Toxicity of Antimony Trisulphide

[LiamPyro]

Hey everyone, I just received a half pound of SbS23 from Skylighter and am concerned about the toxicity. What sort of precautions should be taken when handling this chemical? I have read the MSDS for it and I definently want to be protected. I was thinking of wearing a fume respirator that my Dad has (if it can filter fumes, it must filter dust, right?) , along with latex gloves. I was also planning to cover part of my work table with newspaper to catch any spills, plus I have an intake fan above my work area that I could switch on to draw fine dust particles out of the room. Would these things be enough, or would I need any additional gear/work habits to make sure my health remains intact?

[schroedinger]

Also wear special cloth you just wear in your working area and shower after.

[pyrokid]

I would be comfortable not showering after working with it.

 

Newspaper is a good idea in all cases, in my opinion. It's a great way to keep the mess contained.

[LiamPyro]

Thanks guys! I think I might have a lab coat somewhere, which I could keep in my work area and wear whenever I use Sb2S3.

As of now, I actually have a long-arm cast on my left arm (badly fractured the end of my radius skateboarding), so I might want to cover it with a plastic bag in order to keep chemicals from contacting it. Would showering afterwards be necessary, because it would be a bit of a hassle to put on a waterproof cover and such.

[hindsight]

In general, showering is an important part of a decontamination process. Perhaps you could put the Antimony Trisulfide aside until your radius fracture heals. That is as easy as not opening a gift until Christmas. If showering is an aggravation, just time your pyro activities before your anticipated shower. On the other hand, from the standpoint of hygiene, your friends might appreciate the additional showers. Hope your pyro activities go better for you than skateboarding.

Edited July 15, 2014 by hindsight

[Shadowcat1969]

I would check what kind of motor is on your fan before you use it as well. You don't want something that the energentic dusts you are working with can get into the motor where they could ignite.

[Mumbles]

The biggest issue with antimony trisulfide will be ingesting it. Inhaling it or getting it in your eyes or nose, will be irritating, but so will most other things we use. I've never had a problem with getting it on my skin and it causing any issues. Some MSDS sheets seem to make it seem relatively tame, and some make it seem like one step away from cyanide. The LD50 levels are all over the place as well. I've seen them everywhere from 139mg/kg to >2000mg/kg. I treat it basically the same as I do anything else. If you are in any risk of getting a dangerous exposure, you need to reevaluate your practices.

 

We also benefit from Sb2S3 being quite dense. It doesn't easily become airborne. Work with gloves and a respirator and you'll be fine. I use a half-face respirator and never really had any issues with particles. They do sell particle filters which with go over the end of the charcoal filters to extend the life of the filters. As with most pyro endeavors, I'd suggest showering afterwards. You'd probably also want to avoid getting stuff underneath your cast. While acute skin contact isn't really a problem, keeping in a sweaty environment trapped against your skin for weeks could be an issue.

[LiamPyro]

I would check what kind of motor is on your fan before you use it as well. You don't want something that the energentic dusts you are working with can get into the motor where they could ignite.

Hmmm good point. Also, do you guys have any ideas of how I could reduce dust and limit any remaining dust to a small area, 'cause I don't want particles of this stuff ending up all over the work shop. I would imagine this stuff probably isn't that dusty, actually, considering it is very dense and only around 325 mesh.

[LiamPyro]

Thanks, Mumbles. At least Sb2S3 isn't as toxic as Arsenic Disulfide or Lead Tetraoxide!

[Maserface]

Should just wear your respirator, some gloves, and work outside if you can.

 

I like to wear a shop set of coveralls, keeps me clean and keeps the wife happy!

[LiamPyro]

Should just wear your respirator, some gloves, and work outside if you can.

Good idea! I'll pick nice days for working with Sb2S3 so that I can set up in my backyard.

[LiamPyro]

Another question, would the smoke from compositions containing Sb2S3 be particularly toxic or harmful? I would imagine so but I'm not sure.

[Shadowcat1969]

The antimony itself won't change when a comp is burned, it is an element. It will depend mostly on what compounds the reaction produces whether or not the final Antimony compound is soluble in the human body or not.

 

Even if it is not, I'd still not stand in a cloud of the smoke, just like with a lot of the other elements in many of the chemicals we use.

[LiamPyro]

So basically as long as I don't deliberately inhale the smoke from antimony trisulphide containing compositions, I should be fine?

[gregh]

I wouldn't recommend inhaling the smoke from any pyro compositions.

[pyroman2498]

To put this in perspective , you are putting yourself in danger just as much with the residue from BP As with the Trisulfide, in theory The residue from BP should contain a very small amount of Cyanide ( As the reaction between the components in BP could produce cyanide ) to test this you could add a drop of vinegar or an acid to the Bp residue and it should create a hint smell of almonds ( I have not tested this myself and don't plan to ). But the truth is as long as your not eating the chemical you will be fine , Treat it with respect , and anyways , you don't see people dying from BP residue and The trisulfide in a rare case will cause you to get very ill if you were respecting it and giving it saftey .

[LiamPyro]

Now I fully understand. Thanks guys!