Posted on 03/25/2010 4:19:16 PM PDT by GovernmentShrinker
... A British hairdresser died after her cigarette ignited a leaking bottle of hydrogen peroxide bleach which then blew up in her car as she drove along a quiet country lane ... "We want to warn people how volatile hydrogen peroxide is, even if it is kept in the boot of a car. Jennie’s friends have all said they carry it," added her mother Pauline Mitchell.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Any FReepers with serious knowledge of explosives chemistry care to weigh in?
Smoking kills.
Was her name Mohammedette?
.
Just D-mn!
What most of us think about hydrogen peroxide comes in a bottle and is something like .01% hydrogen peroxide.
1) The Hydrogen Peroxide ignites in a massive ball of flames which is seen for miles and which results in instant death for the young woman. (This seems implausible.
2) The smoker is startled by the sudden experience of some flames coming from her back seat. As she turns around to deal with these pesky flames, she drives into an oak tree, resulting in her death.
One never knows.
You have a point. OTOH, the peroxide concentrations found in professional hair salons, can be VERY explosive. The concentration of peroxide found in these professional supplies is MUCH greater than what is available OTC, here in the states.
In fact, I believe to purchase such supplies here, one needs a cosmetology license, and I also think records of purchases are also kept for the sales of these products. I don't know what the law is in the UK.
Just checked - over the counter is 3% hydrogen peroxide. I would think that hairdressers would have the ability to buy much higher concentrations.
No, her name was Jennie Mitchell, but I’d be interested to know if she’s got a boyfriend with a Muslim name.
"the peroxide concentrations found in professional hair supplies"
Was she a real blond?
It could be that some hair salons order the concentrated form of H2O2 that is 35% and used in the food industry. The salons making their own diluted formulations with the 35% H2O2
Dang, that stinks.
Miss Mitchell worked as a mobile stylist with the Sleek and Chic salon in nearby Blandford, and was engaged to 21-year-old Russell Andrews.
Guess he *could* be a convert with no desire to take on a long moslem name, but it sounds like just another stupid, tragic accident. Poor girl. :-(
Someone put dry ice in a container in the back seat of the car and went on a long trip. The melting dry ice (CO2) depleted the O2 in the car and the driver passed out and died in an auto accident.
Think about what you're doing.
More to this than the story is telling.
Before they passed around all the anti smoking laws hair dressers and their customers used to smoke like crazy around this stuff.
re: your number 2:
If, and I still have some issue with this story....
In a hot, sunny car interior, the peroxide may have decomposed in the back seat, releasing free oxygen and creating an oxygen-rich environment inside the car. Then the tip of the ciggie flared up. H2O2 will not decompose to anything flammable, but as we all know, excess oxygen impinging upon an already-ignited something will cause a flare-up of some kind.
Just being a little nitpicky on ya. Same overall result you cited.
Hydrogen Peroxide Grades
3% Hydrogen Peroxide (Drug/Grocery Store Variety)
Used as antimicrobial agent for treating wounds and sanitizing agent
[Made from 50% Super D Peroxide, Diluted. Contains stabilizers - phenol, acetanilide, sodium stanate, tetrasodium phosphate among them.]
[This peroxide contains known chemicals do not ingest!]
6% Hydrogen Peroxide
Used by Beauticians for Coloring Hair. Used as sanitizing agent.
Comes in strengths labeled 10,20,40 volume. Must have activator added to be used as a bleach.
[Contains stabilizers, additives, and impurities dependent on manufacturing and dilution process. Do not ingest.]
30% Re-Agent Hydrogen Peroxide
Used in medical research.
[Contains stabilizers, additives, and impurities dependent on manufacturing and dilution process. Do not ingest.]
30-32% Electronic Grade Hydrogen Peroxide
Used for washing transistors and integrated chip parts before assembly.
[Contains stabilizers, additives, and impurities dependent on manufacturing and dilution process. Do not ingest.]
35% Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide (Also 50% Food Grade H2O2)
[....*....]. Also used to spray inside of foil lined containers for food storage - known as the aseptic packaging system. [...*...additional information removed for FDA compliance]
[Contains stabilizers, additives, and impurities dependent on manufacturing and dilution process.
—e.g. This Food Grade Hyrogen Peroxide is Stabilized using tin based formulations ]
35% Technical Grade Hydrogen Peroxide (Click to Order Now)
Used for waste water treatment and the disinfection of potable water, cosmetics, and laundry applications. [...*...additional information removed for FDA compliance] [May contain a small amount of phosphorus to neutralize any chlorine in the water it is combined with.]
MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET & Technical Details: Hydrogen Peroxide (20 to 40%)
35% Standard Grade Hydrogen Peroxide (Also 50%, 60%, 70% Standard Grades)
Used mainly for bleaching in the pulp and paper industry and in the textile industry; oxidation reactions in the chemical industry; environmental processes (detoxification and deodorization). Used for Waste water treatment.
[Contains stabilizers, additives, and impurities Do not ingest.]
90% Hydrogen Peroxide
Used by the military as a source of Oxygen at Cape Canaveral. Used as a propulsion source in rocket fuel.
99.6% Hydrogen Peroxide
This was first made in 1954 as an experiment to see how pure a hydrogen peroxide could be manufactured.
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