Not too swift Carlos. If I am not mistaken when Ferric Chloride and water are mixed it produces Hydrogen Chloride Gas which may be fatal if inhaled. I would take it to professionals to be disposed of and never pour it directly into the toilet without it being neutralized. It literally could be your last flush.
"If I am not mistaken when Ferric Chloride and water are mixed it produces Hydrogen Chloride Gas"
A- Nothing in the MSDS suggest this, in fact dilution with water is mentioned in some of the links above.
B- The most common industrial use is in sewage treatment which implies mixing with water on a large scale.
C- I've used it many times to etch PCB, rinsing the PCBs afterward with water as well as general clean up. (The bulk is reused until proper disposal is needed.) I do this outside because of the nasty stains, but have never got a whiff of HCl.
D- The form in which you buy it from MG Chemical, specifically for board etching it already dilute.
A- Nothing in the MSDS suggest this, in fact dilution with water is mentioned in some of the links above.
B- The most common industrial use is in sewage treatment which implies mixing with water on a large scale.
C- I've used it many times to etch PCB, rinsing the PCBs afterward with water as well as general clean up. (The bulk is reused until proper disposal is needed.) I do this outside because of the nasty stains, but have never got a whiff of HCl.
D- The form in which you buy it from MG Chemical, specifically for board etching it already dilute.
You may want to re-read the links a few posts back. Here is an exerpt from one of them.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strengths and mixing
Ferric chloride can be obtained either as a solid (not recommended as it can give off highly toxic hydrogen chloride fumes when mixed with water) or in liquid form when it is usually supplied in a strength of 45† Baume. This mea-surement equates to a specific gravity of approximately 1.43 or a weight to volume ratio of 39-41%. Purveyors of ferric chloride can use any of these measure-ments and often profess complete ignorance of any form of the others!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Even the liquid version can give off Hydrogen Chloride Gas if enough is mixed with water. You can do what you wish but I don't think it is right for people who don't have all the facts to encourage others to emulate their bad actions. Be ashamed, be very ashamed.
The liquid you can buy is diluted in a controlled environment during manufacture. The MG Chemicals Tech Support Page even warns about diluting with water.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. The container of ferric chloride is not enough to fill my etching tank. Do I dilute it with water?
A. Do not dilute ferric chloride with water.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And by the way, you could never get a wiff of HCL gas because it is odorless and colorless.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strengths and mixing
Ferric chloride can be obtained either as a solid (not recommended as it can give off highly toxic hydrogen chloride fumes when mixed with water) or in liquid form when it is usually supplied in a strength of 45† Baume. This mea-surement equates to a specific gravity of approximately 1.43 or a weight to volume ratio of 39-41%. Purveyors of ferric chloride can use any of these measure-ments and often profess complete ignorance of any form of the others!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Even the liquid version can give off Hydrogen Chloride Gas if enough is mixed with water. You can do what you wish but I don't think it is right for people who don't have all the facts to encourage others to emulate their bad actions. Be ashamed, be very ashamed.
The liquid you can buy is diluted in a controlled environment during manufacture. The MG Chemicals Tech Support Page even warns about diluting with water.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. The container of ferric chloride is not enough to fill my etching tank. Do I dilute it with water?
A. Do not dilute ferric chloride with water.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And by the way, you could never get a wiff of HCL gas because it is odorless and colorless.
Than you for suggesting I go back and re-read the data.
Pasted from MG Chemicals
"Q. How do I dispose of Ferric Chloride Solution?
A. There are two ways:
Contact your local Hazardous Waste Disposal Company
The solution must not be put down the drain because of residual copper ions left in it. To make it safe for disposal, you can add sodium carbonate (washing soda) or sodium hydroxide to it to neutralize it, until the pH value goes up to between 7.0 and 8.0, testing it with indicator paper. Copper will be deposited as a sludge. Allow the sludge to settle, pour off the liquid, further dilute it with water and then it can be poured down the drain. Collect the sludge in plastic bags and dispose of it as required by your local waste authority. "
Pasted fro hillbrothers:
"Hazardous Decomposition Products: Ferric Chloride, ferric oxide, hydrogen chloride or chlorine may be formed under thermal decomposition"
Throughout the links standard first aid if contacted is thorough flushing with water.
The dry (anhydrous) form, if I understood correctly when mixed with water will liberate heat - it seems to be the heat that is associated with HCl generation. This appears in all the firefighting info, which BTW doesn't warn against using water.
In any case, spent solution should be deactivated with sodium carbonate or sodium hydroxide regardless of what you do with it next.
If you are going to be etching your own PCBs the alternative is Sodium Persulphate. The documentation on that stuff makes FC look absolutely benign. Explosive chemicals are something I can pass on.
Pasted from MG Chemicals
"Q. How do I dispose of Ferric Chloride Solution?
A. There are two ways:
Contact your local Hazardous Waste Disposal Company
The solution must not be put down the drain because of residual copper ions left in it. To make it safe for disposal, you can add sodium carbonate (washing soda) or sodium hydroxide to it to neutralize it, until the pH value goes up to between 7.0 and 8.0, testing it with indicator paper. Copper will be deposited as a sludge. Allow the sludge to settle, pour off the liquid, further dilute it with water and then it can be poured down the drain. Collect the sludge in plastic bags and dispose of it as required by your local waste authority. "
Pasted fro hillbrothers:
"Hazardous Decomposition Products: Ferric Chloride, ferric oxide, hydrogen chloride or chlorine may be formed under thermal decomposition"
Throughout the links standard first aid if contacted is thorough flushing with water.
The dry (anhydrous) form, if I understood correctly when mixed with water will liberate heat - it seems to be the heat that is associated with HCl generation. This appears in all the firefighting info, which BTW doesn't warn against using water.
In any case, spent solution should be deactivated with sodium carbonate or sodium hydroxide regardless of what you do with it next.
If you are going to be etching your own PCBs the alternative is Sodium Persulphate. The documentation on that stuff makes FC look absolutely benign. Explosive chemicals are something I can pass on.
- Status
- This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.