On Fri, 10 Nov 2006 17:32:07 +0100, Len Warner <
yahoo@...>
wrote:
> It's worse than that, it's deliquescent.
> Then it dissociates and ferric hydroxide precipitates
> leaving a strongly acidic solution.
> So if your container of formerly anhydrous ferric chloride
> should be leaky enough to let the liquor out, or its plastic
> become embrittled with age, it can leave both iron stains
> and acid burns.
> That's what caught out my dad when he put a plastic pot
> of my (double poly-bagged) ferric chloride on a high shelf
> so the label couldn't be read to see what it was, then,
> much later, lifted it down by the lid - which disintegrated.
> It splashes quite a long way when dropped 6 feet onto a
> concrete garage floor.
> Best to store that kind of stuff low down on a catch-tray or
> in an additional bucket - and still treat it gingerly.
> Regards, LenW
Thanks Len, the deliquescent delinquent will go into a secondary container
tomorrow (The bags are in a cardboard box now).
The plastic bags seemed in good shape last time i checked up on them, but
better not take a risk.
BTW i have the yellow granular stuff, i believe that is not anhydrous. But
it's still taking up water.
ST