Newsgroups: alt.drugs.chemistry,alt.drugs,alt.drugs.pot From: [t--n--l] at [unislc.slc.unisys.com] (Tony Larson) Subject: OTC Solvents FAQ Date: Mon, 10 Oct 1994 21:42:26 GMT The following was posted from a stolen account. Please do NOT reply to the owner of this account. (The E-mail here is subject to audit, so it is conceivable that the owner of this account could have his employment status brought in to question if unusual E-mail were discovered. Not only that, but if he finds out about this unauthorized use of his account, he may change his password.) Instead, post all comments and flames to the newsgroup where you find this article, to protect the owner of this account. Also, please change the "'so-and-so' wrote:" messages to "The Goose wrote:," and cite any useful references in all follow-up articles. This is a first draft of an "over-the-counter" solvents FAQ. Significant effort has gone into its preparation, but it is still lacking in a few areas. I need help with improving the "solvents" section, especially what these solvents will and will not dissolve. It would also be nice to know which are the best solvents for various substances. Also, I would like to expand the "other substances" section, specifically adding information on what will and will not dissolve various interesting substances (or substances contained in) including but not limited to: cinnamon, cannabinoids, citrus oils, DMT and relatives, hot peppers, psilocybin/psilocin, aromatic oriental mushrooms, LAA, garlic, opiates, ginko biloba, coca/cocaine, chinese ephedra, (pseudo)ephedrine, ginsen, kava. (Information on any controlled substances would be just for the purpose of satisfying curiosity; not to do anything illegal, of course. :-) I only took about 1 year of general chemistry in college, so I am not exactly an expert on organic chemistry. It would be wonderful if someone who is more knowledgable would suggest massive improvements to the FAQ, or, better yet, if they would take over maintenance of this FAQ altogether. Just keep in mind that the intended audience is the not-too-much-above-average kitchen chemist. (Sometimes, it seems that the more knowledgable people get a little too impatient with the less knowledgable ones.) It wouldn't hurt, however, to add extra information that would be useful to more experienced chemists. Perhaps it would be good if someone provided information on how polar various solvents are, along with an explanation of what the difference between polar and non-polar is. ========================= OTC* Solvents FAQ ========================= * OTC = over-the-counter First draft: by "The Goose" on September 29, 1994 PURPOSE: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . This document is intended to provide information on solvents and other substances to people who have less than an expert knowledge of chemistry. This information can be used by kitchen chemists, etc. who desire to do relatively simple organic extractions (e.g. THC from pot, DMT from whatever, psilocybin/psilocin from shrooms, LAA from morning glory, etc. for those who like to break the law. Mint oil, citrus oils, and essences from various herbs, for those like myself who would rather stay legal.) Recipes for organic extractions are not provided here. There is an entire FAQ on organic extractions floating around somewhere. DISCLAIMER/WARNING: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I do not advocate breaking the law. References to illegal substances are included, however, for informational purposes only (just to satisfy everyone's curiosity :-). Most of these substances are toxic to one degree or another. Many of them contain other contaminants of unknown toxicity. Usually, after sufficient evaporation, such small quantities remain, that there is not a great risk of poisoning, but you still need to watch out for contaminants. DO NOT ingest unless you know what you are doing! You have been warned! Also, it is not a good idea to breath the fumes from most of these substances. You could get poisoned that way too. When evaporating or boiling off solvents, make sure there is adequate ventilation. Most of these solvents are flammable (or explosive). When working with flamable solvents, avoid sparks (e.g. from electrical switches) and open flames (e.g. from gas stoves). Using a hot plate with an extension cord to get it away from the house is a good idea. Good ventilation is the key to preventing both poisoning by inhalation, and explosions resulting from the build-up of flamable fumes. ALWAYS read the label of the products before you purchase them to make sure they contain what you are looking for, and are not mixed with a lot of other unwanted things. (See