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Hazmat crews rush to Boston College after liter bottle of hydrogen sulfide leaks

Update: 1:40 p.m. A hazmat crew in the building got no hydrogen-sulfide readings; the gas has dissipated through the lab vent system.

Boston firefighters are at Boston College, at the Brighton/Newton line, where a liter bottle of hydrogen sulfide has leaked in Merkert Hall, inside a hood, at least, which might minimize exposure and its rotten-egg smell. Police have been requested to block traffic on Beacon Street.

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Comments

...that stinks.

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I can hear the helicopters overhead, and searched for what was going on.
UHub before any mainstream!

Thanks!

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At low levels it just smells terrible, but at moderate levels it also paralyzes the nerves that allow you to smell it, so you don't realize the leak is still there or getting worse. Above that, it can make you stop breathing:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_sulfide#Safety

If you smell it, get away.

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It's actually every bit as toxic as cyanide, but it smells a whole lot stronger (i.e. the concentration of Hydrogen Sulfide that'll kill you is overwhelmingly stinky; the significantly higher concentration of Hydrogen Cyanide that'll kill you is mild smelling), so it's considered less dangerous.

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