Re: [OT] Princess Bride and Lead Rot

Good lord, I'm dredging up some old knowledge...  Let that be my
disclaimer...

Temperature, as the rest of the real world, in chemistry can be a mixed
blessing
or curse as you look at it...

In general, colder (in human turns NOT low Kelvin) means slower
reactions.  Slower
reactions mean less rot.

Since acids depend on water to work, freezing temperatures and lower
should halt
the acid reaction.

However...  Since acids can actually increase in strength as water
decreases (to a
certain extent then it reverses again) (Diluting an acid makes it less
strong...
Molarity and all) and water at 32 degrees F (ok 0 for those into
Celsius) is not
uniformly at 32 degrees, you'll have small amounts of water roaming
about, which
could strengthen the reaction.

Thus, my recommendation for experiment is to store them cold, but not
freezing, to
best slow the process.

CO2 exists darn near everywhere these days...  Root celler, or highrise.
 You're
not likely to stop things by that process without a neutral/noble gas
filled
chamber that was vacuum filled via said gases.	Even then, you're not
likely to
get it all.

To whomever suggested adding a base...	This is probably not going to
work too
well as a stopping mechanism, nor is it likely to slow the process
anyway.  The
lead rot process sounds roughly like some other similar metal rot
problems like
rust (for example).  The outer dust shields the inner process from
effects.  Thus
your base is not likely to pentrate well.  Still, other than adding
water into the
mix, it's probably not going to hurt.

Having said all that, YMMV and all that, so don't let me having said
this disuade
you if you want to try.

It sounds like the absolute best bet is to dig out the affected part,
and seal.
Air-tight.
Rand.

>
> I would think that cold temperatures would slow down the chemical
process, not
> speed it up. Perhaps someone has stored figures in a basement and
assumed lead
> rot was from being cold when it was something else entirely. A root
cellar,
> for instance, may have a higher concentration of CO2, which was part
of the
> chemical reaction cycle.
>
> Allan Goodall 		 agoodall@hyperbear.com
> http://www.hyperbear.com
>
> "At long last, the earthy soil of the typical,
> unimaginable mortician was revealed!"
>  - from the Random H.P. Lovecraft Story Generator:
> http://www.darkicon.com/Library/randsent.htm

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