[Lmnbt]

Hi!

I'm not sure where this post belongs, as I am unsure what I dealt with!

Yesterday I was in the woods with the kids I teach (environmental education program) on a nature wander. I found a vial that had a little bit of clear liquid in it, which I assumed was a creek sample, and very STUPIDLY I opened it without even thinking. When I opened it I heard this sound very similar to a soda bottle opening, and then this cloudy mist escaped from the bottle that had an intense chemical smell, (more of a bleach and chemical smell rather than a sulphur type smell). I quickly closed the vial and put it back and started to walk... About 5-10 seconds later I started to get really woozy and light headed, my vision went blurry and my heart started pounding so I started stumbling towards my supervisor trying to communicate that I inhaled something and I was going to pass out. Then I hit the forest floor panting and heart still pounding and went unconscious for a few seconds. I ended up going to the ER (they said everything was fine) and I also called the police.

The police said it would take months to test the liquid, but they called me that night. They didn't tell me what it was, but they said it was something very similar to rubbing alcohol? I don't know of any substance close to rubbing alcohol that would cause that kind of reaction. My first guess was chloroform, but I'm now not sure because of what the police said!

Anybody have any guesses as to what was in that vial?
I'm a tad worried and mostly just curious.

Thanks!

[Arkcon]

Ho-kay.  First off, I kinda dislike it when someone types a breathless block of prose like this, because we're not really chatting in person, and now I have a dozen questions to give the topic the full treatment.  So here goes:

Hi!

I'm not sure where this post belongs, as I am unsure what I dealt with!

Yes, I moved it to the Generic Discussion sub-board, since it really isn't one chemistry concept to work with.

Yesterday I was in the woods with the kids I teach (environmental education program) on a nature wander. I found a vial that had a little bit of clear liquid in it, which I assumed was a creek sample, and very STUPIDLY I opened it without even thinking.

So it wasn't yours, and you decided to mess with it?  Not a good idea.  But I wouldn't call it stupid.  You're there for a science walk, after all.  But you should try to control the environemnt better, if you're going to teach students.

When I opened it I heard this sound very similar to a soda bottle opening, and then this cloudy mist escaped from the bottle that had an intense chemical smell, (more of a bleach and chemical smell rather than a sulphur type smell).

Kay, see, I wouldn't have been so close to something I didn't understand but, in for a penny, in for a pound, I guess.  Did you really breathe much of it?

I quickly closed the vial and put it back and started to walk... About 5-10 seconds later I started to get really woozy and light headed, my vision went blurry and my heart started pounding so I started stumbling towards my supervisor trying to communicate that I inhaled something and I was going to pass out. Then I hit the forest floor panting and heart still pounding and went unconscious for a few seconds. I ended up going to the ER (they said everything was fine) and I also called the police.

I guess you got quite a lung full of something that you didn't know about.  Should try to avoid that.

The police said it would take months to test the liquid, but they called me that night. They didn't tell me what it was, but they said it was something very similar to rubbing alcohol? I don't know of any substance close to rubbing alcohol that would cause that kind of reaction. My first guess was chloroform, but I'm now not sure because of what the police said!

A little funny here.  It will take months to do a through chemical test, if no obvious crime has been committed to someone.  Still, since you got a clean sample to the police, they have what they need to understand it.  And yes, they can quickly test a portion of it for the obvious characteristics.

Anybody have any guesses as to what was in that vial?
I'm a tad worried and mostly just curious.

Thanks!

It reads to me like a dime-store sort-of sciencey whodunit novel, with a hint of urban legend, just for flavor.  See this reference:  http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/perfume.asp

[Lmnbt]

Ho-kay.  First off, I kinda dislike it when someone types a breathless block of prose like this, because we're not really chatting in person, and now I have a dozen questions to give the topic the full treatment.  So here goes

Yes, I moved it to the Generic Discussion sub-board, since it really isn't one chemistry concept to work with.

So it wasn't yours, and you decided to mess with it?  Not a good idea.  But I wouldn't call it stupid.  You're there for a science walk, after all.  But you should try to control the environemnt better, if you're going to teach students.

Kay, see, I wouldn't have been so close to something I didn't understand but, in for a penny, in for a pound, I guess.  Did you really breathe much of it?

A little funny here.  It will take months to do a through chemical test, if no obvious crime has been committed to someone.  Still, since you got a clean sample to the police, they have what they need to understand it.  And yes, they can quickly test a portion of it for the obvious characteristics.

It reads to me like a dime-store sort-of sciencey whodunit novel, with a hint of urban legend, just for flavor.  See this reference:  http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/perfume.asp

Ooh, sorry! Forgot I was on a message board easiest way to get flamed for the way you type.

Thanks for moving it!

I do understand I shouldn't be opening vials that aren't mine. I'm pretty sure I knew that when I was falling on my side! Haha. I think the bigger question should be "who the hell leaves vials of toxic substances in the woods?!"

I didn't really inhale much of it, maybe a mouth full, enough that the smell kind of slapped me in the face... But as soon as I saw the mist/gas I closed it. Yes I caught a lung full of something I didn't know about. Isn't that the reason I'm here ?

The police vaguely told me it was something similar to rubbing alcohol. When I asked them about the substance before we were able to go recover the vial, they said they could only tell me what the substance was if it was necessary for me to know (dangerous side effects, public health issue, etc). I also find it a bit weird that they told me it would take months, yet called me that night with a less-than-understandable answer.

I know snopes. I consider myself a very imaginative person, and a decent writer of sorts, but this isn't fiction. Nor snopes-worthy. I came here for some help/closure. That's all! It was pretty scary-  laying on the ground spinning through the universe incoherently as ten children stood around me freaking out! I'm supposed to take care of them! Glad it was me and not one of them though.

If you have any guesses, I'd appreciate it

[curiouscat]

Why not phone the cops and ask? They did say they'd tell you if you wanted to.

How big was the vial? Could it have been someone with angina pectoris losing his nitroglycerin pearl?

[Borek]

Chances are your reaction was partially psychosomatic (unless I am misusing the word, I am not sure if the English meaning is identical with the Polish one). So the substance itself was not that dangerous, but your organism overreacted expecting something harmful.

[Archer]

The effects sound like an alkyl nitrite (Also used in the treatment of angina) We had an accidental release of isopropyl nitrite once and I thought I was going to collapse even with very low exposure. I would not have said that these smell like bleach but smell is very subjective.

Choroform and diethylether need high concentrations to produce systemic effects I would be surprised if it was one of these but alkylnitrites have an effect even if only a little is inhaled and if you thought you had just gassed yourself then the panic could have caused you to pass out.

Glad to hear that you are ok, I hope this is a lesson learned about opening any unlabelled containers.