Using my new found skills and awareness with Toxnet (thanks Ralph for promoting the NIH/NLM course) I did a quick search of the Household Products Database.  It lists dozens (maybe 100?) products with sodium borate as an ingredient including hand soaps, laundry detergents, toilet bowl cleaners, automotive chemicals, stain removers, and more....

Jeff

On Fri, Mar 31, 2017 at 5:05 PM Monona Rossol <0000030664c37427-dmarc-request**At_Symbol_Here**lists.princeton.edu> wrote:

I said roughly the same thing a few minutes ago, but I've also had an additional thought.  Borax cleaners often have a dry bleach in them.  And the PVA emulsions from Dow that are used in most of the glues have a stabilizer that gives off a wee bit of ammonia.  Hmmm.

Monona Rossol, M.S., M.F.A., Industrial Hygienist

President:  Arts, Crafts & Theater Safety, Inc.

Safety Officer: Local USA829, IATSE

181 Thompson St., #23

New York, NY 10012     212-777-0062

actsnyc**At_Symbol_Here**cs.com   www.artscraftstheatersafety.org

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Dr. David Roberts <droberts**At_Symbol_Here**DEPAUW.EDU>
To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>

Sent: Fri, Mar 31, 2017 4:41 pm
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines from Google (12 articles)

I too make a lot of slime (really - lots), and I also have always used borax (sodium tetraborate) with no issues.  I've even used mule team borax from the store, but usually I just use borate.  I think their analysis is a bit off.  My thought on this, with no research while I sit on the beach during spring break, is that somebody went to the store and bought some borax with extra cleaners (maybe bleach or ??).  I don't feel simple borax would do this.  

It's also possible I guess that the glue they used contained something new, but I really don't know.  Again, I don't use glue, I use 4% polyvinyl alcohol solution - much easier and cleaner that way.

My 0.02

Dave

Sent from my iPad

On Mar 31, 2017, at 2:48 PM, DAVID Katz <DAKATZ45**At_Symbol_Here**MSN.COM> wrote:

How to make kid-safe Slime.

 

I am not the originator of Slime, but if you ever made Slime, it is probably a variation of my recipe. Slime was a product of Mattel Toy Corporation. Based on a 1978 article about Slime, by Jeral Walker in Scientific American, I contacted Mattel and was able to find out the composition of Slime. My first recipe for making Slime in the laboratory or at home was published in 1979. My friend and colleague, David Weil, introduced the procedure for making Slime from polyvinyl alcohol in 1981.  The procedure for making Slime from Elmer's white glue originally used liquid starch, but my colleagues determined that it was the borax in the starch that cross-linked the the polyvinyl acetate.

 

In any of the recipes, a 4-5% solution of borax is prepared.  (That's approximately a saturated solution.)  To make the Slime, only about 5 mL of the borax solution is used.  See my procedures for Guar gum Slime at http://www.chymist.com/guar%20gum%20slime.pdf, Polyvinylalcohol Slime at http://www.chymist.com/PVA%20Slime.pdf, and Elmer's Glue Gak (or Slime) at http://www.chymist.com/Gak.pdf

 

I have presented well over 200 workshops where thousands of students have prepared various types of Slime with no problems or injuries, not to mention procedures used by colleagues around the world with no adverse effects.  So, looking at the report on a student receiving chemical burns leaves me to believe that they may have added powdered borax to the white glue in their procedure. This is a case where proper directions were not provided for the procedure nor was there proper adult supervision.

 

Rather than trying to restrict or ban the preparation of Slime, it is imperative that proper procedures be provided to teachers and parents.

 

Best regards,

 

David

 

_________________________________________________________________________
 
  David A. Katz             
  Chemist, Educator, Expert Demonstrator, Science Communicator, and  Consultant
  Programs and workshops for teachers, schools, museums, and the public
  133 N. Desert Stream Dr. * Tucson, AZ 85745-2277 *  USA
  voice/fax: (520) 624-2207 * email: dakatz45**At_Symbol_Here**msn.com
           Visit my web site:  http://www.chymist.com
_________________________________________________________________________

----- Original Message -----

From: Secretary, ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety

To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU

Sent: Friday, March 31, 2017 2:49 AM

Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines from Google (12 articles)

Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Friday, March 31, 2017 at 5:48:42 AM

   A membership benefit of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety
   All article summaries and tags are archived at http://pinboard.in/u:dchas

Table of Contents (12 articles)

