The Most Toxic Chemical You've Handled

[Slenn]

The title says it all. What is the most toxic chemical you have handled. Just the other day I was using aqua regia to etch a vial, which is a 3:1 combo of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid. And I thought that it was the most hazardous thing I've ever used. Although, the liquid nitrogen for physics demos would be another compound that could've been equally as dangerous.

 

[Klumpfot]

Either arsenic, or a bottle of mercury. Mercury is very, very heavy.

 

[Shio]

Um... Not sure. I blew a test-tube up while screwing around in high-school once. Soooo, whatever that was, lol.

 

[jakko12345]

Super-concentrated hydrochloric acid. Don't ask how i obtained it, but it was fun to burn holes in stuff.

 

[Hellz_Barz]

I did work in a mechanics shop ounce and just about everything there is a carcinogenic. Also when I was testing soil compaction we use to microwave it to dry it out before hand. I originally thought all the stuff coming out of the soil was just steam, but then one of my work mates told me it was really toxic and I was like "oh shit!" cause I never really avoided breathing it in.

 

[Crazy_Dude]

Sulphuric Acid

Our school doesnt let us work with really dangerous chemicals untill we are atleast in the 2nd/3rd year.

 

[PlatinumRenegade]

Probably Hydrochloric Acid. My school obviously won't let the students use anything that dangerous.

 

[MetaKnight19]

I don't know if caesium is toxic, but it is undoubtedly the most fun chemical I've handled.

 

[exessmirror]

nitroglycerin if you can call that an chemical
otherwise it would be teargas
and if you call stable explosives an chemical that is something i also had once
i made them in case of riots or something like that

 

[9of9]

While not strictly-speaking toxic, the radioactive samples back in physics class at school were probably the most dangerous. I don't really remember how strong the radiation was, but they were kept in lead containers in wooden boxes that would burn and weld the metal shut in the case of a fire to prevent radioactive material escaping.

 

[Kopikatsu]

Probably Hydrochloric Acid. My school obviously won't let the students use anything that dangerous.

Funny, 'cause we used Hydrochloric Acid in Chemistry...

OT: Either Hydrochloric Acid or Chloroform. (Both from Chemistry)

'cause Chloroform is toxic, but I don't think HA is. It just melts things.

 

[awmperry]

Well, he did say "toxic" rather than "dangerous", so I'd have to say warfarin (or whatever the rat poison we use is based on). I've used a whole load of chemicals more *dangerous* than that, be they corrosive or explosive or whatever, but from memory I'd say that's the most toxic.

 

[C95J]

Um... Not sure. I blew a test-tube up while screwing around in high-school once. Soooo, whatever that was, lol.

Pretty much this, except it wasn't restricted to a test-tube. Our Chemistry teacher put on this awesome magic show where we basically just blew shit up, made fire and smoke bombs. Not sure what any of the chemicals were but they were probably at least a bit dangerous

 

[Nightmare-Child]

Liquid Nitrogen.

 

[SckizoBoy]

I don't know if caesium is toxic, but it is undoubtedly the most fun chemical I've handled.

Francium gives an even bigger explosion. *meh*

[sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup]EDIT: Yes, yes, I know francium decomposes to astatine (after about 20 minutes)... which then decomposes after 10 hrs... already been called out on this.[/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup]

OT:

Most corrosive: trifluoroacetic acid (probably) or aqua regia for a fellow student's art project. Cleaning that piece of sheet iron was not nice...
Most toxic: Hmmm... don't really know, phenol, probably, though potassium cyanide, mercury/zinc amalgam, butyl lithium, lithium diisopropylamine...
Most hazardous: white phosphorus...

 

[aba1]

nothing all that serious but my gf is a Pharmaceutical technologist so she deals with pritty heavy chemicals on a daily basis

 

[Smeg_head]

Just 2M Hydrochloric Acid and 2M Sodium Hydroxide, nothing special

 

[Mentally_AFK]

Ethidium Bromide's a good time. It's basically guaranteed to give you three-headed grandchildren if you mess up with it too often. Most genetics labs (mine included) use it to stain agarose gels.