Hey Joe,
Joe Street wrote:
Where is the toxicology?
For those on the list unfamiliar with MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet)
and the terminology this is what is missing
no LD50 (lethal dose for 50% death rate -usually tested with rats)
no LC50 (lethal concentration for 50% death rate)
There may not be data on sodium methoxide due to its reactivity: in
the body it quickly (essentially instantaneously) equilibrates to
sodium hydroxide and methanol.
and more importantly
no TLV (Threshold Limit Value which relates to the maximum allowable
exposure before serious health effects appear due to daily repeated
exposure)
no OEL (Time Weighted Average (TWA) which refers to what someone decides
is an acceptable concentration which a worker can be exposed to over a
working shift time period)
TEL and OEL as far as I am aware relate only to volatiles. Sodium
Methoxide is a hygroscopic solid, hence no data.
I cannot find any of this information for methoxide or for that matter
for biodiesel. The studies probably have not been done. Biodiesel is
probably considered nonhazardous when it is washed but maybe this is not
the case for unwashed BD. Unfortunately laws allow dangerous compounds
to be sold and used so long as documentation is on hand even if that
documentation says that the toxicological properties are unknown. It is
not required that the studies be done. In many cases the MSDS turns out
to be a worthless peice of paper and is only a formality of doing
business especially where proprietary formulations are involved.
Ahh the power of the corporation.
Regardless of their faults, they are still the best data readily
available to the public.
--
Bob Allen
http://ozarker.org/bob
"Science is what we have learned about how to keep
from fooling ourselves" — Richard Feynman
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