Ammonium and Clorox

[Miles]

I heard that mixing ammonium and clorox was a major NO NO. I was just wondering why, and if its really that big of a NO NO.

[Bystander]

This is a hydrazine synthesis route, the hydrazine coming off as a gas, and hydrazine is toxic and flammable. Supposedly, this is a popular practical joke among janitorial staffs --- pour clorox into urinals, and leave it for the unsuspecting victim to gas himself while "watering the horses." The reaction proceeds equally well with amines as with ammonia.

[eagleone]

What is the clorox, some kind of cleaning fluid, bleach or ... ?

Formula ?

[Bystander]

Clorox is a brand name bleach, company's listed on the NYSE, and the word has become synonymous in usage for any hypochlorite bleach; it's available for household use generally as a solution of calcium hypochlorite (Ca(CLO)2).

[thunderfvck]

I was reading that hydrazine (N2H4) has a boiling point of 113.5C. And you were saying how these poor bastards taking a piss could gas themselves. Is the reaction highly exothermic, enough so it vaporizes the hydrazine?
What is it reacting with in the piss? Is it some amines or is it ammonia that presumably is decomposed from the urea in piss?

[thunderfvck]

can someone help? i've been waiting awhile..

[Bystander]

--- and methyl hydrazine, and probably chloramines, and chlorine, and ----. Chemistry of the nitrogenous wastes in the urinary tract includes, but is not limited to, various amines, amino acids, plus who knows what all. Hypochlorite is an oxidizing agent --- oxidizer plus a mixture of reduced species equals a variety of reactions. Exothermic? Sure --- search "hydrazine" for the various "kewl bomb" pages, basement chemists, and other Darwin Award candidates.

[thunderfvck]

thank you very much.