Question: What is the most dangers drug you have worked with

Jess Smith answered on 20 Mar 2014:

I haven’t worked with many dangerous drugs, but some of the chemicals we use in the lab are very dangerous!

The most dangerous chemical I have worked with is called hydroflouric acid (or HF). We use it to dissolve away some oxide build ups on metals. The reason it is dangerous is that if you spill it on your skin it seeps through very fast and reacts with the calcium ions (Ca2+) and magnesium ions (Mg2+) that are in your blood, bones and tissues. This means that you go in to toxic shock, or have a heart attack, as the important ions are no longer available in your blood. So it is both corrosive and poisonous. This can all happen without you realising, as HF blocks the nerve signals. It is really nasty stuff! But our department uses it a lot, and has never had an accident because we have very very careful procedures. We are also all trained in what to do if you spill it and have antidotes in every lab!