HOW TO MAKE KID-SAFE SLIME THAT DOESN'T LEAVE CHEMICAL BURNS
Tags: us_LA, public, discovery, environmental, other_chemical

FIRE CREWS RESPONDING TO HAZMAT SITUATION IN DOWNTOWN ATLANTA
Tags: us_GA, public, discovery, response, mercury

UPDATED: COCKEYSVILLE OIL SPILL HAS BEEN CONTAINED, OFFICIALS SAY
Tags: us_MD, transportation, release, response, oils

FREON LEAK AT KELLOGG HQ SENDS 23 EMPLOYEES TO AREA HOSPITALS
Tags: us_MI, public, release, injury, freon, hvac_chemicals

HAZMAT SITUATION CLOSES I-84
Tags: us_UT, transportation, release, injury, unknown_chemical

OFFICIAL DETERMINE CHEMICAL LEAK LED TO NORTH ANDOVER EXPLOSION
Tags: us_MA, public, follow-up, environmental

NEW DETAILS EMERGE ABOUT DEADLY AUGUSTA CHEMICAL LEAK
Tags: us_GA, public, follow-up, death, liquid_nitrogen

TORRANCE DEBATING BAN OF REFINERY CHEMICAL
Tags: us_CA, industrial, follow-up, response, hydrofluoric_acid

PARENT ISSUES WARNING AFTER GIRL SUFFERS CHEMICAL BURNS FROM =E2=80=98SLIME'
Tags: education, discovery, injury, other_chemical

VOLVO SAYS LAB FIRE WON'T AFFECT PRODUCTION
Tags: Sweden, laboratory, fire, response, batteries

LAB SMOKE EVACUATES MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY ENGINEERING BUILDING
Tags: Canada, laboratory, release, response, unknown_chemical

WOMAN SUFFERS BURNS IN HOUSE FIRE
Tags: us_TX, public, fire, injury, unknown_chemical


---------------------------------------------

HOW TO MAKE KID-SAFE SLIME THAT DOESN'T LEAVE CHEMICAL BURNS
Tags: us_LA, public, discovery, environmental, other_chemical

NEW ORLEANS - The craze of making homemade slime is back, but after one child received chemical burns, parents are asking about safer methods to make slime and still have fun.

Kids and parents are heading to gather supplies so much there have been reports of stores running out of glue.

Social videos making and featuring slime have reached thousands of viewers.

However, some of the =E2=80=98recipes' call for borax to activate the slime.

"We actually have a name for that, we call it the boiled lobster burn" said Dr. James Diaz, with LSU Public Health. Diaz studies medical toxicology and poisons.

He explained that borax, when mixed with water, becomes boric acid and can burn the skin.

"The redness is a second-degree burn and the peeling of the skin is a third-degree burn," he explained. "If infected, a third-degree burn can be converted into a fourth-degree burn which has to be treated by a skin graft."

---------------------------------------------

FIRE CREWS RESPONDING TO HAZMAT SITUATION IN DOWNTOWN ATLANTA
Tags: us_GA, public, discovery, response, mercury

ATLANTA -- Atlanta Fire crews are responding to a hazmat situation in downtown Atlanta, officials confirmed.

According to a spokesperson with the Atlanta Fire Department, hazmat teams are at the Atlanta office of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission at 245 Peachtree Center Avenue.

At this time, it's unclear what the exact situation is, but it seems to involve mercury, a liquid metal. 11Alive reached out to the FBI, who was also working the investigation, but they did not comment on the situation.

---------------------------------------------

UPDATED: COCKEYSVILLE OIL SPILL HAS BEEN CONTAINED, OFFICIALS SAY
Tags: us_MD, transportation, release, response, oils

COCKEYSVILLE, MD (UPDATED 11:45 a.m.) - Hazmat crews responded to an oil spill Thursday morning in Cockeysville that impacted a stream, according to Baltimore County public safety officials.

Authorities said that 2,000 gallons of heating oil spilled from a truck in the area of Ivy Hill Road at Broadmeade Court.

At 9:40 a.m., officials reported that personnel from Maryland Department of the Environment and Baltimore County hazmat had been called to the scene.

---------------------------------------------

FREON LEAK AT KELLOGG HQ SENDS 23 EMPLOYEES TO AREA HOSPITALS
Tags: us_MI, public, release, injury, freon, hvac_chemicals

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. - The Battle Creek fire department and hazmat crews responded Wednesday morning to a freon leak at the Kellogg Company's world headquarters in Battle Creek.

