[Stadtjunky]

Hi,

Thanks for taking the time to read this! I'm student chemist (only 21), and last week I got exposed to alot of methyl iodide when I spilt some dissolved in DCM  onto my hand, although I was wearing nitrile gloves I think the chemical passed straight through, I had some skin irritation the next day. Now, after reading up so much about MeI, I'm paranoid that I'll get cancer. Am I being reasonable in worrying about getting cancer because of this exposure?

I seen a doctor, he says it's extremely unlikely, but isn't it also extremely unlikely that someone would have this sort of accident?

Many, many thanks,

John

[tamim83]

I think you will be fine.  If you are a student, you will probably spill several things on your hands.  I looked at the MSDS for MeI, it looks like you had the general reaction (skin irritation).  You will have to have chronic exposure for an extended period of  time to both MeI and DCM for it to be cancer-causing.  One spill is really not enough.  I would be more concerned if you were breathing it in for extended periods of time

You'll be ok.   

[Stadtjunky]

I think you will be fine.  If you are a student, you will probably spill several things on your hands.  I looked at the MSDS for MeI, it looks like you had the general reaction (skin irritation).  You will have to have chronic exposure for an extended period of  time to both MeI and DCM for it to be cancer-causing.  One spill is really not enough.  I would be more concerned if you were breathing it in for extended periods of time

You'll be ok.    

Im not really too concerned about the DCM, it's the MeI that has me worried! I looked it up and aparently scientists use it to induce cancer in animals cells...

/scared


Has anyone on this forum have any previous experience with this dangerous alkyating agent?

[Doc Oc]

Tamim is right, a single exposure will not significantly increase your risk.  I've used methyl iodide lots of times, I'm more concerned about the vapors than I am about spilling a little bit on me.  I just checked the MSDS and the carcinogenic behavior results from repeated chronic exposure to it, not a single (or acute) exposure.  I'm sure if you look at the experimental section for those animal cell studies you'll see similar information.

You're working in a chemistry lab, it's not unusual at all for people to spill things.  It's important for you to know what you're working with and to respect it, but it's equally important not to be paranoid or chemophobic to the point that it hinders your ability to work in the lab.  If a doctor and experienced chemists are telling you that you'll be fine, then you should feel comfortable about that.  If you are going to feel terror or anxiety about every moderately dangerous chemical you encounter, you may need to re-evaluate whether you want to continue working in a laboratory setting.

[Stadtjunky]

Tamim is right, a single exposure will not significantly increase your risk.  I've used methyl iodide lots of times, I'm more concerned about the vapors than I am about spilling a little bit on me.  I just checked the MSDS and the carcinogenic behavior results from repeated chronic exposure to it, not a single (or acute) exposure.  I'm sure if you look at the experimental section for those animal cell studies you'll see similar information.

You're working in a chemistry lab, it's not unusual at all for people to spill things.  It's important for you to know what you're working with and to respect it, but it's equally important not to be paranoid or chemophobic to the point that it hinders your ability to work in the lab.  If a doctor and experienced chemists are telling you that you'll be fine, then you should feel comfortable about that.  If you are going to feel terror or anxiety about every moderately dangerous chemical you encounter, you may need to re-evaluate whether you want to continue working in a laboratory setting.

There are older chemists who must have had serious exposure to MeI and they are alive right? :S

[OC pro]

In general, alkylating reagents are cancerogenic/mutagenic because of their ability to alkylate DNA strains.
You will be fine. Don´t worry about a single exposure. But take it as a warning to be more careful next time.
There are chemicals which can kill you getting them on your hands, even a few drops (e.g. 40% aq. HF).
I would also suggest wearing special gloves when working with these things. But nitrile gloves are good for most of the stuff outside.

[Doc Oc]

There are older chemists who must have had serious exposure to MeI and they are alive right? :S

Yes, that's my point.  Lots of people have worked with this and continue to work with it.  As I said, a single exposure is not enough to cause tumors to grow on your hand next week.  Now, if you spilled the same amount on the same hand every day for a year, that might be a different story.

So now you've learned a valuable lesson; be vigilant and cautious in the lab.  Fortunately, methyl iodide isn't one of those real nasty molecules that OC Pro noted, so you'll be okay.  And now you can pass this knowledge on to someone else someday.

[skyjumper]

At least it wasn't dimethyl Mercury.

[orgopete]

I had been reluctant to comment on this topic. My experience is quite different than the younger chemists.

I have frequently found it difficult to find good data to guide my chemical hygiene. The best rule seems to be keep your exposure to a minimum at all times. However, since a few ideas have been mentioned, I will comment. You should not think of these as anything more than my opinion.

I am generally wary of MSDS data sheets. Since their main purpose seems to be to absolve chemical manufacturers of not warning purchasers of potential hazards, they seem to unnecessarily fearful. I am not disagreeing with them, but I don't value them to determine whether water or dimethylmercury were more toxic, both can kill you.

Okay, how toxic is HF? Will a drop kill you? It is a source of fluoride, is fluoride safe in drinking water? Apparently a reason HF is more dangerous than other acids is because it is a weaker acid and can pass through the skin relatively easily. In the body, HF exerts its toxicity by precipitation of calcium and magnesium ions. (I don't know if that is the same as chronic exposure.)

