Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Full download Bretherick's Handbook of Reactive Chemical Hazards 8 ed. Eighth Edition Urben P.G. (Ed.) file pdf all chapter on 2024
Full download Bretherick's Handbook of Reactive Chemical Hazards 8 ed. Eighth Edition Urben P.G. (Ed.) file pdf all chapter on 2024
Full download Bretherick's Handbook of Reactive Chemical Hazards 8 ed. Eighth Edition Urben P.G. (Ed.) file pdf all chapter on 2024
https://ebookmass.com/product/handbook-of-aging-and-the-social-
sciences-eighth-edition-carr/
https://ebookmass.com/product/the-st-martins-handbook-eighth-
edition-ebook-pdf-version/
https://ebookmass.com/product/perrys-chemical-engineers-
handbook-9th-edition-marylee-z-southard/
https://ebookmass.com/product/disaster-nursing-and-emergency-
preparedness-for-chemical-biological-and-radiological-terrorism-
and-other-hazards-third-edition-3rd-edition-ebook-pdf/
Fluoropolymer applications in the chemical processing
industries : the definitive user’s guide and handbook
2nd ed. Edition Ebnesajjad
https://ebookmass.com/product/fluoropolymer-applications-in-the-
chemical-processing-industries-the-definitive-users-guide-and-
handbook-2nd-ed-edition-ebnesajjad/
https://ebookmass.com/product/farm-management-8-ed-international-
ed-edition-patricia-a-duffy/
https://ebookmass.com/product/hacking-with-spring-
boot-2-3-reactive-edition/
https://ebookmass.com/product/etextbook-978-0321939968-natural-
hazards-earths-processes-as-hazards-disasters-and-catastrophes/
How to use the Handbook
To seek
1. Stability data on single specific compounds: look in Section 1 using either the chemical name index (Appendix 4) or the empirical
molecular formula at right of second title line (Carbon; then Hydrogen if present; other elements follow alphabetically) to locate the
page. Membership of a general group is shown by a See other . . . cross-reference.
2. Data on possible violent interaction between two or more compounds: determine which appears “more reactive” and find it as in 1
above. Then look down the subentry titles for the other compound(s) involved which may be given as a single compound or as one of a
group The latter are listed in Appendix 6.
3. General data on a class or group of compounds, or information on identity of individuals in a known hazardous group: refer to
the Alphabetical Section 2. There is a classified index in Appendix 6.
4. Structure associated with explosive instability: See EXPLOSIBILITY
5. Information on general topics: use the indexes in Appendix 6.
6. Fire-related data: this is tabulated in Appendix 2.
7. Information on a compound identified by its CAS Registry number: there is a numerical index of CAS numbers vs Serial numbers
in Appendix 5.
Do not assume that lack of information means that no hazard exists. Look further at related structures, using Appendix 6.
See rear end paper for What the handbook provides.
Readers are encouraged to submit details of new reactive hazards for inclusion in later editions. There is a page you can copy for this
purpose at the end of book.
This page intentionally left blank
Bretherick’s Handbook of
Reactive Chemical Hazards
This page intentionally left blank
AN INDEXED GUIDE TO PUBLISHED DATA
Bretherick’s Handbook of
Reactive Chemical
Hazards
Eighth Edition
Edited by
P G Urben
Assisted by
M J Pitt
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
University of Sheffield
Elsevier
Radarweg 29, PO Box 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands
The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, United Kingdom
50 Hampshire Street, 5th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Details on how to seek permission, further information about the Publisher’s permissions policies and our arrangements with
organizations such as the Copyright Clearance Center and the Copyright Licensing Agency, can be found at our website:
www.elsevier.com/permissions.
This book and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by the Publisher (other than as may be
noted herein).
Notices
Knowledge and best practice in this field are constantly changing. As new research and experience broaden our understanding,
changes in research methods, professional practices, or medical treatment may become necessary.
Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience and knowledge in evaluating and using any
information, methods, compounds, or experiments described herein. In using such information or methods they should be
mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, including parties for whom they have a professional responsibility.
To the fullest extent of the law, neither the Publisher nor the authors, contributors, or editors, assume any liability for any
injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or
operation of any methods, products, instructions, or ideas contained in the material herein.
ISBN: 978-0-08-100971-0
Chemical safety studies mostly concentrate on toxicity. But acci- contributions until his death. Now myself of declining sight,
dental poisoning is rare, and, when it happens, as at Bhopal, the and some years retired thus losing contact with chemical reality,
poison was often broadcast by a violent reaction. Explosion and this will be my last edition. It is hoped that a successor can be
fire, the latter also frequently preceded by loss of containment, found, or will present themselves.
are more often what kill and injure chemical workers, even if Originally, Bretherick attempted to cover all aspects of hazard
not as often as the roads to and from work. by reaction, except explosive, propellant and pyrotechnic formu-
Explosion hazards, though well-demonstrated, may be for- lations in their intended use, but proliferating theoretical safety
gotten over the decades - so, a century after its explosivity was publications have caused us to focus more on the “undoctored inci-
shown, an explosive comparable with TNT may be regarded as dents that actually occurred.”
just another solvent. Much of the evidence is anecdotal and empirical so (re)
Fifty years ago, the late Leslie Bretherick, a working chemist searchers are warned that, although a reported explosion
in industry, resolved to assemble a compendium of known violent undoubtedly happened, the given explanation may not be correct.
and explosive reaction hazards, leavened by occasional touches of In particular, attribution to minor components or impurities is
humour. This he later organised by empirical formulae, for suspect, these may catalyse reaction, but do not provide major
chemical nomenclature changes, but formulae do not. energies. Neither should it be assumed that all listed components
Twenty-five years since, his sight failing, he handed over of a mix contributed to the mishap.
responsibility to me, also an industrial chemist, ably assisted You, reader, remain ultimately responsible for your safety:
by Dr. Martin Pitt covering Chemical and Biological Engineering Search, read and think, before experimenting, to avoid present
material. Leslie Bretherick wished to uphold the insights of prac- harm to yourself and others. And, to protect future others, please
titioners, not the fears of Safety Professionals. Even now, he is report any mishaps you may have, and any errors and omissions
still responsible for half of the content, and oversaw my you may find in this compendium.
v
This page intentionally left blank
Contents
INTRODUCTION ix Section 2
REACTIVE CHEMICAL HAZARDS xiii
CLASS, GROUP AND TOPIC 1155
Basics xiii (Entries Arranged in Alphabetical Order)
Kinetic Factors xiii
Adiabatic Systems xiv APPENDIX 1 Source Title Abbreviations used
Reactivity vs. Composition and Structure xiv in Handbook References 1403
Reaction Mixtures xv
Protective Measures xv APPENDIX 2 Tabulated Fire-related Data 1409
vii
This page intentionally left blank
Introduction
THIS SHOULD BE READ THROUGH CAREFULLY TO GAIN FULL BENEFIT FROM WHAT FOLLOWS
Aims of the Handbook together with the later recent RSC Laboratory Hazards Bulletin
and Chemical Hazards in Industry. Additionally, various safety
This compilation has been prepared and revised to give access to a
manuals, compilations, summaries, data sheets and case histories
wide and up-to-date selection of documented information to
have been used, and fuller details of the sources used are set out
research students, practising chemists, safety officers and others
in Appendix 1. References in the text to textbooks listed in
concerned with the safe handling and use of reactive chemicals.
