Re: pinhole zinc pennies in HCl

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From: NFetter@aol.com
Date: Wed Dec 25 2002 - 22:54:06 PST 

From: NFetter@aol.com
Message-ID: <187.1366ff2f.2b3c018e@aol.com>
Date: Thu, 26 Dec 2002 01:54:06 EST
Subject: Re: pinhole zinc pennies in HCl

Hi Charlotte,
The bad smell you noticed from the acid attack on the zinc penny comes from
arsine (AsH3). All zinc contains a small amount of arsenic which reacts with
acid to form arsine--a very toxic gas. The black preciptate cannot be zinc
chloride because it is white. The black stuff might be copper sulfide, which
is black.
Neil Fetter

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