Mailing List Archive Mailing List Archive
You wrote: > >Last weekend, friends and I dove an inland sink hole in the Akumal area >which is about 190 feet to the bottom. At about 120 feet we encountered a >layer of hydrogen sulfide which was about 3 or 4 feet thick below which is >perfectly clear water. What a stink and a taste sensation...it seems to >permeate everything. I understand that some blue holes have this present >as well. Can anyone tell me why and from what hydrogen sulfide forms, what >determines the depth at which it seems to hang like a gaseous cloud, and >also advise me of any precautions that should be take when hydrogen sulfide >is present? I notice that it turned a couple of brass clips nearly black. >Thanks! > >Bruce > > Water and hydrogen sulfide R indeed very similar. Structurally H2S is similar to H2O H--O--H (slightly bent out of shape) vs H--S--H because chemically S & O are so similar. (It's all in their electrons 2, 6 vs 2, 8, 6) Atomic weights are even in the synchrony - 16 vs 32 (OK so at times the latter can glow in the dark) and, more noteworthy, their nascent forms have the same molecular weight 32 (S vs O2). Inorganic formation: HCl + NaOH ====> NaCl + H2O HAc + Na2S ====> NaAc + H2S (well actually my chem teach had taught CaS + MgCl2 + H2O ====> CaCl2 + Mg(OH)2 + H2s) Now when H2S comes into contact with water it forms hydrosulfurous acid. (By the same token, water in aqueous media will from hydroaquoreous acid, called aquaeum when very concentrated) Organically H2S can be formed by the enzymatic cleavage and transfer of sulfhydryl groups ( -SH) to appropiate protons. -SH + H+ -----proto sulfhydryl transferase----> H2S Water can be formed by the enzymatic cleavage & transfer of hydroxyl groups, say from phoroglucinol to protoen Phorogluconol ------1,3,5 benzene triol dehydroxylase----> Benzene + H20 again requiring a proton to capture the OH- moeity. The chemical similarity between these compounds is obvious. Though H2S & H20 are so similar, they have vastly different effects on body. Human skin is impermeable to H2O. Yet that integument will allow H2S, as hydrosulfurous acid, to permeate. H2S reacts with Fe+++, forming Fe2S3, the Au of fools. Remembering that heme of blood has a Fe moeity, once the body comes into contact with H2S the rx Fe+++ + S-- -------> Fe2S3 proceeds rapidly, converting blood to a slurry of fool's Au, shiny, but worthless. At the same time H2S in water (1 gr/ca.200 ml) forms: H2S + H20 ----> S + H20 Exposure to H2S will cause conjuctival rx & mucous membrane inflammation, head ache, dizziness, lasstitude Regards Esat Atikkan -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send list subscription requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
Navigate by Author:
[Previous]
[Next]
[Author Search Index]
Navigate by Subject:
[Previous]
[Next]
[Subject Search Index]
[Send Reply] [Send Message with New Topic]
[Search Selection] [Mailing List Home] [Home]