Replies

1. 
   IanDG | May 24, 2005 06:15am | #1

   MEK can only be worked with safely using a positive pressure respirator.

   I've had to use it on a floor on two occasions -- both times I wore a respirator with charcoal cartridges but each time I was affected by the fumes although there was no smell.

   The symptoms included insomnia for 2 days after use.

   IanDG

2. 
   mikegagne | May 24, 2005 10:26am | #2

   MEK/acetone is an organic solvent combo and is filterable. Its the mehylene chloride that comprises most strippers that is the deadly component. If you put your hand in a container with meth chloride in the bottom you will feel pain in your hand as you approach the chemical without even touching it. Bad stuff-cannot be made safe at all..... Aloha, Mike

3. 
   AlanWS | May 24, 2005 07:31pm | #3

   I'm a chemist. Acetone and the related MEK are not as bad as many things, but deserve respect. A charcoal filter will remove some, and not being able to smell it does say you've gotten rid of most of it. Charcoal filters are not really filters though, they are essentially traps that are sticky for lots of stuff, and must be replaced before they fill up and lose effectiveness.

   Of course, if the air you breathe does not all go through the charcoal, you are not as well protected. Smell is funny in another way. If you get a big dose, your sensitivity can go away, and you may be exposed without knowing it. So I'd say that a charcoal filter will protect you, but you need a lot of training and careful procedure to be SURE it will protect you. For occasional use, with as much ventilation as you can manage, the charcoal will be a helpful addition that will keep you pretty safe. But OSHA would want more.

   Acetone has another nasty feature, other than its inflammability. If you dissolve something in acetone and then get it on your skin, it can transport the dissolved stuff through your skin into your bloodstream. Wear gloves, and make sure they are the correct type. Acetone can go through some types of gloves too. DMSO is also pretty non-toxic by itself, but even more dangerous in this way.

   
   

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   Edited 5/24/2005 12:32 pm ET by AlanS

1. 
   forestgirl | May 24, 2005 08:12pm | #4

   "DMSO is also pretty non-toxic by itself, but even more dangerous in this way."  DMSO's the first thing I thought of when reading your post.  Used to use it on the horses.  If I got DMSO and liniment on my hand(s) I could taste the liniment about a minute later!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

1. 
   MarkRD | May 24, 2005 08:24pm | #5

   Hey FG,
   You're not supposed to lick your fingers :-)Mark

   Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.

   View Image

4. 
   nikkiwood | May 25, 2005 02:12am | #6

   As you well know, different people have different reaction levels to all these chemicals. If you're using this stuff sporadically, and for limited periods, I would think you would be fine with a charcoal filter on top of your regular respirator.

   Just remember, as others have noted, once exposed to air, charcoal filters fill up pretty quickly -- a day's use is the most you should expect.

   Any safety supply outfit can look up the chemical you're using, and tell you exactly what kind of respirator or combination of filters you need. For a long time, for example, standard organic vapor filters in combination with a charcoal filter were considered adequate for Methylene Cholride; then they changed the standard, and now, a respirator with a fresh air supply is recommended.

   But back to your original question about smell. Years ago, a safety guy told me that smell alone was not always a reliable indicator. He counseled that I pay attention to taste, and if the taste in my mouth started to change, then I should change the filter. Once I started to be aware of this, I did in fact find that the taste sensation would suddenly, and perceptibly change, alerting me that it was time to go find a new set of filters.

   ********************************************************
   "I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong."
   -- Bertrand Russell

1. 
   Biscardi | May 25, 2005 04:42am | #7

   Thanks everyone for their thoughts.

    

   Frank

1. 
   nikkiwood | May 25, 2005 05:26am | #8

   Geez Frank --- you're a pulmonary doc, right?You should be telling us about all this stuff..................Or --- was this a sly test? (:) (can't remembe how you're suppose to do those smiley faces).********************************************************
   "I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong."
   -- Bertrand Russell

1. 
   Biscardi | May 25, 2005 06:03pm | #10

   Nikki,

    

   I am not an industrial hygenist or occupational medicine person. They usually deal in such things.

    

   Thanks

   Frank

5. 
   VomSorb | May 25, 2005 05:06pm | #9

   Outside, downwind and set up a fan blowing fumes away.  Wear a respirator too.

   
   

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   Edited 5/25/2005 10:08 am ET by cstan

6. 
   WillGeorge | May 26, 2005 12:13am | #11

   If I can't smell it, am I OK

    

   Just before I ran over that SKUNK!

7. 
   WillGeorge | May 26, 2005 12:28am | #12

   "can not be rendered safe"..

   Sort of like a wife but ya can live with her if ya don't meet to often!