[Emilovely]

Hi everyone,
I am a little bit paranoid, so bear with me here: last week in organic chemistry lab we did an experiment in which we synthesized benzpinacol and bis (2,4,6-trichlorophenyl) oxalate. The lab manual says that a lot of the chemicals we used are harmful (including 2,4,6-trichlorophenol, oxalyl chloride, triethylamine, etc.). When I started working on my lab report about a week and a half after completing the lab, my lab manual smelled awful. I can't remember spilling anything during the lab, and the dried liquid looks clear (Except that it dissolved a little bit of my pen ink and smeared it around). The smell reminds me a little bit of finger paint or something... it's a very familiar smell, but it's unpleasant and relatively strong.
Should I toss the book and buy a new one, or just not worry about it? I don't want to be inadvertently sniffing a carcinogenic material!
Any help would be appreciated!
Thanks,
Emily

[Arctic-Nation]

It's going to be very difficult to identify the product(s) you spilled, but as far as strong, unpleasant smells go, triethylamine and oxalyl chloride (which by now will be oxalates or oxalic acid) will take the cake. However, these are also quite volatile, so they won't linger. Probably you spilled a solution of another compound, allowing it to dry into the paper.
From what I can find, benzopinacol is not toxic and has a high melting point, though I have no idea of a possible smell. TCP, on the other hand, is carcinogenic, but again, no idea of smell.

My advice to you is simple: put your lab book in a tool shed or something, let it air out for a few days and see (smell ) if the problem is fixed. If not, see if you can cut out any offending pages, that'll be cheaper.

For the future, however: never work above your lab book again. It's not simple when doing synthesis and running around with flasks and everything, but it will make life easier.

Oh and, almost all chemicals are harmful in one way or another. Just be careful and you'll be fine. Most chemists do not die an early death.