"Call came in around 10:40 for a freon leak," said Fire Chief Dave Schmaltz.. "We responded like we normally would with an engine to check it out first.. And then once we got here we up the response just 'cause what we had found."

The company says that a refrigerant leaked at headquarters and all employees were evacuated from the North Tower. Kellogg said 23 people were taken to area hospitals for evaluation as a precautionary measure.

"We set up a triage area and they checked out all the patients," said Schmaltz during a media briefing. "They transported a couple in the ambulance. Then we actually had the city bus come down to take the rest of them up to the hospital."

---------------------------------------------

HAZMAT SITUATION CLOSES I-84
Tags: us_UT, transportation, release, injury, unknown_chemical

A possible hazmat threat shut down I-84 on Thursday, March 23, after a call was made to Box Elder County dispatch about a semi-truck tanker spraying an unknown liquid material on the freeway.

According to Utah Highway Patrol, at approximately 9:52 a.m., a truck driven by a 23 year old man from Indiana noticed a semi hauling a tanker with something coming out of the tanker. The liquid sprayed the front of his truck and when he pulled over in Snowville to wipe off his vehicle he reported feeling ill.

He called 911 to report the incident to UHP, Box Elder County Sheriff=E2=80™s Office and fire personnel responded. He was taken to Bear River Valley Hospital to be checked out. Authorities put out an attempt to locate the semi-truck spraying the material but "it was determined that whatever had sprayed the semi had dried and was no longer an immediate threat," the report stated.

The Bear River Health Department worked with the company that owned the truck and it was properly wiped down.

"Initially we closed the freeway until we determined that the tanker truck was no longer spilling or in the area. There was a small area of the Flying J in Snowville that was secured until it was determined the chemical was not an immediate threat," the report added.

---------------------------------------------

OFFICIAL DETERMINE CHEMICAL LEAK LED TO NORTH ANDOVER EXPLOSION
Tags: us_MA, public, follow-up, environmental

The explosion last year at Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials, North Andover, was the result of a mechanical failure allowed air to react with a volatile chemical that resulted in spontaneous ignition and the explosion.

State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey, North Andover Fire Chief William McCarthy and North Andover Police Chief Charles Gray released their joint investigation into the Jan. 7, 2016 explosion this morning. Four employees were seriously injured. Three were transported to Boston hospitals and one was treated at a local hospital.

Workers had been experiencing a pressure problem in the reclaiming process that indicated a possible leak. They were attempting to troubleshoot the problem when the explosion occurred. The investigation showed this area was where the explosion originated. The explosion occurred when air came in contact with the chemical. A fire suppression system functioned and extinguished the fire. Closer examination showed the metal chemical vessels and waste traps contained several welds and gaskets that were not regularly inspected as a part of a safety process.

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) conducted a parallel and independent investigation into the workplace injuries. The agency found numerous safety violations and issued three citations with fines totaling $129,200. There was a previous chemical explosion at this facility that killed one employee in 2013. That incident occurred during work on a different chemical process.

---------------------------------------------

NEW DETAILS EMERGE ABOUT DEADLY AUGUSTA CHEMICAL LEAK
Tags: us_GA, public, follow-up, death, liquid_nitrogen

AUGUSTA - The company at the center of a deadly liquid Nitrogen leak might be facing even more problems.

The chemical leak at the Augusta sperm bank, Xytex, killed a sheriff's deputy last month. 11Alive's Faith Abubey has uncovered additional details that make the case even more heartbreaking.

According to the city of Augusta, the building where the deadly chemical leak happened wasn't cleared for safety codes before the company started using it -- which leaves you wondering if this tragic incident could have been avoided in the first place.

Almost two months after a liquid nitrogen leak killed Sergeant Greg Meagher, several investigations continue into the deadly liquid nitrogen leak at the Xytex headquarters in Augusta.

But 11Alive News has learned new details that could spell problems for the sperm bank. State officials confirm there were signs of a chemical problem earlier in the day on February 5 before the leak that killed Sgt. Meagher.

They said the equipment's safety alert system was sending messages prior to the burglar alarm call that sent deputies to the scene. In another detail, 11Alive News was able to confirm that the Xytex building was never cleared by city officials for occupancy.

---------------------------------------------

TORRANCE DEBATING BAN OF REFINERY CHEMICAL
Tags: us_CA, industrial, follow-up, response, hydrofluoric_acid

TORRANCE, Calif. (KABC) -- A heated city council meeting in Torrance looked at the issue of whether to ban a dangerous chemical in use at the local refinery.

