It can also be used to bleach the wood pulp to produce a white result. If we look back into the origins of the word 'lye' the oldest name for sodium hydroxide, it comes from an old English word meaning 'wash stuff', and 'lye' was used as a term for strong soap from the 13th century onwards.
It's a rare example of putting a lye to good use. So, in the chemical industry, a lye can prove quite useful. That was Brian Clegg, with the soapy-clean chemistry of sodium hydroxide. Now, next week, a puff of paralysis. Tetrodotoxin, abbreviated to TTX, is obtained from the fugu fish, also known as the pufferfish, because when it is threatened it inflates its body to several times normal size. Symptoms start within a few minutes of ingesting it; they begin with tingling or numbness of the lips and tongue.
It spreads to other parts of the face, then more and more nerves and muscles are paralysed; the victim, who may remain fully conscious, becomes unable to move until they die of asphyxiation. And to find out just how the toxin has this effect, as well as how the pufferfish is safely served as a japanese delicacy, join Simon Cotton in next week's Chemistry in its element.
Until then, thank you for listening. I'm Meera Senthilingam. A DNA researcher tells the story of how humans have shaped the evolution of living things on Earth. Site powered by Webvision Cloud. Skip to main content Skip to navigation.
Related audio. Book club — Deep Sniff by Adam Zmith. Book club — Lessons from Plants by Beronda Montgomery. Sodium hydroxide. Brian Clegg proves how a lye can be useful in the chemical industry. Meera Senthilingam This week, some chemical lies. Here's Brian Clegg: Brian Clegg Some chemical compounds are simply known by their formulaic name - carbon dioxide, for example.
Topics Chemistry in its Element: Compounds Podcasts. Latest audio. Book club — Vampirology by Kathryn Harkup. Damage to the mouth, throat and stomach is immediate. Breathing it can cause severe irritation of the upper respiratory tract with coughing, burns and difficulty breathing.
The harmful effects of sodium hydroxide depend on several factors including the concentration of sodium hydroxide, length of time exposed, and whether you touched it, drank it or inhaled it.
Contact with very high concentrations of sodium hydroxide can cause severe burns to the eyes, skin, digestive system or lungs, resulting in permanent damage or death. Prolonged or repeated skin contact may cause dermatitis.
Repeated inhalation of sodium hydroxide vapor can lead to permanent lung damage. Contact the Poison Center at for more information about exposure to sodium hydroxide. Back in , sodium hydroxide was reported as one of the ten most commonly spilled or released chemicals in Tennessee. Spills and Emergencies — If employees are required to clean up spills, they must be properly trained and equipped. For sodium hydroxide in solution, absorb liquids in dry sand, earth, or a similar material and place into sealed containers for disposal.
Collect solid material in the most convenient and safe manner and place into sealed containers for disposal. It may be necessary to contain and dispose of sodium hydroxide as a hazardous waste. Sodium hydroxide reacts with strong acids hydrochloric, sulfuric or nitric , water, and moisture to rapidly release heat. Sodium hydroxide reacts with metals aluminum, lead, tin or zinc to form flammable and explosive hydrogen gas. Sodium hydroxide can form shock sensitive salts on contact with nitrogen containing compounds.
Sodium hydroxide is not compatible with oxidizing agents, chlorinated solvents, ammonia, and organic materials. Store in original, tightly closed, containers in a cool, well ventilated area away from water and moisture.
Sodium hydroxide can attack iron, copper, plastics, rubber, and coatings. Tennessee Poison Center www. Tennessee Department of Health - Healthy Homes www. Skip to Main Content. Go to TN. Print This Page. Caustic soda is one of the common names for sodium hydroxide NaOH , which is also known as lye. Its common name derives from its chemical identity as a sodium hydrate and because it is caustic or corrosive. In pure form, caustic soda is a waxy, white solid.
It readily absorbs water and forms aqueous solutions. Lye is used for soap making, candle making, homemade biodiesel, frosting glass, making several foods, and for chemistry experiments. It's much harder to get hold of lye than it used to be in the past.
The main source of caustic soda was Red Devil Lye, but that product is off the market now. Why is it hard to get lye? The reason is because it can be used to control pH during methamphetamine production.
There are still a few ways to get the chemical. This is especially important if you are making food, since an impure product may contain dangerous contaminants. Sources of lye include:. Be aware, when purchasing caustic soda or lye, you may need to sign a statement that you're not using it for illegal activities. Or, you may not need to sign anything, since a credit card pretty much provides all the details needed to find you if the authorities think you're a rising drug lord.
Depending on the purpose, you may be able to substitute a chemically similar strong base, potassium hydroxide KOH. This is a chemical you can, if you are extremely dedicated, make yourself by soaking wood ashes in water. To do this, soak a large quantity of ashes in a small amount of water. Allow about a week for the water to extract the lye. Drain the liquid, which contains potassium hydroxide, filter it, and boil it to concentrate the alkali.
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