No, that brilliant purple spray soaking some protesters wasn’t some black ops chemical weapon, authorities assert, just dyed water with a few chemical additives which can catalyze into a highly corrosive acid.
Responding to rumors the colorful, much-photographed spray was causing skin problems for some protesters, a doctor with the Disease Control Department said yesterday it was only water mixed with a salt often used in medical applications and potash, which turns purple in water.
Combining the two, Dr. Chanthana Phadungtos explained, creates sulphur dioxide, best known as an ancient preservative in winemaking. Sulfur dioxide is also mildly toxic and can irritate skin and eyes.
If you’re following along with your chemistry book, you’d know already that the addition of water creates sulphuric acid. Chanthana described its acidity as only a little higher than vinegar. The Wikipedia however describes it as “a highly corrosive, strong mineral acid” which “is capable of causing very severe burns, especially when it is at high concentrations.”
If the mix used this week was prepared at high concentrations, Chanthana conceded it could be harmful. She urged protesters to quickly wash any skin exposed to the spray, The Nation reported.
This image from Prajya Aura-ek shows the dye being deployed just after 4pm on Sunday:
ม่วงมาก pic.twitter.com/ripahDCanS
— Prajya Aura-ek Phil (@Phil_Prajya) December 1, 2013