section on purity) P.S. This information is incomplete, Never assume that something is safe just because the information is not there! P.P.S. Only you are responsible for your own actions!! P.P.P.S. Use your head, damn it!!! TERMS: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . "bp" = boiling point (or boiling fraction in some cases) note: boiling points are slightly lower at high altitudes "C" = degrees centigrade "dens" = density (in grams per ml unless otherwise specified) "dis:" = what it dissolves "F" = degrees Fahrenheit "LD50" = (lethal dose 50%) dosage at which 50% of test subjects (rats, dogs, etc.) died. "mp" = melting point "otc:" = (over-the-counter) where to find it, etc. "prop:" = physical properties "sol:" = what it is soluble in "tox:" = data on toxicity. if not listed, DON'T assume it is safe! "uses:" = common uses. this is nice to know when you are asking a store clerk to help you find it. SOLVENTS: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ACETONE (dimethyl ketone, ketone propanone, propanone) prop: mp -94.6 C, bp 56.48 C, dens 0.80 dis: water solubles, oils tox: oral LD50 (rat) 9750 mg/kg otc: hardware stores (acetone) uses: thinning fiberglass resins, dissolving 2 part epoxies, cleaning brushes and tools used with resins or epoxies, cleaning greasy stuff otc: some drug stores (pure, but small quantities, and expensive) uses: dissolving fats, waxes, etc. caution: flamable note: acetone is also used in fingernail polish remover, but it is mixed with water, fragrance, and other stuff. ALCOHOL see ethyl alcohol, methyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol BUTANE (C4H10, n-butane, methylethyl methane, butyl hydride) prop: bp -0.5 C dis: oils and water solubles ?? sol: ether, alcohol, water otc: anywhere (butane cigarette lighters) uses: lighter fuel for torching dubes caution: extremely flamable note: if you use this, you will have to work in sub-freezing temperatures or at least higher pressures (higher pressures tend to raise boiling points). the advantage is that you could boil it off at room temperature! DICHLOROMETHANE see methylene chloride DIESEL FUEL (fuel oil #2) composed of heavier hydrocarbons than gasoline prop: bp higher than gasoline dis: oils tox: recognized carcinogen, see also petroleum distillates DECANE (CH3(CH2)8CH3) a minor component of kerosene, may be a minor component of gasoline prop: mp aprox -29 C, bp aprox 174 C dis: oils tox: see petroleum distillates otc: see kerosene, gasoline caution: flamable DIETHYL ETHER (C2H5-O-C2H5, ether, ethyl ether, anesthesia ether, ethyl oxide) prop: bp 35 C dis: oils, etc. ?? tox: moderate oral toxicity, low inhalation toxicity, oral LD50 (rat) 1700 mg/kg, oral LD50 (human) 420 mg/kg otc: found in starter fluid caution: very flamable, can be explosive note: this is the ether that was used extensively as an anesthetic a few years back ETHANOL see ethyl alcohol ETHYL ALCOHOL (ethanol, methyl corbinol, spirit of wine, grain alcohol) prop: bp 78.32 C, dens 0.79 dis: water solubles, oils tox: oral LD50 (rat) 21,000 mg/kg otc: liquor store (Everclear, 95%) uses: party, party, party! caution: flamable, could get you drunk :-) note: there have been reports of people using denatured alcohol as a solvent. this may be ok if it is denatured only with something that will be eliminated when the solvent is boiled off (e.g. with methanol). if you don't think you can eliminate the denaturant, then don't use denatured alcohol! FUEL OIL (fuel oil #1 through fuel oil #6) increasingly viscous petroleum distillates, generally with increasing boiling fractions. dis: oils tox: see petroleum distillates caution: flamable note: fuel oil #1 is kerosene, fuel oil #2 is diesel oil note: there are not many applications that could benefit from using fuel oils as solvents GASOLINE (petrol, gas, white gas) composed of octanes, some heavier hydrocarbons (nonanes, etc.), and some lighter hydrocarbons (heptanes, etc.) prop: bp aprox 35-180 C (depending on what it contains) dis: oils tox: see petroleum distillates otc: gas stations uses: automobile, etc. fuel caution: very flamable note: gasoline for automobiles contains additives, better to use white gas. KEROSENE (fuel oil #1, ultrasene) composed mostly of heavier hydrocarbons than gasoline (10 to 16 carbon atoms per chain) prop: bp 175-325 tox: oral LD50 (rat, rabbit) 28,000 mg/kg, oral toxicity is low, see also petroleum distillates otc: fuel distributors caution: flamable uses: stoves, heaters, lamps note: ultrasene is deodorized kerosene HEPTANE (C7H16) a component of starter fluid, gasoline, and some petroleum ethers prop: bp aprox 98 C dis: oils tox: see petroleum distillates otc: found in starting