Peroxide and Personality Tests
- Jul 16, 2022
- 2 min read
July 14
Today I learned a very important lesson: not all hydrogen peroxides are created equal.
My first task today was setting up Charcoal Sorbent Tube Extractions as usual, teaching TW how to do it as I went along. However, as I went to get the hydrogen peroxide from the fridge, I noticed that our usual supplier had been replaced, and that the peroxide was much much stronger than what we usually use. As you can see in the photo below, the new peroxide is 35%, and what we usually use is only 3%.
Because of this significant change, I consulted RC about whether or not this peroxide would work for Tube Extractions. To test whether it was, we ran an RGB (reagent blank) through the IC to see what would happen. Since we look for Hydrogen Sulphide in the Charcoal Tubes, we don't want to use a peroxide that has levels of Sulphate above the limit of detection, so that we can still reliably identify sulphate ions present in the tube.
Thankfully, as shown in the chromatograph below, there was an acceptable level of Sulphate in the peroxide, so I was given the go-ahead to use it on the tubes.
Here is my clumsy attempt to film the cool science that happens when the peroxide digests the charcoal. We have to do this in the fume cupboard because the reaction produces smoke that is not safe to inhale.
I was expecting that the stronger peroxide would produce a stronger reaction, but I was not prepared for just how strong the reaction was going to be. When I added the peroxide to the third tube, it bubbled up almost to the point of overflowing, which has never happened before. For all the tubes after that I decided to add the peroxide much more slowly than usual, in the hopes that it would calm the reaction a bit and make it easier to control so it didn't overflow. Unfortunately, one of them still overflowed.
As I was wearing gloves, I thought it would be fine to touch the tube that had overflowed to wipe off the sides. I learned later that my gloves were not thick enough to protect my fingers against the strong peroxide. I ended up with white fingertips for a little while! It was thankfully not uncomfortable or painful, but it was a very good reminder to use appropriate PPE for whatever substances you are handling.
By the time I got back into the office in the afternoon, everyone was abuzz with chatter about personality tests. CP apparently had to take one as part of his apprenticeship, and pretty soon everyone had heard of it and wanted to take one themselves. I was intrigued as well, so I took the same test and these were my results:
It was so cool to see that a role I fit into well is an Analyst, because that is exactly my job at SOCOTEC! There were lots of intriguing reports on the website about how to use your personality traits to your advantage in both regular life, and professional development. There was even a section about workplace habits, which could have potential to help in my career development. It was definitely a fun, and useful, way to end the day!
Comments