Appendix 1 are characterised by absence of the author’s initials
This will allow ready assessment of the likely potential for
after the surname.
reaction hazards which may be associated with an existing or pro-
Data taken from the Internet has been included when it fulfills
posed chemical compound or reaction system.
two of the following three criteria: The Editor finds it credible; the
A secondary, longer-term purpose is to present the information
source is authoritative; the hazard or incident was not previously
in a way which will, as far as possible, bring out the causes of, and
included.
interrelationships between, apparently disconnected facts and inci-
Information on toxic hazards has been specifically excluded
dents. This is designed to encourage an increased awareness of
because it is available elsewhere in many well-ordered and readily
potential chemical reactivity hazards in school, college and uni-
usable forms. However it should be remembered that many of the
versity teaching laboratories, and to help to dispel the relative
compounds included in this Handbook show high reactivity of one
ignorance of such matters which is still in evidence in this
sort or another toward other materials, so may in general terms be
important area of safety training during the formative years of
expected to be reactive even in brief contact with animal
technical education.
organisms or tissue (including yours), with possible toxic effects,
Others involved in a more general way with the storage,
either acute or chronic. Toxicity has, however, been considered
handling, packing, transport and distribution of chemicals, or
when a chemical reaction not forseeable by the average student
emergencies related thereto, are likely to find information of rel-
generates a volatile poison – there is no warning that sulfides
evance to their activities.
and acids generate hydrogen sulfide, frequent cause of fatality
though that is, but generation of carbon monoxide by interaction
of alkali and dried milk is covered.
Scope and source coverage No attempt has been made to include details of all flammable
This Handbook includes all information which had become or combustible materials capable of burning explosively when
available to the Editor by early 2014 on the reactivity hazards mixed with air and ignited, nor of most incidents related to this
of individual elements or compounds, either alone or in combi- most frequent cause of accidents, such information again being
nation. Appropriate source references are included to give access available elsewhere. However, to focus attention on the potential
to more expansive information than that compressed into the nec- hazards always associated with the use of flammable and espe-
essarily abbreviated text entries. cially highly flammable substances, some 560 gases and liquids
A wide variety of possible sources of published information with flash points below 25°C and/or autoignition temperature
has been scanned to ensure maximum coverage. Primary sources below 225°C have been included in the text, their names prefixed
have largely been restricted to journals known to favour or spe- with a dagger. The numerical values of the fire hazard-related
cialise in publication of safety matters, and the textbook series spe- properties of flash point, autoignition temperature and explosive
cialising in synthetic and preparative procedures. (flammability) limits in air where known are given in the tabular
Secondary sources have been a fairly wide variety of both Appendix 2. Those elements or compounds which ignite on
specialised and general textbooks and encyclopaedic collections exposure to air are included in the text, but not in the Table.
(notably those of Mellor, Sidgwick, Pascal and Bailar in the
inorganic area, Houben-Weyl in the organic and organometallic
General arrangement
areas, and both Kirk-Othmer and Ullmann in the industrial area).
Section 50 of Chemical Abstracts, the CAS selection Chemical The information presented on reactive hazards is of two main
Hazards, Health, & Safety, the Universities’ Safety Association types, specific or general, and these types of information have been
Safety News (now lapsed), the CIA CISHC Chemical Safety arranged differently in their respective separate Sections 1 and 2.
Summary, (publication of which ceased in 1986 after 56 years), Specific information on instability of individual chemical
and the IChemE Loss Prevention Bulletin have been rich sources, compounds, and on hazardous interactions of elements and/or
ix
x Introduction
compounds, is contained in the main formula-based Section 1 of No attempt has been made, however, to list all combinations of
the Handbook. For an example of an unstable compound, reactants which can lead to the formation of a particular main entry
see Ethyl perchlorate, p. 208 compound.
For an example of a hazardous interaction between 2 compounds, In a multi-reactant system where no identification of an
see Nitric acid: Acetone, p. 926 unstable product was possible, one of the reactants had to be
or 2 separate examples involving the same compound, selected as primary reactant to prepare and index the main entry,
see Nitric acid: Acetone, or: Ethanol, pp. 926, 927 with the other material(s) as secondary reactant(s). No strictly
and one involving 3 compounds, logical basis of choice for this is obvious.
see Hydrogen peroxide: Nitric acid, Thiourea, p. 126 However, it emerged during the compilation phase that most
General information relating to classes or groups of ele- two component reaction hazard systems of this type involve a
ments or compounds possessing similar structural or hazardous fairly obvious oxidant material as one of the reactants. Where this
characteristics is contained in the smaller alphabetically based situation was recognised, the oxidant has normally been selected
Section 2. as primary (indexing) reactant, with the other as secondary
See ACYL NITRATES, p. 1161 reactant, following the colon.
PYROPHORIC METALS, p. 1354 See Potassium permanganate: Acetic acid, etc., p. 1026
References in the text to these general classes or groups of mate- In the markedly fewer cases where an obvious reducant has
rials is always in small capitals to differentiate them from refer- been involved as one reactant, that was normally selected as
ences to specific chemicals, the names of which are given in primary reactant.
normal roman typeface. See Lithium tetrahydroaluminate: 3,5-Dibromocyclopentene,
Some individual materials of variable composition (sub- p. 29
stances) and materials which cannot conveniently be formulated In the relatively few cases where neither (or none) of the reac-
and placed in Section 1 are also included in this general section. tants can be recognised as an oxidant or reducant, the choice was
See BLEACHING POWDER, CELLULOSE NITRATE, pp. 1186, 1192 made which appeared to give the more informative main entry
Both theoretical and practical hazard topics, some indirectly text.
related to the main theme of this book, are also included. See Chloroform: Acetone, etc., p. 97
See DISPOSAL, EXPLOSIBILITY, pp. 1216, 1228 Where some hazard has been noted during the preparation of a
GAS CYLINDERS, OXYGEN ENRICHMENT, pp. 1241, 1329 specific compound, but without it being possible to identify a spe-
Several topics which bring together incidents involving a cific cause, an entry for that compound states ‘Preparative hazard’,
common physical cause or effect but different types of chemicals and back-refers to the reactants involved in the preparation.
are now included in Section 2. See Sulfur dioxide, p. 1106
See CATALYTIC IMPURITY INCIDENTS, p. 1190 Occasionally, departures from these considerations have been
GAS EVOLUTION INCIDENTS, p. 1241 made where such action appeared advantageous in bringing out a
relationship between formally unrelated compounds or hazards. In
all multi-component cases, however, the secondary reactants
(except air and water) appear as formula entries back-referred to
Specific chemical entries (Section 1)
the main entry text, so that the latter is accessible from either
A single unstable compound of known composition is placed in the primary or secondary reactants.
main first section and is located on the basis of its empirical See Dimethyl sulfoxide: Acyl halides (main entry), p. 220
molecular formula expressed in the Hill system used by Chemical Acetyl chloride: Dimethyl sulfoxide (back reference), p. 180
Abstracts (C and H if present, then all other element symbols
alphabetically). The use of this indexing basis permits a compound
Grouping of reactants
to be located if its structure can be drawn, irrespective of whether a
valid name is known for it. A representation of the structure of There are advantages to be gained in grouping together elements
each compound is given on the third bold title line while the name or compounds showing similar structure or reactivity, because this
of the compound appears as the first bold title line. References to tends to bring out the relationships between structure and activity
the information source are given, followed by a statement of the more clearly than separate treatment. This course has been adopted
observed hazard, with any relevant explanation. Cross-reference widely for primary reactants in Section 2, and for secondary reac-
to similar compounds, often in a group entry, completes the entry. tants where one primary reactant has been involved separately
See Trifluoroacetyl nitrite, p. 156 with a large number of secondary materials. Where possible, the
Where two or more elements or compounds are involved in a latter have been collected together under a suitable general group
reactive hazard, and an intermediate or product of reaction is iden- title indicative of the composition or characteristics of those
tifiable as being responsible for the hazard, both reacting sub- materials.