fluid and some napthas caution: highly flamable HEXANE (C6H14) a component of starter fluid, and some petroleum ethers prop: bp aprox 69 C dis: oils tox: see petroleum distillates otc: found in starting fluid and some napthas caution: highly flamable ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL (dimethyl alcohol, sec-propyl alcohol, isopropanol) prop: mp -89 C, bp 80.3 C, dens 0.79 dis: water solubles, oils tox: oral LD50 (rat) 5,840 mg/kg otc: automotive stores (fuel dryer, 99.9%) caution: flamable note: rubbing alcohol is usually only 70% alcohol, and 30% water METHANOL see methyl alcohol METHYL ALCOHOL (methanol, wood alcohol) prop: bp 64.8 C, dens 0.79 dis: water solubles, oils tox: oral LD50 (rat) 13,000 mg/kg, eliminates slowly and can build up with repeated exposure/ingestion. toxic metabolites include formaldehyde and formic acid. damages optic nerve. otc: automotive stores uses: fuel dryer otc: hardware and paint stores uses: shellac thinner, alcohol stove fuel caution: flamable note: often mixed with paint removers or varnish removers METHYLENE CHLORIDE (CH2Cl2, dichloromethane) prop: bp 39.8 dis: oil, etc.? tox: oral LD50 (rat) 2136 mg/kg, VERY dangerous to eyes, produces highly toxic fumes when heated to decomposition (e.g. by open flames, etc.), may be carcinogenic in rats otc: paint and hardware stores (mixed with methyl alcohol) uses: paint and varnish remover note: fire hazard is low (by itself) MINERAL SPIRITS see petroleum spirits NAPTHA (see below for types) dis: oils tox: see petroleum distillates otc: hardware and paint stores uses: paint thinner, some lighter fluids, some spot removers note: boiling fractions are similar to gasoline NAPTHA (coal tar, naptha solvent) prop: bp 149-216 C, dens 0.86-0.89 tox: see petroleum distillates caution: flamable NAPTHA, V.M. & P. (benzine, 76 degree naptha) prop: bp 100-140 C, dens 0.67-0.80, flash point 20 F. tox: see petroleum distillates caution: flamable, autoignite 450 F NAPTHA, V.M. & P., 50 degree flash prop: bp 115-143 C, flash point 50 F tox: see petroleum distillates caution: flamable NAPTHA, V.M. & P., high flash prop: bp 138-165 C, flash point 50 F tox: see petroleum distillates caution: flamable NONANE (C9H20, n-nonane) a component of gasoline, a component of some napthas prop: mp aprox -54 C, bp aprox 151 C dis: oils tox: see petroleum distillates otc: see naptha, white gas, gasoline caution: flamable OCTANE (C8H18) a major component of gasoline prop: bp aprox 126 C dis: oils tox: see petroleum distillates otc: hardware and paint stores (some napthas) otc: sporting goods stores (white gas) caution: highly flamable PAINT THINNER see petroleum spirits, turpentine PAINT and VARNISH REMOVER usually composed of methylene chloride and methyl alcohol, may also contain toluene, and/or other solvents see individual components for more information PENTANE (C5H12, n-pentane) a component of some light petroleum ethers prop: bp aprox 36 C dis: oils tox: see petroleum distillates otc: see petroleum spirits caution: highly flamable PETROLEUM DISTILLATES (gasoline, naptha, petroleum ether, mineral spirits, petroleum spirits, fuel oils, xylene, etc.) dis: oils tox: generally low to moderate toxicity, laboratory experiments show a slight carcinogenic potential for most petroleum distillates. higher boiling fractions may be more carcinogenic. caution: flamable to highly flamable note: petroleum distillates do not dissolve most water-solubles note: petroleum distillates include everything from pentane to heavy tars PETROLEUM ETHER see petroleum spirits, naptha, starter fluid note: generally (but not always) refers to the lower boiling fractions of petroleum distillates PETROLEUM SPIRITS (petroleum benzine, petroleum naptha, light ligroin, petroleum ether, mineral spirits) prop: bp 35-180 C, dens .64-.66 dis: oils tox: see petroleum distillates otc: hardware and paint stores uses: paint thinner caution: flamable note: "petroleum spirits" often refers to the lower boiling fractions of petroleum distillates. However, one "odorless paint thinner" claiming 100% mineral spirits had a boiling point of 175 C. STARTER FLUID composed of hexane, diethyl ether, and heptane. see individual components for more information. otc: automotive stores uses: starting stubborn automobiles on cold days caution: very flamable alpha-TRICHLOROETHANE (CH3CCl3, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, methyl chloroform) prop: bp 74.1 C, dens 1.3492 dis: probably almost anything ?? tox: oral LD50 (dog) 750 mg/kg, avoid fumes otc: super markets, hardware stores, etc. uses: spot remover (brand name: "Energine") caution: can react violently with acetone note: non-flamable! TOLUENE (C6H5CH3, methylbenene, phenylmethane, toluol) prop: mp -95 C to -94.5 C, bp 110.4 C dis: probably oils, etc. ?? tox: oral LD50 (rat) 5000 mg/kg, oral toxicity is moderate, inhalation of 100 ppm can cause psychotropic effects, 200 ppm can produce CNS effects otc: paint and hardware stores (mixed with methyl alcohol) uses: furniture refinisher, liquid sandpaper, paint remover note: low fire hazard (by itself) TURPENTINE (spirit of turpentine, turpentine gum, turpentine oil) prop: bp 154-170 C dis: probably oils, etc. ?? tox: aspiration causes pheumonitis, oral ingestion causes damage to GI tract an kidneys, inhalation toxicity is high otc: paint and hardware stores uses: thinning varnish, paint, & enamel; cleaning brushes caution: moderately flamable WATER (H2O) prop: mp 0 C (32 F), bp 100 C (212 F), dens .99999 @ 4 C dis: anything that is water soluble tox: non-toxic unless contaminated with a toxic substance otc: your kitchen sink otc: grocery store (distilled water) uses: drinking, washing, etc. note: distilled water is better for most things (and it's cheap), water is ofter used with petroleum ether to separate water- solubles from non-water-solubles. i.e. combine and shake vigorously until your arm falls off, then separate. WHITE GAS (petrol, gasoline) prop: see gasoline otc: sporting goods stores uses: fuel for camp stoves and camp heaters caution: flamable XYLENE (C6H4(CH3)2) prop: (m-xylene) mp -47.9 C, bp 139 C (o-xylene) bp 144.4 C (p-xylene) bp 138.3 C tox: oral LD50 (rat) 5000 mg/kg, see also petroleum distillates otc: super markets, hardware stores uses: some cleaners (e.g. for dissolving chewing gum, brand name: "Goof-off"), some lighter fluids caution: flamable OTHER SUBSTANCES: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CANNABIDIOL (CBD) found in marijuana, organicly converted to THC, can be isomerized into THC with dilute acid prop: mp 67 C, bp 187-190 C sol: acetone, petroleum distillates, alcohols, etc. note: this is an oily substance, not water soluble CANNABINOL (CBN) found in marijuana, a degradation product of THC prop: mp 77 C, bp 185 C sol: acetone, petroleum distillates, alcohols, etc. note: this is an oily substance, not water soluble HYDROCHLORIC ACID (HCl, muriatic acid, chlorohydric acid, hydrogen chloride) prop: mp -114.3 C, bp -84.8 C, dens 1.639 g/liter gas @ 0 C tox: oral LD50 (rabbit) 900 mg/kg otc: hardware stores (muriatic acid) uses: cleaning calcium or lime deposits from cement, brick, swimming pools, and ceramic tile. caution: caustic note: useful in isomerizing CBD to THC. HCl is found naturally in low concentrations in the digestive juices of your stomach. PARAQUAT an herbicide used by Latin-American drug enforcers to kill marijuana crops in bulk tox: oral LD50 (rat) 57 mg/kg, dermal LD50 (rat) 80 mg/kg, can cause severe damage to lungs (nasty stuff!) note: avoid all marijuana that looks like it has any dye on it. unfortunately, not all paraquat is used with dye. TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL (THC) found in marijuana, the psychoactive stuff. prop: bp somewhere between 185 C and 200 C (Occupational Health Services, Inc.'s Material Safety Data Sheet lists bp at 200 C) sol: acetone, petroleum distillates, alcohols, etc. note: this is an oily substance, not water soluble SODIUM SULFATE (Na2SO4) By product of isomerization of CBD to THC when sulfuric acid is neutralized with baking soda. sol: water note: insoluble in alcohol note: can be removed by dissolving resin in petroleum ether and shaking with water SULFURIC ACID (H2SO4, oil of vitriol, dipping acid) prop: mp 10.49 C, bp 330 C, dens 1.83 tox: oral LD50 (rat) 2,140 mg/kg otc: plumming supply stores (plummers' sulfuric acid) uses: unclogging drains caution: caustic, use care when mixing with water as it heats rapidly when dissolved and causes spattering (add slowly to water drop by drop) note: avoid battery acid as this has lead in it note: useful in isomerizing CBD to THC SUBSTITUTIONS: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . It is not always easy to come up with the exact solvent discussed in any particular recipe. Consequently, it may be advantageous to consider substituting an over-the-counter solvent for a hard-to-get one. This can often be done successfully if you keep a few things in mind. The main thing to look for is what the solvent dissolves. e.g. If you are trying to dissolve an oily substance (such as cannabinoids from pot or oil from lemon peels), look for solvents that will dissolve oils. Be aware that some solvents may dissolve more than you bargained for. e.g. Alcohols and acetone will dissolve things that petroleum distillates won't, like sugars and chlorophyll. Another thing to look