Alkali Burns (2024)

FAQs

What alkali can cause burns? ›

Alkaline products include lime products, plaster and mortar, oven and drain cleaners, dishwasher powders, fertilizers, and sparks from "sparklers." They can cause serious damage in a very short time, depending on the type, strength, and the length of time the alkali is in contact with the body.

Immediately rinse with a large amount of cool water. Rinsing within 1 minute of the burn can reduce the risk of complications. Flush the area for at least 20 minutes. Do not use a hard spray of water because it can damage the burned area.

Alkalis cause deeper burns as they continue to penetrate the skin following initial contact. The mainstay of initial management of all chemical burns remains the same.

Acidic agents cause coagulation necrosis, which leads to cytotoxicity. Additionally, there are mucosal or skin changes that may prevent further toxicity and limit absorption. Overall, alkaline agents are more toxic than acidic agents, due to the irreversible changes in protein and tissue damage.

The corrosive effects of alkali substances intensify as pH levels rise and persist until the alkali is neutralized. [2] This chemical pathway can significantly damage human tissue, especially within the esophagus.

Alkali (sodium hydroxide) can react with your skin by a hydrolysis reaction. The exact reaction depends upon the specific substrate. Alkali will react with fats to produce fatty acid salts. It is this reaction that makes your skin feel slippery after contact with alkali.

Vinegar has been proven to ease minor burn and sunburn pain, itching and inflammation. Vinegar also balances the pH (acid or alkalinity) of burned skin. All vinegar will actually treat your burn pain, but unfortunately, after the initial soothing of any minor pain, vinegar cannot make your burn heal faster.

The authors proposed that neutralization of an alkaline substance with household vinegar (i.e., 5% acetic acid solution) would result in rapid neutralization and thus reduce extent of tissue injury.

Alkalis feel soapy when they get on your skin, so it is easy to tell when you have had an accident and must wash your hands. Just like concentrated acids, concentrated alkalis are corrosive. They can attack metals and destroy skin if spilled.

Some alkali burns are made worse if rinsed (flushed) with water. Dry powders, such as dry lime, are brushed away first, because adding water can make a liquid that burns. After the powder is brushed away, flush with water for 20 minutes.

Is alkali unhealthy? ›

Drinking natural alkaline water is generally considered safe since it contains natural minerals. However, you should use caution with artificial alkaline water, which likely contains fewer good minerals than its high pH would have you believe and may contain contaminants.

Popular over-the-counter burn ointments include: Bacitracin. Polysporin (bacitracin / polymyxin B) Neosporin (bacitracin / polymyxin B / neomycin)

Eyes treated with a standard alkali burn treatment protocol, which included intensive topical steroids, ascorbate, citrate, and antibiotics, were compared with eyes treated by conservative management with antibiotics, and a short course of steroids.

Instead, use commonly available bacitracin or neomycin-based ointments. If suffering from a more severe burn, consider using silver-based anti-septic gels or ointments, like those used in burn centers to keep burn patients safe from infection.

The strength of acids and bases is defined by the pH scale, which ranges from 1–14. A very strong acid has a pH of 1 and may cause a severe burn. A very strong base has a pH of 14 and may also cause a severe burn. A substance with a pH of 7 is considered neutral and does not burn.

The alkali metals are nonflammable, but they are combustible. They may also burn in carbon dioxide and in nitrogen. Their reaction with water is violently rapid and quite exothermic. It produces gaseous hydrogen and other products.

The most dangerous alkalis include oven cleaners and caustic soda (to unblock drains). These substances are corrosive – they both contain the alkali sodium hydroxide. Other alkalis are classed as an irritant, rather than corrosive. Examples are bleach and disinfectant.

The strength of acids and bases is defined by the pH scale, which ranges from 1–14. A very strong acid has a pH of 1 and may cause a severe burn. A very strong base has a pH of 14 and may also cause a severe burn. A substance with a pH of 7 is considered neutral and does not burn.

Alkaline corrosive agents include drain openers, automatic dishwasher detergents, toilet bowl cleaners, radiator cleaning agents, and swimming pool algicides and “shock” agents. In general, alkaline products with pH >11 pose risk of significant corrosive injury.