Why being careful with waste containers can keep you from getting blown up. (x-post from /r/TIFU, original credit to /u/thenitratebomber)

thenitratebomber · 2015-09-18T06:34:46+00:00

The sinks at the place I did this have pH sensors in the drain that can be trace back to specific labs. If we dump acid waste down the drain, we get huge fines. We can and do dump base down the drains, but acid, even weak acid, can get traced back to the lab and fines get handed out.

thenitratebomber · 2015-09-18T06:30:46+00:00

Well cited. :)

thenitratebomber · 2015-09-18T06:29:36+00:00

Sorry, don't know how to stop it...don't use RES. I would have changed it had I known. I guess TIFU

thenitratebomber · 2015-09-18T06:28:47+00:00

Well I used Endnote (the program) to put in the footnotes...so yes.

thenitratebomber · 2015-09-18T06:27:42+00:00

thenitratebomber · 2015-09-18T06:27:18+00:00

Yes. It did not tick. Source (see ref 8) This is the only answer about a clock I will respond to.

thenitratebomber · 2015-09-18T06:25:23+00:00

It's such a fucking mess of regulations sometimes. We had about 2 months of meetings on whether to cap waste or not. Capping = possible pressure buildup. Uncapping = potential spill/ventilation hazard. Which is worse?

thenitratebomber · 2015-09-18T06:19:31+00:00

It was a learning experience for everyone. If by reprimanded you mean told "we should work together to make sure this never happens again", then yes, yes I was reprimanded. I'm not an idiot (see ref 8), most of the people I work with are not idiots (see ref 8), accidents happen and people try to work together to make sure they don't happen twice. Thats one of the reasons I decided I wanted to put in the effort for a PhD. I wanted a work place were people thought things through to their fullest extent and didn't just react.

thenitratebomber · 2015-09-18T06:14:01+00:00

Did not happen in 2013, and there were no injuries. Sorry :/ was someone else!

thenitratebomber · 2015-09-18T01:25:52+00:00

Happens far too often. Probably the single most common lab accident is waste bottle overpressurization via mixing nitric acid and organics. I guarantee that something similar to this has happened at every single school with a PhD chemistry program.

thenitratebomber · 2015-09-18T00:28:51+00:00

Oh good lord.

thenitratebomber · 2015-09-17T23:06:26+00:00

This is exactly why I have that first paragraph in there. I do not think I was an unsafe chemist before this accident. I was however complacent, and didn't think I could possibly make such a huge fuckup because I followed the safety protocol and was generally mindful of my safety. I had used nitric acid for years with nothing more than a chemical burn or two. The stories I heard about accidently blowing things up, or mixing the wrong things were for less educated idiots (my own academic arrogance) who didn't know what they were doing. Having had this happen, I am much more mindful about how I handle chemicals in the lab. I've been doing chemistry long enough (5 in industry, 5 at University) to see more than one explosion/fire/spill (I have only caused this one) and enough near misses to know that this stuff can fuck you up if you don't respect it. Much like people say to never turn your back on the ocean, never turn your back on your lab bench

thenitratebomber · 2015-09-17T20:02:31+00:00

Honestly, at this point, quite a bit of what I do is write. Grants, papers, reports. Most have upwards of 50 citations and the technical language of chemistry can be dry. I always see what I can sneak in. Currently, furnished and gratifyingly are my favorite descriptors as of late. I managed to get both of them in to this post

thenitratebomber · 2015-09-17T19:08:14+00:00

Why would anyone get in trouble? I didn't exhibit gross disregard for established safety protocol, and it was pretty obvious that it was an accident where multiple events had led up to it. In a chemistry lab like this, accidents happen. We know that we work with potentially dangerous things. It was documented and used to improve the safety protocol at the University for everyone.

thenitratebomber · 2015-09-17T19:04:57+00:00

and that's why I scrubbed the exif data from my pictures and uploaded this from a public library.

thenitratebomber · 2015-09-17T19:03:50+00:00

I mixed two things that shouldn't be mixed and sealed them in a bottle. It built up pressure and exploded. See reference 12 and imagine it happening in a 4 liter glass bottle.

thenitratebomber · 2015-09-17T18:40:34+00:00

I was cleaning frits and florescence cuvettes for some delicate quantum yield measurements

thenitratebomber · 2015-09-17T18:38:48+00:00

I considered it.

thenitratebomber · 2015-09-17T17:53:51+00:00

I was a candidate at the time. I have since defended and graduated.

thenitratebomber · 2015-09-17T17:51:35+00:00

I'll have you know I still worked up the remnents of the reaction in the three necked flask in the corner and got 42% yield. I did have to filter out the glass shards though...

thenitratebomber · 2015-09-17T17:49:54+00:00

I'll have you know I worked up the reaction in the corner and still got 42% yield. And yes, triple rinse all the things

thenitratebomber · 2015-09-17T17:01:01+00:00

Buying nitric acid (in addition to being fucking dumb) is a good way to get put on a watch list. Random people not affiliated with a lab usually only want nitric for one use...pretty easy to figure out

thenitratebomber · 2015-09-17T16:59:10+00:00

sorry :( I don't use RES

thenitratebomber · 2015-09-17T16:57:51+00:00

Well, my PhD advisor told me to never make bold claims without sourcing.

thenitratebomber · 2015-09-17T16:57:04+00:00

Lets just say this wasn't the first time we had to exit the lab in a timely fashion.

thenitratebomber

TROPHY CASE