stances are normally cross-referred to the identified product. See Chlorine: Hydrocarbons, p. 820
The well-known reaction of ammonia and iodine to give explosive Hydrogen peroxide: Metals, Metal oxides, Metal salts, p. 966
nitrogen triodide-ammonia is an example of this type. The two Hydrogen sulfide: Oxidants, p. 976
entries This arrangement means, however, that some practice will
Ammonia: Halogens, p. 980 be necessary on the user’s part in deciding into what group
Iodine: Ammonia, p. 1016 an individual secondary reactant falls before the longer-term
are referred back to the main entry under the identified material advantages of the groupings become apparent. The formal group
Nitrogen triiodide-ammonia, p. 1019 titles in Section 2, classified in Appendix 6, will be of use in
Introduction xi
this connection. However, it should be noted that sometimes been used as main entry titles, but they have often been included
informal group titles are used which do not appear in these in the entry texts. Rarely, on the grounds of brevity, names not con-
Appendices. forming strictly to IUPAC principles but recommended for che-
micals used in industry in BS 2474: 1983 have been used. The
prefix mixo-, to represent the mixtures of isomers sometimes used
General group entries (Section 2)
as industrial materials, is a case in point.
In some cases literature references relating to well-defined groups Some of the rigidly systematic names selected by the Associ-
of hazardous compounds or to hazard topics have been found, and ation for Science Education for their nomenclature list in 1985
these are given, with a condensed version of relevant information from the IUPAC possibilities, and some of the systematic indexing
at the beginning of the topic or group entry, under a suitable bold names used by Chemical Abstracts since 1972, are given as syn-
title, the latter being arranged in alphabetical order in Section 2. onyms in the Index of Chemical Names. This should assist those
Cross references to related group or sub-group entries are also coming into industry and research with a command of those
included, with a group list of the names and serial (not page) nomenclature systems but who may be unfamiliar with the current
numbers of the chemicals appearing in Section 1 which lie within variety of names used for chemicals. The inclusion, where pos-
the structural or functional scope of the group entry title. Com- sible, of the CAS Registry Number for each title compound should
pounds which are closely similar to, but not in strict conformity now simplify the clarification of any chemical name or synonym
with, the group definition are indicated by a prefixed asterisk. problems, by reference to the Registry Handbook or other CAS
The group entries thus serve as sub-indexes for each struc- source. An index of CAS numbers is given in Appendix 5.
turally based group of hazardous compounds. Conversely, each In connection with the group titles adopted for the alphabeti-
individual compound entry is back-referred to the group entry, cally ordered Section 2, it has been necessary in some cases to
and thence to all its strict structural analogues and related con- devise group names (particularly in the inorganic field) to indicate
geners included in Section 1 of this Handbook. Note that these in a very general way the chemical structures involved in various
group lists of chemicals are now in alphabetical (not formula) classes, groups or sub-groups of compounds. For this purpose, all
order, and give the serial number (not page number) for the elements have been considered either as METALS or NON-METALS,
chemical. and of the latter, HALOGENS, HYDROGEN, NITROGEN, OXYGEN, and
These features should be useful in attempts to estimate the sta- SULFUR were selected as specially important. Group names have
bility or reactivity of a compound or reaction system which does then been coined from suitable combinations of these, such as
not appear in this Handbook. The effects on stability or reactivity the simple
of changes in the molecular structure to which the destabilising or METAL OXIDES, NON-METAL SULFIDES
reactive group(s) is attached are in some cases discussed in the N-HALOGEN COMPOUNDS, NON-METAL HYDRIDES
group entry. Otherwise such information may be gained from com- METAL NON-METALLIDES, COMPLEX HYDRIDES
parison of the information available from the individual compound or the more complex
entries listed collectively (now in alphabetical order, with serial METAL OXOHALOGENATES
number) in the group entry. AMMINECHROMIUM PEROXOCOMPLEXES
Care is, however, necessary in extrapolating from the OXOSALTS OF NITROGENOUS BASES
described properties of compounds to others in which the user METAL OXONON-METALLATES
of this Handbook may be interested. Due allowance must be made Organic group entries are fairly conventional, such as
for changes in elemental reactivity up or down the columns of the HALOALKENES
Periodic Table, and for the effects of variation in chain length, NITROARL COMPOUNDS
branching and point of group-attachment in organic systems. DIAZONIUM SALTS
Purity of materials, possible catalytic effects (positive or neg- Where necessary, such group names are explained in the
ative) of impurities, and scale of operations may all have a direct appropriate Section 2 group entry, of which a classified listing
bearing upon a particular reaction rate. These and other related is found in the Appendix 6.
matters are dealt with in more detail in the following Introductory
Chapter.
Cross reference system
Nomenclature
The cross-reference system adopted in this Handbook plays a
With the direct encouragement and assistance of the Publishers, an large part in providing maximum access to, and use of, the rather
attempt has been made to use chemical names which conform to heterogeneous collection of information herein. The significance
recent recommendations of IUPAC. While this has not been an of the five types of cross-reference which have been used is as
essential part of the compilation, because each title name has follows.
the corresponding structural and molecular formula adjacent, it See … refers to a directly related item.
seems nonetheless desirable to minimise possible confusion by See also … refers to an indirectly related item.
adopting the unambiguous system of nomenclature presented in See other … refers to listed strict analogues of the compound etc.
the IUPAC publications. See related … refers to listed related compounds (congeners) or
Where the IUPAC name for a compound is very different from groups not strictly analogous structurally.
a previously used recent trivial name, the latter is included as a See entry … points to a or the relevant reference in Section 2.
synonym in parentheses (and in single quotes where no longer CROSS REFERENCES IN CAPITALS REFER TO
an acceptable name). Generally, retained trivial names have not SECTION 2
xii Introduction
Information content of individual entries One aspect which, although it is absent from most entry texts,
is nevertheless of vital importance, is that of the potential for
A conscious effort has been made throughout this compilation to
damage, injury or death associated with the various materials
exclude much fringe information not directly relevant to the
and reaction systems dealt with in this Handbook.
involvement of chemical reactivity in the various incidents or
Though some of the incidents have involved little or no
observations, while giving enough detail to allow the reader to
damage (see CAN OF BEANS, p. 1189), others have involved personal
judge the relevance or otherwise of the quoted reference(s) to
injuries, often of unexpected severity (see SODIUM PRESS, p. 1371),
his or her particular reactivity problems or interests.
and material damage is often immense. For example, the incident
It must be stressed that this book can do no more than to serve
given under Perchloric acid: Cellulose derivatives, (reference 1,
as a guide to much more detailed information available via the
p. 1191) involved damage to 116 buildings and a loss approaching
quoted references. In all but a few cases it cannot relieve the
3M dollars at 1947 values. The death-roll associated with reactive
student or chemist of their moral and now legal obligation to them-
chemical hazards has ranged from 1 or 2 (see Tetrafluoroethylene:
selves and to their co-workers, to equip themselves with the fullest
Iodine pentafluoride, p. 906) to some 600 with 2000 injured in the
possible information from the technical literature resources which
incident at Oppau in 1921 (see Ammonium nitrate, reference 4,
are widely available, before attempting any experimental work
pp. 990, 991), and now to several thousand, with more than
with materials known, or suspected, to be hazardous or potentially
100,000 injured, by methyl isocyanate fumes at Bhopal in 1984
so. It could be impossible for you after the event.
