Advice/Opinion needed on nicotine %

[PD1]

Hi all,

I just went to see a few buddies of mine who showed me they bought 99.6% pure nicotine (sent internationally). I wanted to know if this was possible as you would think customs would have confiscated it right? I mean its pure lethal poison at that concentration?

I checked the label on the package = 995.6mg/ml of nicotine. Its double sealed too.

I wasn't going to rub it on my hands to test it either! 8-o so wanted to know if its its legit and if so - can such a concentration even be distilled now? how do you even handle it now?

Didnt wait to stick around trouble so wanted to hear your thoughts/opinions.

 

[Rosa]

I would not handle it, and advise your friends not to handle it either. I'm not sure what you can do with it as you would need a ventilation hood and safety suit with breathing apparatus to use it afaik.

 

[dormouse]

You need be extremely careful handling that! And you need to dilute it to a safer percent like 100mg per ml (I am not sure but I think that would be 9 parts of PG and/or VG + one part of nicotine and that is still a concentration that needs caution)? And cutting it to 48mg/ml or 36mg/ml would be even safer to handle. PG (in the US the safe-for-humans version is USP Propylene Glycol) or VG (in the US the safe-for-humans version is 99.x% USP Glycerin).

I am pretty sure 100% nicotine is 1000mg per ml. Even 1/10 solution is dangerous to handle (100mg per ml).
converting % solutions to mg/cc

 

[Valsacar]

Yeah.. that strength is extremely dangerous. I'd take it (still sealed) to the nearest medical school or research facility, they will know how to properly dispose of it.

 

[ElProximo]

I'm not a chemist but ya I think that may very well be poison via skin contact?? Yeah, the Customs thing is weird because some things are allowed some not. Never sure myself.

Wow.. you do the right thing being very cautious and certainly let your friends know to absolutely keep that locked far away from kids, pets and certainly any adults as well unless being extremely aware and careful.

Personally, I would not want that in my hands. I'd be up late, sleepy, mistakenly grab the wrong bottle, spill it on my fingers or something. Well.. I wouldn't like to take the chance.

 

[rob5482]

one drop of pure nic on the skin is enough to kill a person. That is pretty damn close to pure nic imo. I agree with valsacar and take it to a research facility, as it has to be disposed of like a HAZ MATERIAL would be.

Customs might not pick it up as they dont open every single package, so it is possible that it got through.

 

[PD1]

one drop of pure nic on the skin is enough to kill a person.

I know right? they are looking to mix it at home but again at that concentration I dont think its a good idea to say the LEAST.

Would one drop really be that lethal? Through dermal contact?
I know someone said here the LD50 is around 40-60mg in a human but wouldnt for example a 1000mg amount be distilled amongst the human body?


All the nicotine warnings/knowledge I have I read online hence i only use a 36mg VG base so its what 3.6%? thats why when I heard they wantd to cut a 1000mg base i was like woaw that's asking for trouble! It's just them two in their dorm so storage isnt a problem but Im more concerned about how quickly does nicotine actually enter the skin if spilled over?


Im going over there tomorow so hopefuly the muppets dont start putting the stuff in water pistols

BTW thanks everyone for the replies last night - came home and had to ask - was really surprised by how quickly I got answers! cheers!

 

[Hoosier]

Nicotine is quickly and readily absorbed by the human body. Skin only slows it a little.

Yes a drop could kill. The fumes are more deadly though.

 

[rob5482]

It could very well be. Since 20ggts = 1ml (this is approx bec dropper bottles are not standardized) there is apporx 50mg of nic in 1 drop. If the LD50 is .5-1 mg/kg then yes one drop of pure nic can be fatal.

Not to mention that nfpa has given it a 4 on the health scale, which equates to a very short exposure can lead to serious harm or death. IE cyanide, carbon monoxide etc are all categorized the same.

 

[Krang]

At that concentration, it's definitely pushing it! Most places selling high concentrated bases for DYI mixing, will only go up to 100mg/ml.

I personally use a 100mg/ml VG base. And even at that concentration I always put on gloves and a long sleeve shirt when I put
6 ml of it in a 30 ml bottle. (This gives me 20 mg)

In their case they would have to put 0.6ml of the suff in a 30 ml bottle... and with that type of quantity, even 1 drop of error, will drastically change the amount of nic.

