“Real Water” that poisoned dozens contained chemical in rocket fuel — An expert witness testified hydrazine was likely formed during an electrolysis process::An expert witness testified hydrazine was likely formed during an electrolysis process.

  • PHLAK@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    24
    arrow-down
    60
    ·
    1 year ago

    Did you know regular water contains a chemical used in rocket fuel, too? Yeah, Oxygen. Saying it “contained chemicals also found in rocket fuel” is just click bait. Not saying Real Water didn’t have issues or should be forgiven, just that sensationalist headlines are dumb.

    • agent_flounder@lemmy.one
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      16
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      Hydrazine (from Wikipedia)

      Hydrazine is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula N2H4. It is a simple pnictogen hydride, and is a colourless flammable liquid with an ammonia-like odour. Hydrazine is highly toxic unless handled in solution as, for example, hydrazine hydrate (N2H4·xH2O).

      Hydrazine is mainly used as a foaming agent in preparing polymer foams, but applications also include its uses as a precursor to polymerization catalysts, pharmaceuticals, and agrochemicals, as well as a long-term storable propellant for in-space spacecraft propulsion. Additionally, hydrazine is used in various rocket fuels and to prepare the gas precursors used in air bags. Hydrazine is used within both nuclear and conventional electrical power plant steam cycles as an oxygen scavenger to control concentrations of dissolved oxygen in an effort to reduce corrosion.