(reference 7, p. 1320).
THE ABSENCE OF A MATERIAL OR A COMBINATION This sometimes vast potential for destruction again empha-
OF MATERIALS FROM THIS HANDBOOK CANNOT BE sises the need to gain the maximum of detailed knowledge before
TAKEN TO IMPLY THAT NO HAZARD EXISTS. LOOK starting to use an unfamiliar chemical or reaction system.
THEN FOR ANALOGOUS MATERIALS USING THE GROUP
ENTRY SYSTEM AND THE INDEXES THERETO.
Reactive Chemical Hazards
This introductory chapter seeks to present an overview transformed an established uneventful procedure into a
of the complex subject of reactive chemical hazards, violent incident. For examples of the effect of increase in
drawing attention to the underlying principles and to proportion,
some practical aspects of minimising such hazards. It see 2-Chloronitrobenzene: Ammonia Sodium 4-
also serves in some measure to correlate some of the topic nitrophenoxide
entries in the alphabetically arranged Section 2 of the For the effect of increase in concentration upon reaction
Handbook. velocity, see Dimethyl sulfate: Ammonia
Nitrobenzene: Alkali (reference 2)
The effects of catalysts (which effectively reduce the
BASICS energy of activation), either intentional or unsuspected, is
All chemical reactions implicitly involve energy changes also relevant in this context. Increase in the concentration
(energy of activation + energy of reaction), for these are of a catalyst (normally used at 1-2%) may have a dramatic
the driving force. The majority of reactions liberate energy effect on reaction velocity.
as heat (occasionally as light or sound) and are termed exo- See Trifluoromethanesulfonic acid: Acyl chlorides, etc
thermic. In a minority of reactions, the reaction energy is 2-Nitroanisole: Hydrogen
absorbed into the products, when both the reaction and its HYDROGENATION CATALYSTS
products are described as endothermic. The presence of an unsuspected contaminant or catalytic
All reactive hazards involve the release of energy in impurity may affect the velocity or change the course of
quantities or at rates too high to be absorbed by the imme- reaction. For several examples,
diate environment of the reacting system, and material see CATALYTIC IMPURITY INCIDENTS
damage results. The source of the energy may be an exo- In the same context, but in opposite sense, the presence
thermic multi-component reaction, or the exothermic of inhibitors (negative catalysts, increasing energy of acti-
decomposition of a single unstable (often endothermic) vation) may seriously interfere with the smooth progress of
compound. a reaction. An inhibitor may initiate an induction period
All measures to minimise the possibility of occurrence which can lead to problems in establishing and controlling
of reactive chemical hazards are therefore directed at con- a desired reaction. For further details and examples,
trolling the extent and rate of release of energy in a reacting see INDUCTION PERIOD INCIDENTS
system. In an industrial context, such measures are central Undoubtedly the most important factor affecting
to modern chemical engineering practice. Some of the reaction rates is that of temperature. It follows from the
factors which contribute to the possibility of excessive Arrhenius equation that the rate of reaction will increase
energy release, and appropriate means for their control, exponentially with temperature. Practically, it is found
are now outlined briefly, with references to examples in that an increase of 10°C in reaction temperature often
the text. doubles or trebles the reaction velocity.
Because most reactions are exothermic, they will tend to
accelerate as reaction proceeds unless the available cooling
KINETIC FACTORS capacity is sufficient to prevent rise in temperature. Note
The rate of an exothermic chemical reaction determines the that the exponential temperature effect accelerating the
rate of energy release, so factors which affect reaction reaction will exceed the (usually) linear effect of falling
kinetics are important in relation to possible reaction reactant concentration in decelerating the reaction. When
hazards. The effects of proportions and concentrations of the exotherm is large and cooling capacity is inadequate,
reactants upon reaction rate are governed by the Law of the resulting accelerating reaction may proceed to the point
Mass Action, and there are many examples where changes of loss of control (runaway), and decomposition, fire or
in proportion and/or concentration of reagents have explosion may ensue.
xiii
xiv Reactive Chemical Hazards
The great majority of incidents described in the text may phases of a reaction system; proportions of reactants and
be attributed to this primary cause of thermal runaway reac- rates of addition (allowing for an induction period); use
tions. The scale of the damage produced is related directly of solvents as diluents and to reduce viscosity of the
to the size, and more particularly to the rate, of energy reaction medium; adequate agitation and mixing in the
release. reactor; control of reaction or distillation pressure; use of
See RUNAWAY REACTIONS an inert atmosphere.
Reactions at high pressure may be exceptionally haz- See AGITATION INCIDENTS
ardous owing to the enhanced kinetic energy content of In some cases it is important not to overcool a reaction
the system. system, so that the energy of activation is maintained.
See HIGH-PRESSURE REACTION TECHNIQUES See Acetylene: Halogens (reference 1)
Although detailed consideration of explosions is outside
the scope of this Handbook, three levels of intensity of
explosion (i.e. rates of fast energy release) can be discerned ADIABATIC SYSTEMS
and roughly equated to the material damage potential.
Because process heating is expensive, lagging is invariably
Deflagration involves combustion of a material, usually
applied to heated process vessels to minimise heat loss,
in presence of air. In a normal liquid pool fire, combustion
particularly during long-term hot storage. Such adiabatic
in an open situation will normally proceed without
or near-adiabatic systems are potentially hazardous if
explosion. Mixtures of gases or vapours with air within
materials of limited thermal stability, or which possess
the explosive limits which are subsequently ignited will
self-heating capability, are used in them. Insufficiently sta-
burn at normal flame velocity (a few m/s) to produce a ‘soft’
bilised bulk-stored monomers come into the latter category.
explosion, with minor material damage, often limited to
See 1,2,4,5-Tetrachlorobenzene: Sodium hydroxide,
scorching by the moving flame front. Injuries to personnel
Solvent
may well be more severe.
POLYMERISATION INCIDENTS
If the mixture (or a dust cloud) is confined, even if only
SELF-HEATING AND IGNITION INCIDENTS
by surface irregularities or local partial obstructions, signif-
THERMAL STABILITY OF REACTION MIXTURES
icant pressure effects can occur. Fuel-air mixtures near to
VIOLENT POLYMERISATION
stoicheiometric composition and closely confined will
develop pressures of several bar within milliseconds, and
material damage will be severe. Unconfined vapour explo-
sions of large dimensions may involve higher flame veloc- REACTIVITY VS. COMPOSITION AND
ities and significant pressure effects, as shown in the STRUCTURE
Flixborough disaster. The ability to predict reactivity and stability of chemical
See DUST EXPLOSION INCIDENTS compounds from their composition and structure is as yet
PRESSURE INCREASE IN EXOTHERMIC DECOMPOSITION limited, so the ability accurately to foresee potential hazards
VAPOUR CLOUD EXPLOSIONS during preparation, handling and processing of chemicals
Detonation is an extreme form of explosion where the and their mixtures is also restricted. Although some consid-
propagation velocity becomes supersonic in gaseous, liquid erable progress has been made in the use of computer pro-
or solid states. The temperatures and particularly pressures grams to predict hazards, the best available approach for
associated with detonation are higher by orders of mag- many practical purposes appears to be an initial appraisal
nitude than in deflagration. Energy release occurs in a based on analogy with, or extrapolation from, data for
few microseconds and the resulting shattering effects are existing compounds and processes. This preliminary
characteristic of detonation. Deflagration may accelerate assessment can be supplemented with calorimetric instru-
to detonation if the burning material and geometry of con- mental examination, then bench-scale testing procedures
finement are appropriate (endothermic compounds, long for thermal stability applied to realistic reaction mixtures
narrow vessels or pipelines). and processing conditions, should any doubt of safety
See Acetylene (reference 9) persist. A wide range of equipment and techniques is
ENDOTHERMIC COMPOUNDS now available for this purpose.
