Did you ever spill Hydrochloric Acid on yourself?

Question

I have to work with it for the first time in Chem tomorrow....
I don't know about you, but I like my eyes and their ability to see stuff. And I like skin to cover my bones.
Our school was dumb when they put in the new chem lab rooms: The sinks splash like there's no tomorrow, so I'm going to be even more likely to splash the acid on myself. Ugh.

She told us we are using 6M.
...not .1. Those numbers are VERY different, lol
Does that mean I'm working with like "the real deal" here?

Answer 1

For Heaven's sake, my Son, wear the gloves and goggles that you're given!!!! and if you're not given them, bring some with you beforehand!!!
Okay, now that I've calmed down, they should issue you protective gear such as eye wear and at least little lab gloves. The acid should be dilute enough for you to work with it.
Stay away from the Sodium metal though...it's explosive (and we blew a sink apart in Chem. I do NOT recommend it)

Answer 2

It will be fine. Usually in classrooms they will use diluted solutions of HCl (hydrochloric acid). From my experience the highest molarity of HCl that I have used is .1M, which is not that dangerous. You should still be careful, but as long as you wear goggles and an apron and close-toed shoes you should be fine. Just rinse it off well if it gets on your skin.

Also don't be like my dumb friend who picked up a beaker of it and put it right up to his nose to smell it. He basically burned all of his nose hairs out (and I know his was in some major pain) and also spilled some all over the floor.

6M HCl is pretty strong, but just be careful, and again cover up your feet in case some spills on the floor, and rinse it off if it gets on you. It would need to sit on your skin for a while before doing anything to you, so if you have to run top the sink 5 times during the experiment then do it to be safe.

Answer 3

No, but my lab partner did. It was our very first high school chem lab and we were using a very diluted amount of hydrochloric acid... and when he went to turn on the water to fill the test tube, it came out too strongly and got the solution all over his right hand and forearm. It was nothing serious, but he had green speckles from the dye for a while, and he said that they got uncomfortably warm at some points.

to the above answerer: yes, you'll be all right, just take care not to inhale it

Answer 4

Not Hydrochloric but Nitric acid. I used to make miniature weapons as letter openers and splashed the dilute acid on my forearm; the gloves were not long enough. A few yellowish scars but they cleared up with medical attention.
Hydrofluoric acid for glass etching, is a different matter and should not be used by amatures.
Rose P.

Answer 5

At work we would use a solution of hydrochloric acid, water and hydrogen peroxide to macro etch steel. I had it splash and go in to my eyes. (I was not wearing goggles just safety glasses.) It hurt like a son of a pup. I had to use the eye wash to clear it out. All that water pressure in to the eye and it felt good because it was taking away the pain of the acid in the eye. When it splashed on to my hands it was uncomfortable but not painful.

As the people above have said, use goggles and gloves while working with acid.

TMD

Answer 6

Yes, just a little. I got it on my arm.The solution that you will be using tomorrow is likely a 1 M (1 molar) solution, meaning (I think) that there is 1 mole of solute (HCl) per liter of solvent (water), so it isn't that strong. If you get it on you, it may feel a bit tingly, but it won't cause any damage. The only way to get hurt is to use a strong concentration of HCl or basically swim in the 1M solution.

EDIT: 6M? HOLY CRAP, that's strong stuff! Be careful not to get it on you...follow ALL the safety instructions that you are given and wear your goggles and gloves! Just ease the sink on and off to avoid splashing and you will be fine. If by any chance you do get it on you, alert your instructor IMMEDIATELY.

Answer 7

Yes, I have, actually. Well, the test tube dropped and broke on my hand. My lab partner can be blamed for that. The teacher started screaming "WASH YOUR HANDS, WASH YOUR HANDS..." I did, and funny enough, the sinks spray all over the place as well, so my shirt was soaked. It was 6M, I believe, so slightly stronger. =]

EDIT: The real deal, is upwards of 130M. So you are pretty safe, the 6M only stung a little bit, even after running it under water for about 5 minutes.

Answer 8

I didn't spill it on myself, but accidentally put my arm on a few drops that were on the table. I didn't notice at first, because it looked like water and was near a sink. But after about ten seconds, it started to sting. I washed it off though.
We were doing a metal, nonmetal, metalloid lab. We were testing certain element's ability to react with HCl and we tested if it could conduct electricity or not. I'm a junior, but I take chem. I must be stupid. Especially if I get HCl on myself.

Answer 9

just wear cloves, goggles, and face mask if u want (although u might probbly be mistaken for a starwars character wearing this one), and make sure to pour the contents slowly on the sides of the sink to lessen the splash... :)

Answer 10

It happens once in a while. As long as you wash it off afterwards its not going to do anything to your skin. I'd be more worried about getting it on my clothes and possibly staining them. As for your eyes, you wear goggles for a reason in chemistry lab.