Re: pepsyn - organic waste

Richard Laursen (laursen@bu.edu)
Fri, 16 Jan 1998 16:10:14 +0000


I have to confess that my comments about hazards of DIC are an
extrapolation of what is definitely known about DCC. However, given the
dehydrating power of DIC (like DCC) and its lipophilic character, I would
be very surprised if it could not penetrate skin and cause adverse
reactions. And as someone pointed out already, the vapors can cause
serious eye irritations. The Aldrich catalog lists it as being "highly
toxic". But then chemists work with lots of toxic compounds; one just has
to know the hazards and be careful--and not overreact. We use DIC
frequently.

Richard Laursen
-----------------------------------------

>Dear Ms. Thyboll:
>
>1. I think one should be careful not to overreact to a situation. DIC is
>certainly a good reagent, introduced because it has properties (the
>dialkylurea is soluble) that are different than those of DCC. The reality is
>you should not spill the bottle on the bench or floor. This is the same
>thing that one should not do with many other reagents that are in common use.
>
>2. The hazards of skin sensitivity, dermatitis and allergic reactions are
>DEFINITELY associated with the use/contact with DCC - dicyclohexylcarbodiimide.
>However, I was not aware that this holds for DIC also. I ask Richard
>Laursen if he is certain of his statement, so that we can all be sure about
>what we are dealing with.
>
>Sincerely yours. NLB.
>
>>
>At 08:53 AM 98/1/15 +0100, you wrote:
>>Dear Mr Benoiton!
>>
>>Thank you for your answer concerning DIC.
>>I have heard the bad things about DIC and I
>>deliberate with myself about wether I am going
>>to work with it or not. I have been thinking of
>>maby using HBTU/HOBT/DIEA instead.
>>Your information further confirm what I have feared.
>>Thank you once more.
>>
>>Yours Sincerely
>>Maria Thyboll
>>Maria Thyboll
>>Department of Analytical Chemistry
>>Royal Institute of Technology
>>Teknikringen 36
>>100 44 Stockholm
>>SWEDEN
>>Tel +46 8 7906410
>>Fax + 46 8 108425
>>Email k93_mtl@k.kth.se
>>
>N. Leo Benoiton
>Department of Biochemistry
>University of Ottawa
>Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1H 8M5
>Tel: 613 562 5800, Ext. 8216
>Fax: 613 562 5440
>eMail: benoiton@uottawa.ca

Richard A. Laursen
Department of Chemistry
Boston University
590 Commonwealth Ave.
Boston, MA 02215
Tel (617) 353-2491; FAX (617) 353-6466
email: <laursen@bu.edu>