Patricia,
Formic Acid is a simple organic acid, and is a bit nasty to handle.
It is not recomended for household use for this reason, but as chemicals go
it is moderately easy to handle. This is a common chemical in a Lab. No
unusual protective measures are required. Good ventilation while making up
your solution and applying it. Use common sense, think about the where,
before you open the bottle. Gloves and Eye protection. If you don't have
good ventilation a cartridge type respirator rated for pesticides or oil
based paint fumes should stop these fumes. If you have the respirator on
and still smell the formic acid the respirator is not working, check its
rating, check that you have it on right. Read the MSD Sheets, and
basically, follow the recomendations, esecially, wear eye protection while
handling the material. The big hazard is while you are making up the
dilution, while you are handling the concentrated formic acid. Make the
solution up outside, or in an open garage, DO NOT do this indoors.
Assuming a teaspoon of liquid formic acid is 5 ml, diluted to 1
liter, I would say this dose sounds weak enough to not be harmful to "Ant
Plants". I would maybe go half strength for my first use, 2.5 ml per liter.
Just to see what the plants reactions are. The diluted solution will still
smell bad, but it is relatively safe to handle.
The good news is that formic acid really smells bad, so bad that you
will not be able to tolerate the concentrations that the occupational
exposure limits are set at. This is good, it means if you can't stand the
smell, you are approaching the safety limits. (Okay, you guys that work in
the EH&S business should be spinning up to flame me, but really, for this
one, it is true). There are nasty chemicals out there that can kill you at
concentrations so low the nerves in your nose can't even smell them. The
good news is that for formic acid and formaldehyde, the human nose can
dectect it at concentrations several orders of magnitude below the
occupational health limits.
So given the fact that you have already done the deed, and purchased
the formic acid, go ahead and use it, just remember it is the sort of
chemical that is not recomended for amatures to play with BECAUSE it is
moderately hazardous. Charge forward, it is not rocket science. You can
handle it safely. Just do a bit of planning, get your safety gear, and set
up a safe place to make up your dilutions, before you break the seal on the
bottle.
Leo
(I am not an EH&S professional, so you should read and understand the MSD
Sheets first before you decide to take my advice)
Date: Fri, 6 Aug 2004 09:49:02 -0700
From: "Patricia and Jeff Harding" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Coryanthes and formic acid question
Message: 5
Coryanthes and formic acid question
<snip> a bunch of us got some formic acid. When they described this in
Colombia, via translators, they said one tsp to the liter. I envisioned a
powder. What we have gotten is a liquid, and when you read the
accompanying
literature this is really caustic stuff and I wonder about the wisdom of
using it. The vapors are even supposed to be bad and since I grow in a
greenhouse, though this time of year it is ventilated, 9 months of the year
it's not well ventilated due to heat concerns.
My question, does anybody have any experience with formic acid? Do you have
any advice for us before we go down this path?
Patricia Harding
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