Salt mixing and breathing it in

Triggreef · Feb 24, 2017

I think about this everytime i mix new Saltwater but never seem to see any posts about it. What sort of long term exposure issues to you think it can cause? It's gotta be bad to breathe it in. I'm usually pulling my shirt over my nose when I'm mixing but I'm sure that's not much better if at all.

Do you use a particular mask?

I was going to title this thread, "known to the state of CA to cause cancer" but i didn't want me reefers to run for the hills.

Not only that but what elements are we losing with the cloud that never males it into the water?

FishGuyBri · Feb 24, 2017

Honestly I doubt it has much negative effect unless you're directly inhaling it. Our body has its own ph, 7.35-7.45, and salt makes up a huge part of our body's balance. All of the minerals and elements are present in our blood as well. Inhaling the salt in day to day activities is absorbed into the blood vessels in your lungs and filtered through. This is *definitely* a watered down version and I'm just a nurse going on what I know; It would be an interesting study

Kershaw · Feb 24, 2017

On the show monsters inside me. A guy had barnicals growing inside his hand, due to the inside of his body being so close to that of sea water. I'm sure your fine

Triggreef · Feb 24, 2017

Thats all true, but it also hurts to put salt on a cut. I'm sure our lungs can't like it much.

dbl · Feb 24, 2017

You folks are making me not want to go to the beach tomorrow!

Kershaw · Feb 24, 2017

reef crystals don't bother me. But salinity hurts a little while pouring it in. It cloudes up allot more. Regardless it's worth the risk of there is one

Rick.45cal · Feb 24, 2017

<----Don't forget your particulate respirator, safety first kids!!

Breathing any particulate matter that is less than 1 micron in size will cause permanent damage to your lungs. Particles that small can travel all the way to the alveoli where it will stay forever. You don't have cilia in those tiny pockets where gas exchange takes place to remove particles.

Breathing anhydrous salts is likely to cause irritation to your mucus membranes too.

awais98 · Feb 25, 2017

The fact that the dry salt is purely elementary salts that completely dissolves, it should not affect humans at all.
Eveb if you inhale it: the effect will be temporary foreign body feeling in your nostrils, salty taste in your throat and even it some gets down to the alveoli of the lungs... it will get absorbed and with homeostasis it will mix with the body elements or get excreted by the kidneys.
I don't see a problem other than the initial feelings in the nostril.
It doesn't have any silica.

That's how I feel being an MD.

seastar · Mar 20, 2017

I've wondered this myself. Thanks @awais98 for putting my mind at ease a bit. I add it to a mixing tank and when I look in there so see if it's mixing properly I get a blast of the stuff nearly ever time and EVERY time say that was stupid, wont do that again...