2010 Author Share Posted October 14, 2010 Haha! You lose! You said "water"! :) I guess that post finally derails the fun of this thread. Sorry boys "Pools closed" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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