EXPLOSIONS See ACCELERATING RATE CALORIMETRY
UNIT PROCESS INCIDENTS ASSESSMENT OF REACTIVE CHEMICAL HAZARDS
Factors of importance in preventing such thermal COMPUTATION OF REACTIVE CHEMICAL HAZARDS
runaway reactions are mainly related to the control of DIFFERENTIAL SCANNING CALORIMETRY
reaction velocity and temperature within suitable limits. DIFFERENTIAL THERMAL ANALYSIS
These may involve such considerations as adequate heating MAXIMUM REACTION HEAT
and particularly cooling capacity in both liquid and vapour REACTION SAFETY CALORIMETRY
Reactive Chemical Hazards xv
It has long been recognised that instability in single of oxidant for the particular reaction. It will be essential to
compounds, or high reactivity in combinations of different determine by a suitable diagnostic procedure that the
materials, is usually associated with particular groupings of desired reaction has become established, to prevent build-
atoms or other features of molecular structure, such as high up of unused oxidant and a possible approach to the oxygen
proportions or local concentrations of oxygen or nitrogen. balance point.
Details of such features associated with explosive insta- See OXYGEN BALANCE
bility are collected under the heading EXPLOSIBILITY. Reducants (rich electron sources) in conjunction with
An approximate indication of likely instability in a com- reducible materials (electron acceptors) feature rather less
pound may be gained from inspection of the empirical frequently than oxidants in hazardous incidents.
molecular formula to establish stoicheiometry. See REDUCANTS
See HIGH-NITROGEN COMPOUNDS Interaction of potent oxidants and reducants is
OXYGEN BALANCE invariably highly energetic and of high hazard potential.
Endothermic compounds, formed as the energy-rich See Dibenzoyl peroxide: Lithium tetrahydroaluminate
products of endothermic reactions, are thermodynamically Hydrazine: Oxidants
unstable and may be liable to energetic decomposition with REDOX REACTIONS
low energy of activation. ROCKET PROPELLANTS
See ENDOTHERMIC COMPOUNDS Similar considerations apply to those compounds which
contain both oxidising and reducing functions in the same
molecular structure.
REACTION MIXTURES See REDOX COMPOUNDS
So far as reactivity between different compounds is con- Water is, after air, one of the most common reagents
cerned, some subdivision can be made on the basis of the likely to come into contact with reactive materials, and
chemical types involved. Oxidants (electron sinks) are several classes of compounds will react violently, particu-
undoubtedly the most common chemical type to be larly with restricted amounts of water.
involved in hazardous incidents, the other components See WATER-REACTIVE COMPOUNDS
functioning as fuels or other electron sources. Air (21% Most of the above has been written with deliberate pro-
oxygen) is the most widely dispersed oxidant, and air- cessing conditions in mind, but it must be remembered that
reactivity may lead to either short- or long-term hazards. the same considerations will apply, and perhaps to a greater
Where reactivity of a compound is very high, oxidation degree, under the uncontrolled reaction conditions pre-
may proceed so fast in air that ignition occurs. vailing when accidental contact of reactive chemicals
See PYROPHORIC MATERIALS occurs in storage or transit.
Slow reaction with air may lead to the longer-term Adequate planning is therefore necessary in storage
hazard of peroxide formation. arrangements to segregate oxidants from fuels and redu-
See AUTOXIDATION cants, and fuels and combustible materials from com-
PEROXIDATION INCIDENTS pressed gases and water-reactive compounds. This will
PEROXIDES IN SOLVENTS minimise the possibility of accidental contact and violent
PEROXIDISABLE COMPOUNDS reaction arising from faulty containers or handling opera-
Oxidants more concentrated than air are of greater tions, and will prevent intractable problems in the event
hazard potential, and the extent of involvement of the of fire in the storage areas.
common oxidants See STORAGE OF CHEMICALS
Perchloric acid Unexpected sources of ignition may lead to ignition of
Chlorine flammable materials during chemical processing or han-
Nitric acid dling operations.
Hydrogen peroxide See FRICTIONAL IGNITION OF GASES
Sulfuric acid IGNITION SOURCES
METAL CHLORATES SELF-HEATING AND IGNITION INCIDENTS
may be judged from the large number of incidents in the STATIC INITIATION INCIDENTS
text involving each of them, as well as other OXIDANTS.
At the practical level, experimental oxidation reactions
should be conducted to maintain in the reacting system a PROTECTIVE MEASURES
minimum oxygen balance consistent with other processing The need to provide protective measures will be directly
requirements. This may involve adding the oxidant slowly related to the level of potential hazards which may be
with appropriate mixing and cooling to the other reaction assessed from the procedures outlined above. Measures
materials to maintain the minimum effective concentration concerned with reaction control are frequently mentioned
xvi Reactive Chemical Hazards
in the following text, but details of techniques and the essential and absolute minimum of effective eye pro-
equipment for personal protection, though usually excluded tection, via the safety screen, fume cupboard or enclosed
from the scope of this work, are obviously of great reactor, up to the ultimate of a remotely controlled and
importance. blast-resistant isolation cell (usually for high-pressure oper-
Careful attention to such detail is necessary as a second ations). In the absence of facilities appropriate to the
line of defence against the effects of reactive hazards. The assessed level of hazard, operations must be deferred until
level of protection considered necessary may range from such facilities are available.
Section 1
Specific Chemicals
(Elements and Compounds arranged in formula order)
EXPLANATORY NOTES
This section gives detailed information on the hazardous prop- be invidious, most appear to have ben compiled my (mis)
erties of individual chemicals, either alone or in combination information (ne)scientists at their computers, connected to
with other compounds. The items are arranged in order of the world wide web, but not to a practised chemist who is
the empirical formula (at right of second bold title line) which familiar with the material in question. Fortunately, the manu-
corresponds to the chemical name, or a synonym within paren- facturer’s data sheets, now supplied even by laboratory supply
theses, used as the first line bold title of each main entry; houses, are steadily improving and mean that reference to
(nomenclature is now rather promiscuous since the systema- other similar sources is less needful
tisers have contrived to give many materials two or even three The first reference(s) and data given under the title lines
new names since the first edition was published, while the refer to the hazards of the title material alone, or in the presence
name used where chemicals are handled, as opposed to in of air, unless stated otherwise. Where other (secondary) che-
lecture rooms, will be something else again). The 3 part micals are involved with the title compound in a reactive
number within square brackets at the left of the second title line incident, the name(s) follows in roman characters under the
is the CAS registry number, now being widely used to provide bold title entry. As in previous editions of this Handbook,
a reliable basis for establishing equivalence between differing where these secondary chemicals are described in group terms
chemical names and trade names for the same chemical com- (e.g. Polynitroaryl compounds), reference to the alphabetical
pound (but note that one compound, within the terms of this group entries now in Section 2 may suggest other analogous
work, may have numerous CAS numbers by virtue of isotopic possibilities of hazards. References to original or abstract liter-
composition, undefined stereo- and regio-chemistry or variant ature then follow, and sufficient of the relevant information
solvation levels). Lack of content within the square brackets content is given to allow a general picture of the nature and
indicates that a registry number has not yet been located, (or degree of hazard to be seen.
may not exist if CAS considers the compound insufficiently Two features relevant to entries for pairs of reactive che-
characterised, which is highly probable for materials which micals arise from the work of Prof. T. Yoshida in developing
exploded during analysis) and (ion) after the number indicates a method for the calculation of maximum reaction heats
that the main ion only has been located, rather than the specific (MRH) possible for binary (or ternary) mixtures of chemicals,
title salt. Where possible, an alpahanumeric representation of and the publication of his tabulated results. Where available for
the structure of the title compound is given at the centre of combinations existing in this text, these data are given opposite
the third title line, otherwise a drawn structure. the name of the secondary chemical in the form MRH 2.9/22.
