lime sulphur

[incognito]

just a question,

today i sprayed roses with lime sulphur for 6 hrs. As i hate wearing a mask for chems that do not state that one is recommended in the msds, i did not wear one.There was not even a caution on the chem bottle of any kind(yates lime sulphur )

i felt a lil nauseus during the spray(mainly i think coz of the old dog piss stench of lime sulphur) but right now im weezing like a fuker,lungs feel real heavy,have the shakes, and have had a puke.

others i have spoken to have said that they have had no probs with lime sulphur use-except for stinking like dog piss.

Im wondering could i be alergic, should have worn a mask, or am just a wuss?

id be glad to hear of others thoughts on lime sulphur.Im convinced its nasty shit and should carry a warning on z bottle.

thanks,

-jono

[Torsten]

you're just a wuss

Lime slphur usually contains lime and well, sulphur. Elemental sulphur (the type used in the spray) is non-toxic and can be eaten by the gram as a supplement. Not sure what lime they use, but lime is either limestone calcium carbonate or hydrated lime calcium hydroxide. The latter might cause some minor burns by turning your skin to soap, but I don't think that's the one used for the spray anyway. Limestone is totally harmless. In fact, quick-eeze and mylanta are limestone.

So the only culprit could be other additives, but I don't see why they would put anything else in there. The wheezing can be from the dust settling in your lungs, as sulphur does not dissolve.

No idea what the dog piss smell is. That suggests ammonia ie urea. Ammonia can cause migraines and respiratory problems, but usually only at much higher concentrations.

[Darklight]

Did you make up the spray yourself or was it already prepped in a liquid stock solution? I had a similar job some years ago and found that it was an additive in some sprays, emulsifier or wetting agent or something, which was making me queasy. Check the MSDS at the manufacturer's site.

Wear a mask and protective clothing anyhow, I know its a hassle and hot, but get into the habit if you're spraying. These things can develop over time, you can be fine for ages and then it's like your body just won't tolerate that anymore.

[incognito]

i was using a lil detergent as a wetting agent,mixed to manufacturers recomendations, there were no cautions on the msds, however it did make me crook that night.(there was a little spray drift) i recommend utilising safety equipment while applying any chemicals!!

ive learnt my lesson!

[blog]

Maybe you're allergic to sulphur or sulphites. I've had sulphur spray blow back into my face but not had any reaction.

*************

TOXICOLOGY

Sulfur can cause irritation of the skin and eyes and if inhaled cause inflamation in the nasal mucosa, lung irritation and occasional bloody mucous secretions, disorders which usually clear up within days of removal from exposure. Broncho pulmonary disease may occur which, after exposure over several years, may be complicated by emphysema and broncheitasis (EXTOXNET 1995).

Research investigating sulfur as a cause of allergic dermatitis in nursery workers revealed an allergic sensitivity in as many as 10% of the workers sampled. This high frequency of allergic response was unexpected. The study was not designed to evaluate the chemical transformation of sulfur once in contact with human skin. Elemental sulfur is chemically transformed in the environment into sulfites which are known to be allergenic to approximately 1 1/2% of the population. Further research is needed to determine if elemental sulfur causes skin and lung reactions, or if sulfites as transformation products are implicated. Potentially both chemicals could be involved (O'Malley 1996).

[Rev]

I know when applying trace element sprays it pays to add some urea to help uptake

but im sure that has no bearing on ths matter...