The overflow crowd discussed a possible ban on the use of hydrofluoric acid at the Torrance Refinery.

Supporters of a ban said they were concerned about the possible injuries or death that could occur if the chemical is released into the air.

"I don't know about you but I'm planning on dying of natural causes," said Torrance resident Brian Hitchcock. "Not a choking, burning, horribly painful chemical death, whether it's slow or fast, that could have been prevented.."

Opponents of the ban, including company officials and local employees, said the plant has used HF in the refining process for roughly 20 years.

They said the plant, which generates many jobs, could not remain open without use of the chemicals.

"Given the current state of technology, you cannot have both," said Jeff Dill, an official with PBF Energy.

The company also argued that the city should wait until state air quality control regulators finish their own look at the use of HF.

---------------------------------------------

PARENT ISSUES WARNING AFTER GIRL SUFFERS CHEMICAL BURNS FROM =E2=80=98SLIME'
Tags: education, discovery, injury, other_chemical

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Homemade slime is a do-it-yourself project that is becoming popular with elementary and middle school students =E2=80" but there is a key ingredient that could pose a danger.

As CBS2's Valerie Castro reported, Siobhan Quinn is warning everyone to watch out after what happened to her 11-year-old daughter, Kathleen.

"We don't want this to happen to any more kids," Quinn said.

Kathleen Quinn's hands were almost completely bandaged up after she suffered second- and third-degree burns from making and playing with the popular slime at a friend's house.

"Horrible, her hands were covered in blisters," Siobhan Quinn said. "They were weeping, watery - really scary looking."

---------------------------------------------

VOLVO SAYS LAB FIRE WON'T AFFECT PRODUCTION
Tags: Sweden, laboratory, fire, response, batteries

STOCKHOLM -- A fire broke out on Tuesday in a building housing an auto battery laboratory at Volvo Car Group's plant in Gothenburg, Sweden, the company said.

Volvo said the blaze was under control, but 150 employees had to be evacuated from the laboratory and surrounding buildings.

"There is no impact on the production from the fire," a spokesperson said.

This is the second fire at Volvo Car's Gothenburg plant in less than two months. In early February, another building, housing a test facility, caught fire.

---------------------------------------------

LAB SMOKE EVACUATES MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY ENGINEERING BUILDING
Tags: Canada, laboratory, release, response, unknown_chemical

Memorial University engineering students were forced out of the S.J. Carew Building at the St. John's campus on Wednesday afternoon.

Smoke in a refrigeration unit of the thermal lab on the ground floor sparked an evacuation at around 4 p.m. The St. John's Regional Fire Department responded a short time later, according to Platoon Chief Robert Fowler.

"They just recently had a new refrigeration unit put in there, and [they are] having some issues with it, so it was creating some smoke in the immediate area," Fowler explained.


Platoon Chief Robert Fowler says there was an issue with a new refrigeration unit in a laboratory in the building. (Ted Dillon/CBC)
He said firefighters and Memorial University maintenance staff found the problem, cut power to the unit and aired out the space.

"Right now the contractor is on his way in to deal with the issues with that unit."

Students have been let back into the building on the north side of campus off Prince Philip Drive, but the laboratory remains closed.

---------------------------------------------

WOMAN SUFFERS BURNS IN HOUSE FIRE
Tags: us_TX, public, fire, injury, unknown_chemical

On Sunday March 26th shortly after 5:30pm, Orange Fire Department was notified of a structure fire and burn victim. The fire was located at 2419 McKee Dr. , when the first unit arrived on scene the found heavy black smoke coming from the rear of the resident.

The home owner states she was cleaning with some type of chemical and it caught fire.  The women received several burns on her lower body and leg areas. She was transported by Acadian Ambulance Personnel to a nearby awaiting helicopter. The victim was initially going to a Galveston Burn Center, but due to the weather the air rescue unit had to divert back to St. Elizabeth Hospital. The home received fire, water and, serious smoke damage. The city Of Orange Fire Marshall was called to the scene and is investigating the cause of the fire. A dog was also rescued by fire fighters from the back yard of the home.

---------------------------------------------

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--- This e-mail is from DCHAS-L, the e-mail list of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety. For more information about the list, contact the Divisional secretary at secretary**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org

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Jeff Lewin

Chemical Safety Officer

Compliance, Integrity, and Safety

Environmental Health and Safety

Michigan Technological University

Houghton, MI 49931

O 906-487.3153

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