for is boiling point. e.g. Naptha solvent (coal tar naptha) has a boiling point so high that you wouldn't be able to boil it off to separate it from THC (the THC would boil off with it). Solvents with lower boiling points are easier to boil off, and generally leave less residual solvent. Petroleum distillates are usually a mixture of various hydrocarbons with a variety of boiling points. The boiling fraction of any particular petroleum distillate refers to the range of boiling points of its components. PURITY: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . There are basically two ways that impurities can get into solvents, etc. The first way is inherent in the manufacturing process. Very few products are pure at the time of manufacture. The general idea is to produce a product that meets certain minimum purity requirements. The product is refined to remove contaminants until the minimum purity level is reached. Most manufacturing methods favor low cost production over purity of product. Industrial grade products are used in applications that require only marginal purity. With reagent grade chemicals, however, a high degree of purity is required. Reagent grades are refined until they are ridiculously pure (e.g. something like 99.999% pure). This additional refining is costly, and as a result, reagent grades are usually many times the price of industrial grades. Industrial grades are used in a lot of commercial products, and are often available at hardware stores, etc. Reagent grades are generally only available at chemical supply stores. Unfortunately, most kitchen chemists would have a difficult time bluffing their way in a chem shop without arousing suspicion. Additionally, many reagent grade products are watched closely by certain governent agencies, where the industrial grades are not. (e.g. acetone) The other way impurities can be introduced is when the manufacturer intentionally places additives into a product to enhance its performance (or appearance) or to dilute an expensive component. Since the performance enhancing additives usually cost more, the expensive, big brand names are the ones most likely to use them. When performance enhancing additives are present, the product labels often boast a lot of features. The less expensive, more generic looking products are less likely to add performance enhancers but are more likely to dilute their product. Some additives may actually be useful, however. e.g. Paint and varnish removers often combine methylene chloride with methyl alcohol, and furniture refinishers often have toluene combined with methyl alcohol. When dealing with industrial grades, always read the label carefully to determine if it contains things you don't want. Unfortunately, not all products list every component on their labels. Try calling the emergency accidental poisoning numbers listed on the labels. Tell them your dog ingested some of their product, and that the vet asked you to call the number. Try to get as much information from them as you can about what the product contains. Work up a likely story (including symptoms) before you place the call. One crude method of testing for contaminants in solvents would be to place a few drops on some clean glass, and let it evaporate. The amount of residue remaining gives a very rough idea of how much other crud is in the solvent. Feed a generous amount of this residue to the neighbor's cat, and if it dies, the product may be too toxic. :-) Actually, the likelyhood that contaminants in an industrial grade product are highly toxic or carcinogenic is probably much lower than most people think. Relatively few substances are highly toxic and/or significantly carcinogenic. Many things in our everyday environment are carcinogenic if you are exposed to massive quantities, but potent carcinogens are not all that common. Due to government regulations, many (if not most) industrial grade products are not allowed to contain significant amounts of dangerous substances, anyway. (Who wants a cleaner or solvent that will leave a highly hazardous residue?) Even with all of these assurances, there is always a certain amount of risk associated with the use of industrial grade products. In order to reduce the risks associated with contaminants, the following precautions are in order: 1) use reagent grades when possible 2) if reagent grades cannot be obtained, then make every effort to acquire the purest product available (read labels, study manufacturing methods, etc.) 3) purify the product (if you can) before using it 4) use minimal amounts of these products Some people recommend purifying petroleum distillates by adding water, shaking vigorously for a long time, and then