A † prefixed to the chemical name indicates the existence This means that the calculated reaction heat is maximal at
of tabulated information on fire-related properties in 2.9 kJ/g in a mixture containing 22% wt of the secondary
Appendix 2. The † prefix is also appended to the entry reactant with 78% of the main (bold title) compound. The
(and any synonym) in the index in Appendix 4 of the che- second feature is the inclusion of the secondary entry ‘Other
micals appearing as title lines. Immediately under the title reactants’ under which the extent of the information available
lines some references to sources of general safetyrelated data in Yoshida’s book for some 240 title compounds is given. More
concerning use and handling precautions for the title chemical detail on the origin of these figures is given in Section 2 under
are given. The references to the series of MCA Safety Data the entry MAXIMUM REACTION HEAT.
Sheets are given in parentheses because the whole series All temperatures in the text are expressed in degrees
was withdrawn in 1980, apparently on grounds other than Celsius; pressures in bars, mbars or Pa; volumes in m3, litres
obsolescence of the technical content. Since these data sheets or ml; and energy as joules, kJ or MJ. Where appropriate,
are no longer available, alternative references are given where attention is drawn to closely similar or related materials or
possible to the Data Sheets available from the National Safety events by See or See also cross-references. Finally, if a title
Council (NSC), Chicago; the Fire Protection Association compound is a member of one of the general classes or
(FPA), London; to the appropriate page of ’Handling Che- groups in Section 2, it is related to those by a See other
micals Safely 1980’ (HCS 1980), published in Holland; or cross-reference. If the compound is not strictly classifiable, a
to the new Laboratory Hazard Data Sheet series being pub- See related cross-reference establishes a less direct link to
lished by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), now in Cam- the group compound index lists in Section 2, such compounds
bridge. No new datasheets have been included since 1990, being prefixed in the lists by an asterisk. In relatively few cases,
since distinction between the proliferation of sources would literature references (or further references) for individual
1
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
geluk mocht hebben, kwamen ook de tijgers, die van de kleine tot de
groote hetzelfde deden en … eindelijk de slangen, die, na ook met haar
tong haar plicht gedaan te hebben, langzaam wegkropen. Met dit alles
ging geruimen tijd voorbij, en eerst met het aanbreken van den dag was
aan den optocht een einde gekomen, zoodat de man met zijn
geweeklaag kon ophouden.
Toen het goed dag was geworden, zag hij een vreemde gestalte naar
zich toekomen. Het was Wau-oeta, die een vreemdsoortigen pijl in de
hand had. „Zoo, waart gij het”, zei ze, „die al dat lawaai van nacht
maakte en mij uit den slaap hield?” „Ja”, antwoordde de man, „ik was
het”. „Wel”, zei Wau-oeta, „kijk eens langs je arm, van je schouder tot je
hand”. Hij keek, en zag dat hij met een soort schimmel 82 bedekt was. Hij
keek ook naar zijn anderen arm en zag precies hetzelfde. Toen hij van
Wau-oeta gehoord had, dat het deze schimmel was, die hem zoo
ongelukkig op de jacht maakte, wreef hij zijn armen goed af.
De pijl van Wau-oeta zag er, zooals ik zei, zeer vreemd [161]uit. Hij was
in drie of vier stukken gebroken 83 en ieder stuk was gespleten. Wau-
oeta ruilde dezen pijl voor den zijnen en verzocht hem, den hare te
willen probeeren om naar een lange liaan te schieten, die op grooten
afstand naar beneden hing, en .… ja, de pijl trof doel. Toen hij weêr den
pijl op den boog zette, vroeg Wau-oeta hem in de lucht te willen
schieten, en .… onbegrijpelijk, in welke richting hij ook zijn pijl
wegschoot, telkens als hij de aarde bereikte, raakte hij een dier: eerst
een Doroquara, en zoo voort in dezelfde volgorde, als waarin de vogels
hem aan zijn voet hadden gepikt, tot den powies* toe. En het vreemde
was, dat als hij schoot, hij zelf den pijl niet kon zien.
Onze vriend keerde nu naar zijn twee vrouwen terug, en natuurlijk werd
nu zijn naam, dien hij reeds wegens het dooden van Tobe-horo-anna
had, nog veel grooter. Iedereen werd echter nieuwsgierig, om te weten,
waar hij die kennis vandaan had gekregen en probeerde hem uit te
hooren, maar hij weigerde, trouw aan zijn gegeven woord, iets te
zeggen. Zijn schoonbroêrs dachten: laten wij onzen tijd afwachten, en
toen er een groot paiwarri-feest zou plaats hebben, haalden zij hem
over, dit bij te wonen; en … het is al weêr dezelfde geschiedenis: drank
werd zijn verderf. Zijn tong kwam los en hij vertelde alles wat er
gebeurd was. Den [162]volgenden morgen, toen hij weêr geheel was
bijgekomen, wilde hij, als gewoonlijk, zijn pijl grijpen, die Wau-oeta hem
gegeven had, maar zijn vroegere pijl lag er weêr voor in de plaats—en
van dat oogenblik was hij al zijn geluk weêr kwijt.
Maar dit aardsche paradijs veranderde, toen aan onze kusten schepen
vol strijders verschenen, aan wier hoofd stond een man, genaamd
Paira-oende of Paira-oendepo, d.w.z. Letterhoutstomp. Hij was een
blanke, die de algemeene opmerkzaamheid tot zich trok door zijn
vreemd uiterlijk; zijn mond bevond zich nl. ter plaatse, waar bij gewone
menschen de borst moet zijn. 84
Lang geleden, voor nog Paramaribo was gesticht 90, bevond zich ter
plaatse, waar nu het Fort Zeelandia ligt, de hoofdplaats der
Arowakken 91. Een zekere Arimoribo was hun opperhoofd; hij woonde
op de plaats van het tegenwoordige Gouvernementshuis. Een in de
nabijheid in de Suriname-rivier mondende kreek werd Parimoribo
genoemd (d.i. kreek van Arimoribo 92).
