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Have you seen the MSDS on acetic acid? Drinking a strong acid isn't good for your health. Chronic Effects on Humans: MUTAGENIC EFFECTS: Mutagenic for mammalia

by adrr 9y ago

Have you seen the MSDS on acetic acid? Drinking a strong acid isn't good for your health. Chronic Effects on Humans: MUTAGENIC EFFECTS: Mutagenic for mammalian somatic cells. Mutagenic for bacteria and/or yeast. May cause damage to the following organs: kidneys, mucous membranes, skin, teeth. http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9922769 http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9922769

pc86 9y ago
Well then it's a good thing we're talking about vinegar, which is 4-6% acetic acid, unless you're talking about wine vinegar (we're not), and not talking about 100% pure acetic acid, which is what you linked.
- tptacek 9y ago
  You're kind of making his point for him.
logfromblammo 9y ago
Chemically, a "strong acid" is one that dissociates completely in solution. HCl, H2SO4, HNO3, HBr, HI, HClO4, HClO3 comprise the complete list. That's it. All other acids have a dissociation constant, pKa. The pKa for acetic acid is 4.76 . It is a "weak acid", but then again, so is HF, with a pKa of 3.17 . If you have ever seen Breaking Bad, you have seen what even a "weak acid" can do to the human body at high concentrations. The usual story about acetic acid is that your chem prof was pipetting glacial acetic acid by mouth, and they accidentally got some in their mouth, and all the cells lining their oral cavity peeled off the next day. And they used bulbs or thumbwheel pumps on their pipettes ever since. Not sure if this story is especially common or if it is made up to scare students into using the lab equipment safely. But anyway, the point is that the ill effects for caustic chemicals are largely dependent on concentration. "Vinegar" is acetic acid diluted to between 4 wt% and 18 wt%. You can drink vinegar, and just have skin rashes and weak teeth. If you drink enough glacial acetic acid (>99 wt%), you're going to die.

by adrr 9y ago

pc86 9y ago

Well then it's a good thing we're talking about vinegar, which is 4-6% acetic acid, unless you're talking about wine vinegar (we're not), and not talking about 100% pure acetic acid, which is what you linked.

tptacek 9y ago
You're kind of making his point for him.

logfromblammo 9y ago

Chemically, a "strong acid" is one that dissociates completely in solution. HCl, H2SO4, HNO3, HBr, HI, HClO4, HClO3 comprise the complete list. That's it. All other acids have a dissociation constant, pKa. The pKa for acetic acid is 4.76 . It is a "weak acid", but then again, so is HF, with a pKa of 3.17 . If you have ever seen Breaking Bad, you have seen what even a "weak acid" can do to the human body at high concentrations. The usual story about acetic acid is that your chem prof was pipetting glacial acetic acid by mouth, and they accidentally got some in their mouth, and all the cells lining their oral cavity peeled off the next day. And they used bulbs or thumbwheel pumps on their pipettes ever since. Not sure if this story is especially common or if it is made up to scare students into using the lab equipment safely. But anyway, the point is that the ill effects for caustic chemicals are largely dependent on concentration. "Vinegar" is acetic acid diluted to between 4 wt% and 18 wt%. You can drink vinegar, and just have skin rashes and weak teeth. If you drink enough glacial acetic acid (>99 wt%), you're going to die.