Six students and a teacher have been hospitalized following an acid spill at Union High School in Union City, New Jersey, on Wednesday 20 December 2016. About four litres of acetic acid was spilled in the incident, some of which splashed onto the teacher, who was taken to hospital as a precaution, as were six of the 25 students in the classroom at the time of the incident, the others being assessed by a Union Fire Department hazmat team at the scene before being discharged.
Hazmat response vehicle at Union High School following the 20 December 2016 chemical spil. ABC7.
Acetic acid (or ethanoic acid, CH3CO2H) is the principle ingredient in vinagar, but at high concentrations is corrosive, and can cause severe burns. It also gives off irretant fumes that can aggrivate the eyes nose and throat, or at high enough concentrations cause damage to the lungs and respiratory system.
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