From: jvinson@cyberhighway.net (John Vinson)
Newsgroups: sci.chem
Subject: Re: Question: neutralize ethyl mercaptan?
Date: Thu, 16 Jul 1998 17:01:04 GMT

On Thu, 16 Jul 1998 14:12:00 GMT, joe_megyes@my-dejanews.com wrote:

>Hello List!
>
>I have a simple problem and would like to know if someone could provide a
>simple solution (no pun intended!).  Is there an easy way of degrading ethyl
>mercaptan odorant, as used in liquified petroleum gases, like propane?	I
>know that when LPG is combusted in air, the EM is rendered totally odorless,
>so is it the heat or is it oxidation which is responsible for EM's
>destruction?
>
>I have a pressure vessel which I wish to reuse for other purposes, but it
>STINKS!  Would it be effective to rinse it with an oxidizer like hydrogen
>peroxide?  Or maybe by fiercely heating the vessel?  (don't worry, it's
>*really* empty).
>
>Any suggestions greatly appreciated! (...except throwing the vessel away).

I'd suggest washing with alkaline hypochlorite: it'll take the EtSH to
EtSO3- and you can just rinse it away.

Dilute Chlorox even works on skunked dogs... just don't get it on the
eyes or mucous membranes! <g>

From: Uncle Al <UncleAl0@ix.netcom.com>
Newsgroups: sci.chem
Subject: Re: Question: neutralize ethyl mercaptan?
Date: Thu, 16 Jul 1998 17:00:08 -0700

joe_megyes@my-dejanews.com wrote:
>
> Hello List!
>
> I have a simple problem and would like to know if someone could provide a
> simple solution (no pun intended!).  Is there an easy way of degrading ethyl
> mercaptan odorant, as used in liquified petroleum gases, like propane?  I
> know that when LPG is combusted in air, the EM is rendered totally odorless,
> so is it the heat or is it oxidation which is responsible for EM's
> destruction?
>
> I have a pressure vessel which I wish to reuse for other purposes, but it
> STINKS!  Would it be effective to rinse it with an oxidizer like hydrogen
> peroxide?  Or maybe by fiercely heating the vessel?  (don't worry, it's
> *really* empty).
>

Give it a good slosh and shake with common laundry bleach, drain, rinse
with water, blow it out with air.  If it still stinks, repeat.  Give it
a final slosh with a little Vitamin C in water to kill any hypochlorite,
rinse well several times, finally rinse with DI water to remove chloride
(corrosion).  Dry thoroughly by purging with air while heating.

"Fiercely" heating the vessel will de-rate it for pressure use.  Don't
exceed 110 C.

--
Uncle Al Schwartz
UncleAl0@ix.netcom.com ("zero" before @)
http://uncleal.within.net/
http://pw2.netcom.com/~uncleal0/uncleal.htm
http://www.ultra.net.au/~wisby/uncleal.htm
http://www.guyy.demon.co.uk/uncleal/uncleal.htm
 (Toxic URLs! Unsafe for children, Democrats, and most mammals)
"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?"  The Net!