discarding the water. This will only help remove water soluble contaminants. A better way to purify most liquids is to distill them. Unfortunately, this is not always easy to do if you don't have the right equipment. USEFUL HINTS: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Boiling off solvents with low boiling points (less than 100 C): Place the solvent into a small pan or shallow, wide mouth jar. Shallow containers with wide openings aid in allowing the vapors to escape quickly. Place the container with the solvent into a larger pan of simmering water. Don't allow the water to come to a full boil. Boiling water is really no hotter than simmering water. Rapidly boiling water can splash into your solvent, or cause the solvent container to tip over. Watch the level of the solvent as it boils away so that the container won't get too light, and tip over. If the level of the solvent is too low (i.e. 1 cm below the level of the water), then remove some of the water. Anchoring the solvent container in place may help. Use hot pads to avoid burning yourself. Remember to use good ventilation to avoid the build-up of toxic or flamable fumes. If the boiling point of your solvent is too close to 100 C, you can add sugar or automobile antifreeze to the simmering water to raise it's boiling point a little, or use the method below for higher boiling point solvents. Boiling off solvents with higher boiling points (greater than 100 C): Follow the method and precautions for lower boiling point solvents with the following differences: Use melted shortening (or vegetable oil if you don't have shortening) instead of simmering water. If your solvent container is glass, place it in the shortening as soon as it is melted, and then heat it up from there. This will help keep the jar from cracking. Elevate the solvent container slightly from the bottom of the larger pan to aid in even heating. A few nails in the bottom of the shortening works for me. Place a candy thermometer in the shortening to measure it's temperature. Heat the shortening until it is 20 or 30 degrees centigrade hotter than the highest boiling point of your solvent or until the solvent begins to boil at a comfortable rate. Always keep the temperature of the shortening well below the boiling point of the dissolved product you are trying to recover, or you may loose significant amounts of it to evaporation. Be careful to not let solvent or water splash into the hot shortening or you may get some spattering of hot grease. If your solvent container is glass, allow it to cool slowly when you are done to keep it from cracking. If you are extracting cannabinoids or other oils of similar or higher boiling points, you may want to raise the temperature of the shornening to about 170 C for a minute or two to help eliminate solvent residue. (It can be tough to get rid of all of it, though.) Refluxing Find a pan with a lid that can be put on upside down, and still remain stable with a reasonable fit. Place your solvent, etc. into the pan, and put the lid on upside down. Place ice in the lid. Heat the solvent until it begins to boil gently. The heat may be applied directly, or for better temperature control, you may use a method similar to the ones listed above for boiling off solvents. If you use hot shortening to apply heat, be careful to not let water from melting ice or solvent condensing on the sides drip into the hot grease. Tying a rag around the top of the solvent pan can help. As the ice melts, scoop out the water and add more ice. Getting rid of water in oil extracts Sometimes water can get into an oil extract when it is purified by dissolving in petroleum ether, and shaking with water. As the last of the solvent boils off, the water forms beads in the bottom of the extract. These beads of water begin to spatter when the extract gets too hot. By adding a small amount of acetone or alcohol, the water will tend to evaporate off as the acetone or alcohol is boiled off. Make sure that the acetone or alcohol is not contaminated with large amounts of water or this may be counterproductive. This process may be repeated until all of the water is gone. REFERENCES: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - Dangerous Properties of Industrial Materials, Litton Educational Publishing, Inc. (got a lot of good information here) - CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (a few tidbits, too hard to read) - Some dictionary of technical and scientific terms - Things I remembered, but don't know where I read them - My own ingenuity and experience (nothing illegal, of course!) ====================================================================== The Goose -- .sig .not .necessary . . .