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Re: Non Radioactive Hazard Response - Picric Acid



Peter,  The explosive power of the crystaline picric acid would be slightly
greater than that of an equivalent amount of TNT.  The detonation velocity
for the picric is 7350 m/sec, TNT it's 7300 m/sec.  20 g. of TNT would
easily dismember you with a good probablity of being fatal.  I would
recommend using a trained response team ,ie the bomb squad, in the future.
There is a similar hazard from crystalized perchloric acid.  My thanks to
Jim Dotts, our Explosives Safety Eng., for the info. on this.

| | | |    Kim Merritt, RRPT
| | | |__  Physics Safety Support Officer
| | \___/  Lawrence Livermore National Labs
| \___/    merritt9@llnl.gov
\___/      Voice: (925)423-9668   Fax: (925)422-7160
	   "When the only tool you have is a hammer,
	   every problem begins to resemble a nail."
	   -Abraham Maslow
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