Any acids capable of dissolving human bones?

[Seleucus I Nicator]

I've been wondering this for quite a time: are there any acids capable of dissolving human bone? Please be specific.

I would appreciate if someone could answer, as I have started school this week and my homework is to find that out...

[Thanatos]

I don't know too much about acids myself, but here's the strongest superacid known thus far...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluoroantimonic_acid

[Spiff]

Moved to the Ath.. athen.. science forum

[Gary88]

hmmm, science homework...i'm watching you!

to answer your question bones consist mostly of a calcium phosphate mineral thats name i cant spell (hydrolap something) now my chemistry is crap but in school you have no doubt put marble chips (calcium carbonate) in hydrochloric acid to get
CaCO3 + HCl >>>>>>> CaCl + H2O + CO2
calcium carbonate disolves quite readily in acid so i imagine Calcium Phosphate doesnt fare to well either

CaPO4 + HCl >>>> CaCl +...actually sod it i havent done chem in ages and i'm losing the will to live

[Silver Guard]

It would probably be:
CaPO4 + 8HCl >>>>>>> CaCl + 4H2O + PCl6 + 1/2Cl2
(At a guess, I'm not sure of the oxidation state of phosphorus under these conditions)

[Gary88]

ta very much, i believe it would be minus 3...i'm probably wrong mind

[Zodiac]

I know Gary is with me when I say...Are you trying to dispose of "evidence"? Other than that, Good luck with Chemistry. I only passed the class myself because my district likes to round the grades to the nearest whole number.

[Kretchfoop]

A quick google search gave me this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrofluoric_acid

You could also look into phosporic acid, the stuff they put into cola soft drinks. I know it will slowly eat through your teeth so it's possible it may be able to eat it's way through your bones.

[The Walrus]

A quick google search gave me this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrofluoric_acid

You could also look into phosporic acid, the stuff they put into cola soft drinks. I know it will slowly eat through your teeth so it's possible it may be able to eat it's way through your bones.

Looked at his link, found this specifically

In the body, hydrofluoric acid reacts with the ubiquitous ions of calcium and magnesium and so can disable tissues and organs whose proper function depends on these metal ions. Exposure to hydrofluoric acid may not be initially painful, and symptoms may not occur until several hours later, when the acid begins to react with calcium in the bones. Under most circumstances, hydrofluoric acid exposure results in severe or even lethal damage to the heart, liver, kidneys, and nerves. Initial treatment to hydrofluoric acid exposure usually involves thorough rinsing (for up to 15 minutes) of to the exposed areas followed by the application of calcium gluconate gel. If exposure is high, or too much time has passed, a calcium gluconate solution may be injected directly into a local artery or surrounding tissues. In all cases, hydrofluoric acid exposure requires immediate professional medical attention. If coming in contact with human skin or bone the acid can severely burn and then decompose the bone, potentially necessitating amputation of the affected limb/s.

The highest concentration of HF in air that can be tolerated by a human for 1 minute is 100 mg/m3[citation needed]. This causes a definite sensation of pain on the skin, a definite sour taste, and some degree of eye and respiratory irritation. If the air contains 50 mg/m3, the sour taste is apparent and there is irritation of the eyes and nose, but no pain is sensed on the skin. The concentration of 26 mg/m3 can be tolerated for several minutes, but the sour taste becomes evident after a short time, and there is mild pain in the nose and eyes. The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists has adopted 2 mg/m3 as the threshold limit for hydrogen fluoride. This comes to about 3 ppm (parts per million). Inhalational exposure to concentrated HF for as little as 5 minutes is usually fatal, producing death within 2-10 hours[citation needed].

A concern for emergency services is the theft of drums of hydrofluoric acid, possibly after being mistaken for hydrochloric acid which has uses in the preparation of all kinds of substances, including in the clandestine production of illegal drugs such as methamphetamines.

Hydrofluoric acid is a known hazard in car engine fires, forming when Viton o-rings and hoses are exposed to temperatures in excess of 400 °C.

[Gary88]

so thats why we weren't allowed to touch that bottle in chemistry class...despite having the most unsafe chemistry class ever

[Wild Bill Kelso]

A lab partner of mine use HF last year for an experiment. Needless to say I am still cautious about using that lab bench. The strongest acid I have ever used is concentrated H2SO4. In high concentrations it comes out like a syrup.

[Gary88]

The strongest acid I have ever used is concentrated H2SO4. In high concentrations it comes out like a syrup.

oooh, how high?

[Wild Bill Kelso]

oooh, how high?

It was about 85% pure sulphuric acid. I just read up about that fluoroantimonic acid, truly terrifying!

[Gary88]

shite that is high...curse school safety rules, 30% was considered 'high'

[Wild Bill Kelso]

http://www.people.ex.ac.uk/ARAmes/wb.htm this is what I used the H2SO4 for.

[Chaigidel]

best way to get rid of a body is not acid anyway

[Kretchfoop]

best way to get rid of a body is not acid anyway

If movies are to be believed you should feed them to pigs!

[Chaigidel]

I always thought just dicing them up in trash bags , because landfills get filled so quickly--- but maybe acid would work better you could just dissolve them then poor it out over the law or something

[Kiljan Arslan]

I've been wondering this for quite a time: are there any acids capable of dissolving human bone? Please be specific.

I would appreciate if someone could answer, as I have started school this week and my homework is to find that out...

Alright who'd you kill?

[Gary88]

If movies are to be believed you should feed them to pigs!

i've heard and read that so many times from so many different sources i think it must be true...have to shred them first mind...