Safety of Melting CA Glue and Hot Glue Guns

[Gear300]

Apparently, I heard CA glues were toxic while being warmed through hot glue guns. How long would an average human being survive if he were stuck in a closed room with his glue gun left one? I'm just wondering based on safety measures...since I heard CA held cyanide, I was wondering what the effects would be when its melted.

 

[chemisttree]

I wasn't aware cyanoacrylate glues were used in hot glue formulations. The vapors of cyanoacrylate contain a cyanide group in the structure but it is chemically unrelated to pure cyanide (if that is what you are asking). The vapors are very irritating to the eyes and airways however. ACGIH has set a threshold limit exposure value of 0.2 ppm which is the maximum recommended concentration allowed in an industrial environment.

 

[jim mcnamara]

AFAIK there are no commercially available cyanocylate formulations for hot melt glue applications. They are all liquids of varying viscosities and drying times.

Which means, don't use homemade glue CA sticks in your hot melt gun.