A recent article in this Journal (1) suggests an experiment that uses liquid oxygen. No mention was made of a potential hazard that was brought to my attention by George Ewing: if liquid oxygen comes in contact with organic materials, such as grease, a detonation can result.

Here is a sample of some relevant Web addresses I located in a search for the phrase “liquid oxygen hazards” (accessed Jan 2003).

1. University of Waterloo Safety Office: Associated Hazards
2. Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety
3. Liquid Coolants
4. http://www. matheson-trigas.com/msds/00225011.pdf

Literature Cited

1. Nyasulu, F.; Macklin, J.; Cusworth, W. J. Chem. Educ. 2002, 79, 356.