Methyl iodide has different toxicities associated with it. For the more direct contact, you can find this reported elsewhere. How carcinogenic is it? http://lmgtfy.com/?q=methyl+iodide+carcinogenicity

Disclaimer, I am not advocating safety practices, denial of symptoms, whether to seek medical attention or not, do as I do or did, ignoring MSDS warnings, or anything regarding safety. I simply advocate to judge for yourself.  It shouldn't matter if someone else had no adverse reactions if you did, or vice versa.

[MissPhosgene]

Suck it up. Read the MSDS sheets, use good judgement. Lots of things are carcinogens... working with them is a risk chemists take.

What are you going to do anyway? The MeI solution was already spilled... experienced people have told you that the probability of getting cancer as a result of the spill is very low... listen to them.

Have you ever breathed the air in a city?

[ppbear]

Hope yor are well.

[408]

I had been reluctant to comment on this topic. My experience is quite different than the younger chemists.

I have frequently found it difficult to find good data to guide my chemical hygiene. The best rule seems to be keep your exposure to a minimum at all times. However, since a few ideas have been mentioned, I will comment. You should not think of these as anything more than my opinion.

I am generally wary of MSDS data sheets. Since their main purpose seems to be to absolve chemical manufacturers of not warning purchasers of potential hazards, they seem to unnecessarily fearful. I am not disagreeing with them, but I don't value them to determine whether water or dimethylmercury were more toxic, both can kill you.

Okay, how toxic is HF? Will a drop kill you? It is a source of fluoride, is fluoride safe in drinking water? Apparently a reason HF is more dangerous than other acids is because it is a weaker acid and can pass through the skin relatively easily. In the body, HF exerts its toxicity by precipitation of calcium and magnesium ions. (I don't know if that is the same as chronic exposure.)

Methyl iodide has different toxicities associated with it. For the more direct contact, you can find this reported elsewhere. How carcinogenic is it? http://lmgtfy.com/?q=methyl+iodide+carcinogenicity

Disclaimer, I am not advocating safety practices, denial of symptoms, whether to seek medical attention or not, do as I do or did, ignoring MSDS warnings, or anything regarding safety. I simply advocate to judge for yourself.  It shouldn't matter if someone else had no adverse reactions if you did, or vice versa.

Agreed.  I have posted on the uselessness of MSDSs before as well.

I have my own ranking system for the care to take with various materials.  Methyl iodide is one of the ones I prefer not to work with, but is often unavoidable.  That said, one exposure is probably alright.  At least I hope so.  I had myself an unfortunate exposure to a toxic and carcinogenic material, via inhalation, of hydrazine.  After acute effects wore off a few months later, I had a hypersensitivity for a few years, but now 6 years later it is gone.  

One must chose their own risks and comfort levels.  For me carcinogens are my least favorite materials.  They wig me out.  And I research explosives, but using hydrazine or Me2SO4 or MeI in a reaction worries me more than the final product...

[orgopete]

@408, excellent points.

I acknowledge that people can have a hypersensitivity. That is why I advocate that everyone should decide for themselves as to whether a compound is affecting them. One can experience an effect even though other people in a lab may not.

I agree with the chronic exposure scenario. Obviously hydrazine is frequently used as indicated by the hypersensitivity and its loss. One would not know this unless it was used repeatedly. If one is having chronic exposures, that does raise concerns about this repeated exposure.

One must chose their own risks and comfort levels.  For me carcinogens are my least favorite materials. 

I had commented in another post that I was surprised that benzene was being used as the solvent. I don't recall the exact level or risk posed by benzene, but I thought it was a class XX(?) carcinogen. The discussion here is about methyl iodide and there wasn't any discussion about benzene.

[408]

Obviously hydrazine is frequently used as indicated by the hypersensitivity and its loss. One would not know this unless it was used repeatedly.

Not worried about cumulative exposure.  Worked with it a grand total of 3 times.  Once to poison me, once to realize I was hyper sensitive, once several years later to have the hypersensitivity gone.  I do not plan on working with it unless absolutely necessary.

I had commented in another post that I was surprised that benzene was being used as the solvent. I don't recall the exact level or risk posed by benzene, but I thought it was a class XX(?) carcinogen. The discussion here is about methyl iodide and there wasn't any discussion about benzene.

Benzene does not seem to be as carcinogenic as some materials.  Remember benzene was the acetone of 50 years ago, I know professors who are at a ripe old age, that remember washing their hands with it daily.  The commonality of its use is why it is perceived worse, similar to asbestos.  Similarity to why it can be classified as a known carcinogen, the amount of use led to enough health issues to be able to corrleate it to benzene.  Other potentially more carcinogenic materials that have not seen such high use may never be able to be classified as a known carcinogen...
Of course I still do not include benzene in my solvent choices when I go about recrystallizing... I would generally place potent alkylating agents as worse than benzene, however. 

[OC pro]

You should not see the things too serious guys. Modern technology like well-ventilated hoods or gloves certainly minimize our exposition risk to a very high extent. Don´t tell that benzene and hydrazine are too dangerous to work with. I have seen students in my Ph.D. times cutting the Sodium with shaking hands only because they have been told that it can readily burn and so on. Of course, one should not completely loose the respect for the chemicals but one should not think about getting cancer using benzene whilst making a recrystallization.
Many people do smoke...I assume the risk of getting cancer from cigarettes is much more higher than working with methyl iodide in a modern lab.

PS: When I was working with Phosgene or Carbon Monoxide Gas I was also scared I have to admit