If I were them, I would either be EXTREMELY careful and cut it Immediately to a 100mg/ml base, or just get rid of it like others have said.

Extremely careful would mean wearing long gloves, long sleeve shirt and pants, and a mask to not inhale the fumes. If they go that route they absolutely have to make sure they are also cutting it properly!. EX: if they have 100ml of the nicotine, add 900 ml of unflavored, no nic PG. Gives you 1000ml (1l) of liquid. 10% * 1000mg/ml = 100 mg/ml. This is what they should be going for... for 1000 mg/ml they want it to be 10% of the final amount of liquid.

They should also know that the amount of time you can conserve pure nicotine like this, even while keeping it in a cold and dark place, is about 1 and a half, 2 years max.

 

[PD1]

Hoosier - re the fumes - does the liquid give off fumes when opened or when prepared?


Rob - thanks for the insight, i didnt think of that - I know you say the dropper isnt standardised but USUALLY how much is each drop from a dropper equate to in ml?


Krang - first of all epic avatar!

secondly, the point about storage - so the liquid can be stored for up to a year without going bad? does it have to be refrigerated or just kept in a cool dark place?


Man these two doofs will get a lecture of a lifetime tomoz. 995.6mg seriously wtf!

 

[TallGrass]

Not sure what concentration the farmers use as a pesticide but my dad told me a story a while back about a farmer that died because of nicotine. He spilled some on a seat, left for the fields.. later that day he sat down on that chair, having totally forgotten about the spill, later that night he was dead. Small community up there so everybody heard about what happened fairly quickly.

 

[rob5482]

Srry was using some medical terms there ggts=drops so 20 drops would be about 1ml approx. That would equate to about 50mg of nic in 1 drop from the label that says 995,6 (round to 1000) mg/ml. 1000 divided by 20 gives you the 50mg per drop.

@Tallgrass, its usually a 40% concentrate that has been diluted with water and sprayed. Don't know if that has changed over the years but even at that concentrate sitting on a spill would kill you.

 

[PD1]

Rob - thanks for clearing that up - great info!

 

[Krang]

Well PD1 , it all depends . I wouldn't keep it refrigerated, since it might have negative effects. Just in a cool and dark place. As long as longevity, expect 1 year and half to 2 years would be my guess.

Here is the form from the labs for my nicotine. Your friend should have gotten this too, if not they should contact the seller and request it immediately. NICOTINE ANALYSIS


As you can see, the storage instructions are a bit overkill. Like I said if you keep it in a dark/cool place like any of you eliquids, you shouldn't have any problems. Also they say 1 year, shelf life, but considering someone buying this stuff would normally mix it up and sell it, means it would be good for longer than that. Probably twice the time, since they take the precaution of the original buyer sell a diluted mixture, then having it stay on the shelves of the new vendor for a long time.

This is also the analysis for 100% pure NIC, and once diluted in PG/VG you could probably expect getting even more time out of it, and needing less draconian storage.. but this is only an assumption, I am not a pharmacist. I got this sheet with my 100mg/ml PG base.

Also, ty for the comment about my avatar.... aahh the joys of Photoshop.

 

[Hoosier]

Hoosier - re the fumes - does the liquid give off fumes when opened or when prepared?

Not give off fumes like mentos in diet coke, but the natural tendency is for the fumes do that occur to concentrate in the area. Typical handling involves opening a container like that in a negative pressure enclosure. Not something many people have in their workshop.

 

[Krang]

I am not sure the fumes would be that dangerous..... but then again it all depends on where you are doing this.

I myself, with a 100mg/ml liquid, do this in my basement on a standard table using used cloths and opening all the windows.
Being in a ventilated place is definitely a must. As with only my mix, when I open the bottles the smell is pretty intense.

I have never experienced with 100% pure nicotine.. so you might be right. One thing I am having trouble understanding is why they didn't just buy the stuff already diluted in PG or VG. Most companies I have seen selling Nicotine, are offering this. and when they are the ones diluting the stuff, you know for sure it is going to be OK. Just a though for your friend's next purchases.