Het ontbrak Arimoribo niet aan krijgsvolk. Op zijn wenk greep heel de
stam naar de wapenen. Dit mocht [166]echter niet gebeuren, wanneer
niet de piaiman was geraadpleegd en de beschermgeesten goed
gestemd schenen. Tijdens een groot feest nu begon onder de
bedwelming der feestvreugde de gebruikelijke schildwacht, een op een
staak gestoken houten raaf 93, eensklaps te weeklagen, welk
onheilspellend teeken de vreugde voor een onbeschrijfelijk misbaar
deed plaats maken. Allen sprongen op en ziet .… op de rivier naderden
schepen met zeilen van ongekende grootte. Zulke dingen hadden de
Indianen nog nooit gezien. Meer verbaasd dan bevreesd vroegen zij
zich af, wat voor wezens dat wel konden zijn, die met zulke reusachtige
vleugels zich over het water heen bewogen. Het moesten reusachtige
vleermuizen zijn, besloten ten slotte de wijzen onder hen. Maar die
vleermuizen naderden en spoedig bleek het, dat zij soldaten en ook
vuurwapenen met zich meevoerden. Voor de eerste maal maakten de
Indianen met blanke menschen kennis.
Het sprak van zelf, dat de piaimannen onmiddellijk aan het werk gingen,
want er was immers geen krachtiger middel van tegenweer dan de piai-
kunst. Vóór alles moest deze worden aangewend; en zóó krachtig
slaagde deze, dat drie schepen tot zinken werden gebracht. Hoewel de
Indianen ook van hun pijlen gebruik maakten, moesten zij zich, toen
hun voorraad verschoten was, in de bosschen terugtrekken. Van dien
tijd dagteekent het, dat de Indianen zich in onderaardsche woningen
gingen verschuilen, zooals er nog heden ten dage te Onoribo en Topibo
aan de Para 94 bestaan. Deze woningen bestonden echter reeds in oude
tijden, toen de vaderen hunner [167]vaderen het land bewoonden 95 en
de seizoenen niet waren zooals zij thans zijn 96. Want telkens als de
droge tijd intrad, heerschte er een zóó ontzettende koude over de
wereld, dat iedereen er van bibberde en de voorvaderen der Arowakken
zich genoodzaakt zagen, bedoelde holen te graven, teneinde zich tegen
de koude te beschermen 97. Wat kwamen deze nu aan het nageslacht
als kostbare schuilplaatsen te stade!
Jorobodie was een dracht van niet meer dan drie weken, die zich
wonderbaarlijk snel ontwikkelde, en wiens optreden algemeen ontzag
inboezemde. Hij toog ten strijde tegen de blanken, die niets tegen hem
vermochten, en versloeg hen. Geen vuur deerde hem, geen staal trof
hem, geen gewicht was zwaar genoeg, om hem te doen zinken. Alle
banden werden door hem verbroken en toen de blanken hem eindelijk
in een vat hadden gesloten, en hem aan het water hadden
prijsgegeven, deed hij een tijger tot [168]zich naderen, stak hem door
een gaatje zijn staart toe en zoo werd hij overal heengesleept, waar hij
maar wilde. Nooit werd een zonderlinger vaartuig door zulk een dier, en
nog wel onbeteugeld, voortgetrokken.
Zooals het mannen betaamt, wien men een buitengewone roeping
toedicht, was ook Jorobodie in ieder opzicht een wonder van kracht en
slimheid 99. Zijn voedsel bestond uitsluitend uit krabben, en dit sober
voedsel maakte hem tot den man van kracht, den trots zijner natie.
Wee! den Caraïb, die hem aandurfde! Wie slechts de hand uitstak, was
een man des doods! Zijn groote verdienste voor de Arowakken bestond
echter hierin, dat hij de schrik der blanken was. Deze toch waren
toenmaals hunne grootste vijanden 100, die hen niet alleen tot slaven
maakten, maar hen ook naar zee voerden, waar zij, na met teer
bestreken te zijn, levend verbrand werden.
Dit alles hield echter op, toen de menschen slecht werden. Geen kwaad
toch kan ongestraft blijven. Toen bijv. eens een Indiaan van den kapitein
een boot had geleend en deze niet terug bracht, werd hij gestraft. Hij
veranderde n.l. in een duizendpoot*, en werd vader van die millioenen
veelbeenige stekelige dieren, die nu door iedereen zoozeer gevreesd
worden. [169]
Het ergste van alles voor de Indianen was wel, dat die ellendige
blanken zich aan dit alles niet storen wilden, zoodat zij het laatste
overblijfsel van den gelukstaat verloren deden gaan. Welk een schat
was voor hen in die omstandigheden een man van zulk een overwicht
als Jorobodie was!
Maar helaas! hij kwam ten val en wel door een vrouw, die hij geschaakt
had 102 en waardoor hij den haat zijner natie op den hals haalde. Het
aannemen van een spin, hem door zijn vrouw aangeboden, richtte
Jorobodie ten gronde, want nauwelijks had hij deze met de woorden
„zoek uwen weg”, door haar uitgesproken, aangenomen of Jorobodie
was niet meer.
No. 40. Uitdrijven van een priester uit den Indiaanschen hemel.
Penalo ame weipiompo. Eertijds enz. voor nog de grootvader van mijn
grootmoeder geboren was, werden de oevers der Boven-Marowijne
door talrijke Indianen bewoond. Maar hun aantal slonk bij den dag, wijl
zij veel te lijden hadden van allerlei booze geesten, die zich niet door
piaien lieten verdrijven. Vele Roodhuiden verlieten dan ook de behekste
streken, ten einde zich te begeven naar Mazwano, een plaats, die zij
reeds menigmaal in hunne droomen hadden bezocht. Ontelbare
Roodhuiden woonden daar in kampen, die elken morgen schitterend
verlicht werden door de morgenzon.
In het midden stond het wonderkamp van Tamoesi*. De [171]grond was
wit als het glinsterende witte kwartszand der savanne. Wit was ook de
kleur van de wateren, die door dit aardsche Paradijs vloeiden.
De Indiaansche God zag er geweldig uit. Zijn huid had, zooals van zelf
spreekt, een roode kleur. Hij was versierd met vederen, franjes en
kralen. In zijn hand hield Hij een ongehoord groote malaka*, waarin zich
de geesten bevonden van alle wezens; de steel was als een Boa
bewerkt.
Wanneer Tamoesi aan het piaien was, kon het geluid dagreizen ver
gehoord worden. Priesters en andere Booze Geesten vluchtten dan
ijlings naar de duistere wateren, zoodat de omtrek der Mazwano steeds
rein en wit bleef. Daar toch heerschte slechts gelukzaligheid. Men dronk
en danste er den geheelen dag. Overal liepen beeldschoone vrouwen
den mannen achterna. Ziekten en sterfgevallen kwamen er nooit voor,
terwijl Tamoesi van tijd tot tijd nederdaalde, ten einde met zijn geliefde,
roode kinderen feest te vieren. Geen wonder, dat de Indianen, die na
het doorstaan van vele duistere gevaren dit lustoord wisten te bereiken,
geen lust gevoelden tot hun familie terug te keeren.
Bij het aanschouwen van dit, in zijn oogen zoo vreeselijk Paradijs, kon
de Priester niet nalaten een zucht te slaken. De piaimannen lieten hem
evenwel geen tijd tot bedenken. „Welkom vriend, in de Mazwano”,
riepen zij hem toe, „gij zult hier een heerlijk leventje hebben”.
Toen hij den volgenden morgen wakker werd, voelde de Pater iets
naast zich in de hangmat. Hij keek en daar lag een beeldschoon
Indiaansch meisje. Vlug (volgens de verteller uiterst vlug) sprong hij op
en wilde hij wegvluchten. Maar de piaimannen grepen hem aan, en
riepen hem toe: „Nu kent gij de genoegens van het Paradijs; wilt gij hier
blijven?”
