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Question for the Science Kids

peekaboo2011peekaboo2011 member
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We were doing an Aldol Condensation in organic today.  No big deal.  But, I wasn't wearing gloves and may have gotten either sodium hydroxide, acetophenol or acetone on my finger...I don't have a hole in my finger (this happened like 8 hours ago), but my finger is getting quite itchy.  I made sure to wash my hands after lab, but this started about an hour ago and is super obnoxious.  Thoughts?  Any idea how long my finger is going to itch?

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Re: Question for the Science Kids

  • mookow86mookow86
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I'm pretty sure you'll be fine...if it was anything terrible your finger would be gone by now :-p JK, you're fine, your skin is probably just dry.
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  • sparkles88sparkles88 member
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    edited December 2011
    BF works in the chem lab at school. He says to put baking soda on it for a bit.  It will neutralize it and probably help with the itching. It's the sodium hydroxide making your hand itch.
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  • nefariousmangonefariousmango
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Acetone and acetophenol are pretty much harmless, just irritants.  Either one would probably explain why your hand itches!  What molarity was the sodium hydroxide?

    Whenever I think I spilled on my hand, it itches.  I think it's mental, at least for me, and my hands are always dry and itchy anyway from wearing gloves and washing my hands all the time.
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  • peekaboo2011peekaboo2011 member
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    edited December 2011
    As soon as I get back to my room I'll hunt down the baking soda.  Tell your BF I said thanks sparkles. :)

    Mango, we weren't informed of specific molarities.  15 mL had 0.9 g NaOH, but it was sodium hydroxide, ethanol and water, which is beyond my mathematical capabilities for the evening.  I do know that we had 3M acetone. 

    And these are some of the reasons that I will be DONE with required chemistry classes after this semester.
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  • Blue & WhiteBlue & White member
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    edited December 2011
    sodium hydroxide usually burns me instead of itching ;)  so you made out lucky!  You can make a baking soda paste or continue to wash excessively.  It's probably better by now :)
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  • SassyFlatsSassyFlats member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I am not a science kid, but I know about acetone from having my nails done. That stuff is harsh on your skin, but fairly hamless in the long-run. I've noticed redness, dryness, and itchy-ness (?) after removing acrylic nails with acetone. I decided to just say "no" to future acrylics once my skin started peeling.

    But no permanent damage here!
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  • peekaboo2011peekaboo2011 member
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    edited December 2011
    I did the baking soda paste last night.  It is much better, thanks everyone!

    Acetone usually doesn't make me itchy or red, just super dry.  I'm still not completely sure what it was I splashed on my hand, but I remember accidentally flicking a pipette out of one of the test tubes and something smacking me in the hand.  It also may have been the crystallized benzoic acid I spilled all over everything.  Oops.  I'm a klutz.
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  • alanna91alanna91 member
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Not a science kid, but I just want to you say you guys are awesome. It was an entertaining post, and one that history kids like me certainly never have. I wish I understood science!

    Last time I took a class like that was my junior year in highschool. I spilled some blue liquid on me and my chem teacher told me it was going to burn through my skin to my bone. Turns out, it was water with food coloring.... />_ />
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