Self-Ignition Chemical: Causes and Effects

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a reported incident of skin irritation experienced by a participant's boyfriend, potentially linked to a Zippo lighter and its contents. Participants explore various chemical causes and effects related to the incident, including the properties of lighter fluid and its interaction with skin, as well as possible alternative explanations.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that the burning sensation and skin irritation could be due to a chemical reaction involving sweat, the metal of the lighter, and static electricity, while questioning the presence of a gasoline smell.
  • Another participant proposes that butane from the lighter may have leaked and caused skin irritation, referencing a similar experience of a friend.
  • A different viewpoint indicates that the irritation is likely caused by gasoline from the Zippo lighter, emphasizing that even non-allergic individuals can experience burns from gasoline exposure.
  • One participant clarifies that Zippo lighters use naptha rather than gasoline, suggesting that the irritation could stem from a leak of this substance, which evaporates quickly.
  • Another participant notes that the skin on the thighs is relatively thin, which may contribute to the severity of the irritation.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the exact cause of the skin irritation, with some attributing it to butane or gasoline, while others focus on the properties of naptha. There is no consensus on a single explanation for the incident.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention various chemical properties and potential reactions without resolving the specifics of the irritation's cause. The discussion includes assumptions about the materials involved and their effects on skin.

martine
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I guess this might be something chemical.

About 2 weeks ago my boyfriend and me were driving somewhere. Suddenly he screemed out, saying his leg was burning. On the next parking place we noticed a red mark on his leg approximately the size of his zippo lighter, which was in his pocket right on top of that mark and his trowsers had a soft gasoline smell. In the evening that mark was redder with a blister in the middle, everything peeled after a few days and now there's only a pale red mark left.

What might have happened here?

I guess we can exclude self-ignition here. My bf's not allergic to gasoline on his skin. Could he have produced an acid from some sweat (was a hot day and car without airco), the metal of the lighter and some static electricity (he's always somewhat charged :eek: )? But what about the gasoline smell? His trowsers were not damaged.

I'm curious with what you can come up :)

Martine
 
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martine said:
I guess this might be something chemical.

About 2 weeks ago my boyfriend and me were driving somewhere. Suddenly he screemed out, saying his leg was burning. On the next parking place we noticed a red mark on his leg approximately the size of his zippo lighter, which was in his pocket right on top of that mark and his trowsers had a soft gasoline smell. In the evening that mark was redder with a blister in the middle, everything peeled after a few days and now there's only a pale red mark left.

What might have happened here?

I guess we can exclude self-ignition here. My bf's not allergic to gasoline on his skin. Could he have produced an acid from some sweat (was a hot day and car without airco), the metal of the lighter and some static electricity (he's always somewhat charged :eek: )? But what about the gasoline smell? His trowsers were not damaged.

I'm curious with what you can come up :)

Martine

This news article sums it up pretty much... I guess the same kida thing happened, except on a smaller scale. :biggrin:

God made an appearance at the West Oaks Mall yesterday. It wasn't his intention to be noticed, but the bright blue aura was hard to miss. In a bizarre twist, all who witnessed the event were killed. So were all reporting on it. When asked why he felt so wrathy, God said, "Jesus, can't I have a little fun around here?"
Jesus was not available for comment.
 
I'm guessing the butane in his lighter might have leaked out and caused a skin irritation.
 
gravenewworld said:
I'm guessing the butane in his lighter might have leaked out and caused a skin irritation.
Yeah, that happened to one of my friends. He felt a burning kind of sensation he said. The "axe incident" (axe is a spray on deodorant, main ingrediants; alchohol and butane)
 
He didn't say anything about marks though...
 
Read...
Its about a Zippo lighter, uses a form of gasoline.

If had this as well, it happens when you overfill your zippo.
The mark is caused by the gasoline.
It doesn't matter if your not alergic to gasoline, it's nasty enough to burn your skin.
If he's using the special zippo fluid its even worse, that stuff is pretty nasty if your skin is exposed to it to long.
 
...just wanted to clarify...

Zippo's use naptha, not gasoline. It's mainly pentanes and hexanes I think...Gasoline I believe are the higher carbon alkanes like the octanes and whatever.

Anyways, yeah, I guess it could be some kind of skin irritation. Although I've boiled naptha before and put my finger in it before to check out how hot it was (danger is my middle name). And I didn't get any burns or anything, but I did wipe it off...although I doubt there was much need to as it's so volatile to begin with. Anywho, the lighter was probably leaking the gas and it continually was being applied to the skin which caused some kind of irritation. Naptha evaporates quickly so by the time you checked most of it had already probably evaporated.

Ah.
 
And the skin around your theighs is quite thin
 

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