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Let's rephrase the question: What exactly makes pharmaceutical grade bicarbonate better than this chem lab reagent grade sodium bicarbonate, besides millions of dollars and a years-long grind of FDA approval?
https://www.fishersci.com/shop...

It's even worse than that!

Just look at the MSDS for ether! and they propose to allow our precious children to spend their days in schools snaked through with cables carrying this menace?

Here's an example of Dihydrogen Monoxide's MSDS, courtesy of Fischer Scientific.

I find the thing to distressingly underestimate the hazards. "No special equipment required. No special handling indicated. No hazard expected."

There are hints of the truth in there, like an explicit LD50 given, so obviously toxicity is a problem.

I'd say that overall, regulatory agencies are falling down on this job.

A lot of products and materials you wouldn't think twice about have to be handled properly in large quantities and come with all kinds of warnings. A giant server farm immersed in mineral oil I think would qualify as a large quantity user of mineral oil. Check out the MSDS on caffeine or ethanol for example. http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/c0165.htm http://fscimage.fishersci.com/msds/89308.htm

https://fscimage.fishersci.com/msds/96252.htm

Danger! Corrosive. Harmful if inhaled. May be absorbed through intact skin. Causes eye and skin irritation and possible burns. May cause severe respiratory tract irritation with possible burns. May cause severe digestive tract irritation with possible burns. May cause liver and kidney damage. May cause central nervous system effects. This substance has caused adverse reproductive and fetal effects in animals. Inhalation of fumes may cause metal-fume fever. Possible sensitizer.

Target Organs: Blood, kidneys, central nervous system, liver, brain.

Just ignore that. Go play with some, preferably in the room where you sleep.

Not sure this is the best alcohol fuel to oxidize (burn) in a fuel cell use? http://fscimage.fishersci.com/msds/14280.htm
Ethanol is a less toxic and less reactive to metals (and much safer) alcohol to use. https://fscimage.fishersci.com/msds/89308.htm
From another methanol MSDS: "Releases flammable vapors below ambient temperatures. When mixed with air and exposed to ignition source, vapors can burn in open or explode if confined. Mixtures with water and as little as 21% (by vol.) methanol are still flammable (flash point less than 104F). Under some circumstances, may corrode certain metals, including aluminum and zinc and generate hydrogen gas. A methanol fire may not be visible to the naked eye."

Aren't many laptops made of aluminum and zinc and magnesium? What happens when the lithium battery decides to cook off? Hummmm?
(In any case, I am sure the TSA will let us all board planes with our alcohol-fueled laptops.)

Not sure this is the best alcohol fuel to oxidize (burn) in a fuel cell use? http://fscimage.fishersci.com/msds/14280.htm
Ethanol is a less toxic and less reactive to metals (and much safer) alcohol to use. https://fscimage.fishersci.com/msds/89308.htm
From another methanol MSDS: "Releases flammable vapors below ambient temperatures. When mixed with air and exposed to ignition source, vapors can burn in open or explode if confined. Mixtures with water and as little as 21% (by vol.) methanol are still flammable (flash point less than 104F). Under some circumstances, may corrode certain metals, including aluminum and zinc and generate hydrogen gas. A methanol fire may not be visible to the naked eye."

Aren't many laptops made of aluminum and zinc and magnesium? What happens when the lithium battery decides to cook off? Hummmm?
(In any case, I am sure the TSA will let us all board planes with our alcohol-fueled laptops.)

I'll throw in some links to help this "discussion" out:

1) Article on the Tesla Coil
2) Where you can buy one

thats why I get mine here:
https://www1.fishersci.com/Coupon?cid=1336&gid=813 03

Nylon deionizer bags. Contain impregnated silica gel beads to deionize water poured into the generator. Bead color change from gold to green-gray indicates the need for a new bag. Bags must be used at all times. Average bag life of six months can be extended by using high-quality water. Sold in packs of two. Fits all domnick hunter* generator models.

Link:

https://www1.fishersci.com/Coupon?cid=1328&gid=427 81

here at college, i LOVE getting mail, so i signed myself up for some catalogs
besides your basic Crutchfield and random crap, i enjoy looking through

Edmund Scientific who has a great supply of random stuff

Fischer Scientific they sent me several boxes of catalogs all for free, and then have EVERYTHING, you do need a "company" to buy, i have never bought anything but I dont think it should be a problem to make one up

dissect them after they died from it. I highly doubt that it is safe.

If you inject enough of just about anything into a rat it will die. In order to determine the safety of a compound you typically keep injecting more and more into rats until you consistantly are able to kill half of them - that dose is the LD50 for the compound. Table salt has a relatively low LD50 compared to many compounds - if you try eating a pound of it you'll see why. That hardly means that table salt is toxic - just that your body can only handle so much of it.

For Aspartame the LD50 is 10+g/kg. For table salt the LD50 is 3-4g/kg. I hardly think we should start banning salt.

dissect them after they died from it. I highly doubt that it is safe.

If you inject enough of just about anything into a rat it will die. In order to determine the safety of a compound you typically keep injecting more and more into rats until you consistantly are able to kill half of them - that dose is the LD50 for the compound. Table salt has a relatively low LD50 compared to many compounds - if you try eating a pound of it you'll see why. That hardly means that table salt is toxic - just that your body can only handle so much of it.

For Aspartame the LD50 is 10+g/kg. For table salt the LD50 is 3-4g/kg. I hardly think we should start banning salt.