[Meesh]

Hi, I recently conducted an experiment for my high school science fair project, and this involved electrolyzing water. We added table salt to the mixture to speed up the process, and ended up creating a bluish foam on the top of the water. I do not know what this was and if it was toxic/carcinogenic or hazordous to my health. I was breathing in any fumes that may have been caused for a good 30 minutes, and was touching it with my hands, and I would like to know if I should be concerened. It has been about 3 days and I am still alive, but it would be greatly appreciated if i could get an answer on this. Thanks.

[Alpha-Omega]

Could only answer that if you can say what was in the MIXTURE.

We added table salt to the mixture to speed up the process, and ended up creating a bluish foam on the top of the water.

So what was in the mixture?

My gues would bbe you are going to be just fine; since, this was a high school level project.  Not to metion the fact that you have survied an additional 72 hours....WOO HOO!!!

I think you will live a long time...

For future reference, it is not a good idea to physically interact by touch/inhilation/ingestion with materials you use or generate in the lab.

I always had a clause in my syllibi which stated:  "Please do not eat the lab.."

[IITian]

Not quite sure why you ended up with a bluish foam, but you are fine...As fas as I know, electrolysis of water can only produce O₂ & H₂ unless you have used a lot of table salt in which case you'll get Cl₂ as well.

[ARGOS++]

Dear IITian;

The whole Question is already answered because Meesh has posted it twice!
You may check on:  "http://www.chemicalforums.com/index.php?topic=21865.0”

Good Luck!
                    ARGOS⁺⁺

[IITian]

Thanks Argos but why did the solution turn blue? Alpha-Omega, did you use Copper as electrodes?

[ARGOS++]

Dear IITian;

The slightly bluish color is not easy to explain, because we are missing several required Information, like what impurities the water contained, or what impurities the Table Salt contained, or of what material the electrodes are made of, etc.
(It needs not very much impurities for that!)

So I can tell you about, because I don’t like “to read tea leaves”. – Sorry!

Good Luck!
                    ARGOS⁺⁺

[Alpha-Omega]

To answer that I would need to know what was in that mixture....the original post indicates the presence of a MIXTURE...components not listed/given.