Is there a chemical that can kill people just by dropping a drop on the skin?
My brother (a known story strecher) says that he was on a ship that transports chemicals. There is a substance that can be absorbed by the body extremely fast and it can kill someone if it is small on the skin within 1-2 minutes. It is used in the manufacture of tires. He told me it was phenol (C6H5OH) but phenol was not the same as what he described. He told me this story from when I was young but now I am 23 and I want to find out if there is any scary chemicals and what are the croissants that are used to doing?
u / crnaruka (13.1k points)
It is certain that there are chemicals that only a few drops on his skin are enough for him to leave. The chemicals mentioned in this question need two characteristics:
It should be toxic enough to cause someone to die at very low doses (measured by the average lethal dose or LD50 or some related standard). To his question, we would need a killer substance with a range of 0.5 ml. Excessive amounts of the substance can become eligible candidates. But here is the second condition:
This chemical should be readily absorbed through your skin, at least sufficiently to cause total damage. His skin is actually a shield to protect the body from many substances. But some compounds can be absorbed much easier.
One of the most well known of these two standards is dimethylmercury. (Trans: H3C-Hg-CH3, you have read the previous few will know that this is a group of metal compounds, quite broad application in organic). This is really a very scary neurotoxin. According to Wiki:
"The dimethylmercury toxin has become prominent with the death of Karen Wetterhahn, a professor of chemistry at Dartmouth University, in 1997, professor Wetterhahn specializing in heavy metal poisoning, after spilling a few drops of this substance. On his gloves, it overcame the protective layer of the gloves and within minutes it was absorbed into her skin. It circulates throughout the body and builds up in the brain, leading to her death 10 months later.
In other words, even when wearing protective gear, just a few drops on the glove would be enough to send the researchers off early.
u / samyall (2.3k points)
TMAH (tetra-methyl ammonium hydroxide) is a scary chemical and only by sticking to a size field with his hand is enough for him to return to his grandparents.
It was like preparing to take the phone to call someone well enough to send him away. It is often used in industry so it is likely that his grandfather had shipped it.
Trans: This chemical is a common substance in silicon implantation, underneath this cmt there are quite a lot of people working with this substance but completely ignorant of it, naturally remember the post. silicone dust, after all, laborers are exposed to direct contact only)
u / Funkit (133 points)
HF is also commonly used for etching in the silicon and semiconductor industries. A small amount on his skin would destroy his bones first and the rest of him later, not to mention the burns he encountered due to acid.
And dimethylmercury is one of the most frightening, a small enough to poison him and cause him to go crazy before he dies. And it can also be easily penetrated by plastic or PPE rubber gloves.
u / splurge (36 points)
"A small amount on his skin would destroy his bones first and the rest of him later."
It will destroy all his bones and target the calcium in his brain cells, making them unable to send any signals, which is the cause of death. This explains why a small amount can make him go - it is very specific
u / Stephonovich (9 points)
HF is a dangerous chemical, but not deadly. As someone somewhere in this thread, need to stick a hand size enough to kill as if immediately apply calcium gluconate. He will not die.