De mannen van het dorp liepen hen echter tegemoet, en den Pater
herkennende, riepen zij uit: „Wij hebben U wel gewaarschuwd, niet naar
de Mazwano te gaan; maar gij hebt ons niet willen gelooven”.
„Gij hebt gelijk”, antwoordde de Priester, en hij vertelde alles wat hem
daar was overkomen; toen hij eindelijk was gekomen aan het
Indiaansche meisje, dat hij bij zijn ontwaken in de hangmat gevonden
had, barstten zij allen in een schaterlach uit. Hun verstand ging het te
boven, dat iemand z o o i e t s kon weigeren.
No. 41. Uitdrijving der Indianen uit den Hemel der Paters.
Penalo ame weipiompo. Eertijds, voor nog mijn grootvader geboren was
enz. was een Roodhuid bezig, boomen om te hakken, teneinde een
kostgrond aan te leggen. Het werk vermoeide hem, zoodat het zweet
hem langs het lichaam liep, en de mooie roode koesoewe*, waarmede
hij zich had ingesmeerd, geheel werd weggewasschen. Hij zuchtte luide
en verwenschte zijn ongelukkig lot. Doch ziet, als uit de lucht
verschenen twee mannen, die hem medelijdend aanzagen. „Waarom
zucht gij zoo”, vroegen zij hem. „Ach”, luidde het antwoord, „ziet gij niet,
hoe hard ik moet werken? En als ik des nachts wil uitrusten, gonzen de
muskieten mij om de ooren; ik ben de ongelukkigste Indiaan van mijn
stam.”
„Wel”, zeiden de vreemdelingen, „we zijn met uw lot begaan, kom met
ons meê; want we zijn juist op weg naar een plaats, waar niemand
behoeft te werken.”
Zij werden gedoopt en herdoopt. Eindelijk bereikten zij den zetel van
den Tamoesi der Blanken. Hij was zóó oud als de Roodhuiden nog nooit
een mensch hadden gezien. Een lange, witte baard hing tot aan zijn
voeten, maar Zijn hoofd was kaal. Hij zat op een soort van hobbelstoel,
prachtig versierd met tijger-, boa- en stinkvogelkoppen. Aan Zijn zijde
lag een groot kruisbeeld. Zijn lichaam was gehuld in een langen rok,
zooals de Paters ze thans dragen.
Zij gingen verder. Langs den weg lagen eenige Indianen te slapen. De
Roodhuiden knikten elkander veelbeteekenend toe, doch zwegen. Zij
kwamen vervolgens bij plaatsen, waar visschen van zelf uit de
masoewa’s* aan de barbakot gingen hangen. Pijlen, door niemand
afgeschoten, snorden door de lucht en troffen wegvluchtende Tapirs en
Agoeti’s, die, na hun eigen vleesch in stukken te hebben gesneden,
zich zelf kookten en roosterden. Enkele Indiaansche vrouwen lagen
naast de matapi’s*, maar de cassave-wortels schrapten zich zelf,
persten zich zelf uit, en sprongen dan in de pannen, om gebakken te
worden.
De Indianen waren verrukt; en dat vooral, toen Tamoesi aan elk een
mooie vrouw schonk, en hij op staanden voet een huwelijk voltrok. Af en
toe gingen zij herbergen binnen; en elken keer kwamen zij er vroolijk
weêr uit. Eindelijk begon een der Roodhuiden met onvaste schreden te
loopen, daarbij onbetamelijke liedjes zingende en probeerende,
Tamoesi op heel familiare wijze te omhelzen.
Tamoesi gaf nu bevel, alle sodawater, limonade, kassiri enz. bij Hem te
brengen. Van alles dronk hij een kalebas vol, maar, daar Hij geen
verstand van zulke dingen had, verklaarde Hij, dat alles in orde was, en
dat de ververschingen zeer goed smaakten! En toch, zoowel het
sodawater als de limonade en de kassiri waren even rijk aan alkohol als
zuivere jenever. Geen wonder dan ook, dat de Roodhuiden zich
bedronken; de verleiding was te groot voor hen. De Priesters en andere
Blanken dronken met mate, zoodat zij nooit dronken werden.
Tamoesi gebood daarom den Roodhuiden, dat zij onmiddellijk den
Hemel moesten verlaten. Alle Caraïben, Arowakken, Warrau’s enz.
vertrokken, en aan de poort riep Tamoesi hen nog na: „Door uw
dronkenschap hebt gij het Paradijs verloren; thans zult ge werken en
het zweet, dat uit uw lichaam stroomt, zal wegwasschen de koesoewé*,
waarmeê ge u besmet. Maar, als ge niet meer drinkt, zal de poort weêr
voor u geopend worden.”
In oude tijden kwamen de Indianen veel talrijker voor dan thans. Zij
leefden tevens gelukkiger, want er was overvloed van wild, terwijl het in
de rivieren en kreken krioelde van visschen.
Zij vonden daar alles in rep en roer, daar Kenaima’s* zich in den omtrek
vertoond hadden.
Maar de Caraïben, vermoeid van hun langen tocht, hadden rust noodig
en de piaiman gelastte, dat, terwijl tien man sliepen, de overigen
zouden waken. Daartoe moesten zij langwerpige kijkgaten in de
wanden der hut maken.
Wat de kapitein ook deed, het Indiaansche opperhoofd liet zich niet
bepraten. Hij vertrok dan ook en keerde na eenigen tijd met den koning
terug. Deze begon niet terstond met de Indianen te onderhandelen,
doch liet hen eerst flink drinken. Toen allen dan ook smoordronken
waren, vroeg hij hun: „geef mij dit land ten geschenke”. En zij
antwoordden: „Neem het vriend, maar geef ons drank”.
Onder de blanken ontstond nu een hevige paniek. Zij vluchtten naar alle
richtingen; overal floten onzichtbare pijlen 108, door onzichtbare strijders
afgeschoten, door de lucht, waardoor vele soldaten gedood werden.
Het gebeurde werkelijk zoo, want toen de blanken, vol woede over den
dood hunner kameraden, de kreek wilden opvaren, werden hunne
oogen verduisterd door het toovermiddel, zoodat zij de monding van het
kreekje niet konden zien.
Wij, Arowakken hebben in den strijd met de Kalienja’s het laatste woord
gehad. Eens was het, dat wij onze vijanden in een hinderlaag wisten te
lokken. Boven een waterval hadden wij drijvende boomstammen
geplaatst, waarachter een deel onzer strijders verborgen was, terwijl de
overigen zich langs den oever verscholen hadden.
Op een lange reis naar het land der steenen bijlen* kwam een groote
boot, geheel gevuld met Indianen, van een landingsplaats. Deze
bevond zich in het gebied van den vleermuizenstam, zoodat de oude
man, die het gezelschap leidde, zijn bende op het hart drukte, hunne
hangmatten niet tusschen de boomen op te hangen (zooals de Indianen
in den drogen tijd gewoon zijn te doen), omdat de vleermuizen er
buitengewoon groot waren. Hij ried den mannen daarom aan, een
gesloten tijdelijke hut te bouwen, dus een aan alle kanten gesloten
banab*. Een der jongeren, die wat vadsig was uitgevallen, had er geen
lust in, de anderen met den bouw van de schuilplaats te helpen. Hij
beweerde, dat hij het niet geloofde, dat de vleermuizen, al waren zij ook
nog zoo groot, hem vóór het aanbreken van den dag iets zouden doen.
Tegen de redeneeringen van den ouden man in, weigerde hij in de hut
te kruipen, en nadat hij zijn hangmat tusschen twee boomen had