Can 18M Hydrochloric Acid Cause Permanent Skin Damage?

[Eggs]

Just a question that is been nagging me for a long time... if a person were to put 18 mol/L HCL(aq) on your skin what kind of damage would there be? weither it be short term effects, long term effects, or just general damage? Replys are welcome :P

 

[What_Is_X?]

If HCl is strong enough, i believe it can corrode/eat through your skin. Not sure if 18 mol is enough to cause that but i would certainly never ever try it.

 

[rorobee]

i got some concentrated HCl on my hand once.
Was working in the lab and i guess i spilled a little on the table.

I kept my cool and washed & washed it for Fifteen minutes under cool water.

Initally there my skin turned spongy where i had brushed against it.

But after washing it , it turned out ok , with no scar .

 

[Studiot]

Alas, alack, poor Joe
His voice we'll here no more
For what he took for H2O
Was H2SO4

 

[MATLABdude]

I understand that they're much like regular burns (first, second, third degree). I spilled sulphuric acid on my hands once while changing a car battery once, and it stung a fair bit (less so after flushing it for the 5 minutes or so). I recall it being red and sore for a day or two.

The Wikipedia has some more commentary, along with possibly not-safe-for-lunch pictures:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_burn

 

[Borek]

18M is about as much as HCl can get in normal circumstances. 1M is relatively safe - at the time I started my first experiments I dealt with it on many occasions and things like rubber gloves were about as real as Santa Claus, so I got in on my skin many times. Can't say I was always fast to wash my hands after that, I had never any problems. But that was with 1M solution, not stronger.

I am not writing it to tell anyone to ignore safety precautions, I was young, stupid and lucky. Now I am only stupid :grumpy: