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Carbon in lungs?

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LAN_403

Munkey

Sat Jul 21 2007, 05:49PM

Registered Member #588 Joined: Sat Mar 17 2007, 11:06AM
Location: UK
Posts: 93

About 6 months ago I was having some fun with graphite by passing 10A through it, making it glow red hot, melting metal, making a really really bright arks that made a noise like a hot plasma spark.
Anyway this filled my room with thick white smoke, obviously I inhaled a lot of this, a few days later I was sick for a long time. After recovering from that I noticed that there was a lot of Flem in my throat and coughing up large amounts of it, I thought this was just a infection and it will just pass over. It never occurred to me to do anything about it. not long ago in school I watched a video about how they made this polycarbon? stuff, by passing a current through graphite and collecting the thick white smoke (fine carbon atoms) then I noticed that this linked to my "infection" had lasted a abnormally long time and it becoming very irritating as it is like having some food constantly stuck halfway down my throat, and sometimes it gets hard to breathe also the flem is clear-ish which means it is not that badly infected.
Is this just something that will go away, or was this because of inhaling the smoke? Help!

Sulaiman

Sat Jul 21 2007, 06:16PM

Registered Member #162 Joined: Mon Feb 13 2006, 10:25AM
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 3140

I'm definitely not medically qualified for a full answer
but being a smoker I have read a little.

First, I don't think you should worry too much
because there's nothing you can do about it
just enjoy whatever time you have left.

Luckily that's probably a long time as your lungs will slowly remove the carbon
it will take a couple of years to completely clear
meantime don't take up smoking/mining/firefighting.
I doubt that the smoke is carcinogenic or toxic
but discussing it with your doctor is a good idea,
especially if there is any history of asthma in your family.

I'm NOT medically qualified, this is just my (poorly) informed opinion.

Dave Marshall

Sat Jul 21 2007, 06:20PM

Registered Member #16 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 02:22PM
Location: New Wilmington, PA
Posts: 554

Its very possible you irritated your lungs, which would cause them to produce more fluid, in attempt to rid themselves of the irritant. A couple years back we had a minor electrical fire onboard the jet I fly on.

I got a face full of smoke from a burning computer PSU and plastic case (A great argument for using the O2 masks that are located all over the jet), and spent the next week and a half or so coughing constantly. Its very possible the gunk you inhaled is more stubborn, and you might not be able to clear it out on your own.

If the situation persists for more than a couple weeks, its always a good idea to consult a doctor. The last thing you want is to go 2 or 3 months with this condition, then finally go to the doctor only to find out that now you've got a fungal infection or something of the sort.

Dave

Munkey

Sat Jul 21 2007, 07:44PM

Registered Member #588 Joined: Sat Mar 17 2007, 11:06AM
Location: UK
Posts: 93

Well, I think it is carbon, is it?
I will see if it goes away within another 2-3 weeks, If not Ill have to do something about it. I was worried incase it was carcinogenic.

Thanks.

Coyote Wilde

Sat Jul 21 2007, 09:09PM

Registered Member #175 Joined: Tue Feb 14 2006, 09:32PM
Location: Sudbury, ON
Posts: 111

White Smoke coming off graphite sounds like a carbon-y soot, of the same sort you get from a properly stoked coal fire. It's not, to the best of my knowledge, carcinogenic. But I'll make no claims as to whatever else you were burning (impurities, insulation, et cetera) -- but even if there was some of that, you probably didn't get enough in your system to worry. Carcinogens are often cumulative cellular toxins-- one cigarette has almost nil chance of giving you cancer. One cigarette a day for a few decades, ja.
Your lungs were irritated by the smoke; as Suliman said, it will take a while for the carbon to completely clear your lungs; some of the smallest particulates may never leave. The irritation, however, should fade fairly quickly-- unless an infection sets in opportunistically. So I'd see a doc anyway just to be sure, and even if I wouldn't, you should.

GreySoul

Sat Jul 21 2007, 09:58PM

Registered Member #546 Joined: Fri Feb 23 2007, 11:43PM
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Posts: 239

I know people in the glass industry who have been burning out EDM and ISO graphite molds for decades and they're still tickin'

In an occupational environment (and really in a hobbyist environment as well) you want adequate ventilation - but a lot of home glass studios just don't cut it...

That smoke can be collected in a vacuum and turned into carbon nano tubes, bucky balls, and pyrolytic graphite... if you have access to a vacuum chamber.

I wouldn't breathe it... and if things get worse, or don't get better in a few more days I'd see a doctor to be on the safe side....

but, speaking purely as a pyromaniac, and not a doctor, I don't think you'll die from a bit of carbon in your lungs.

...of course... there COULD have been impurities in the graphite.... it wasn't it from a reactor, was it?

-Doug

Munkey

Sun Jul 22 2007, 07:47AM

Registered Member #588 Joined: Sat Mar 17 2007, 11:06AM
Location: UK
Posts: 93

GreySoul wrote ...

...of course... there COULD have been impurities in the graphite.... it wasn't it from a reactor, was it?

-Doug

Well I was melting metals such as led, steel, aluminum and any other conductive stuff I could get my hands on.

My "reactor" was an upturned VCR case...

Dave Marshall

Sun Jul 22 2007, 08:08AM

Registered Member #16 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 02:22PM
Location: New Wilmington, PA
Posts: 554

The fact that all this occurred 6 months ago and the symptoms are persisting would probably warrant a visit to the doctor sooner rather than later. I wouldn't wait 3 weeks, personally I'd make an appointment at my earliest convenience and go see what he thinks. Chances are the answer is going to be:

"Your lungs look a bit irritated. Heres an antibiotic. Stop burning crap in enclosed spaces and breathing the fumes, ya loon."

On the other hand, if he finds something that could cause greater harm, like an opportunistic fungal infection, you want to get on that as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more entrenched it can become.

Dave

Myke

Sun Jul 22 2007, 08:09AM

Registered Member #540 Joined: Mon Feb 19 2007, 07:49PM
Location: MIT
Posts: 969

Melting Pb and Al with an arc? I don't think that's the best idea. Do you have a fan and a window for future experiments? Adequate ventilation is always a good idea.

Munkey

Sun Jul 22 2007, 10:25PM

Registered Member #588 Joined: Sat Mar 17 2007, 11:06AM
Location: UK
Posts: 93

Ow, that means ive got to tell my parents...

I did have a window open but the smoke was so thick it didn't shift. I was going to make a mini fume cupboard, but I never got round to it. However I moved on to blowing up capacitors (note: already damaged ones) and guess what, more electrolyte smoke! That stuff stinks out everything.

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