Chemicals from windshield washer fluid poisoned man's hands

Hanoi 15 minutes after using a bottle of glass cleaner, the 55-year-old man's fingers were aching, feeling like they were bitten by insects.

He went to the Poison Control Center, Bach Mai Hospital, for emergency treatment, bringing a bottle of V300 cleaning spray and said he bought it online for 180,000 VND. The seller said that this bottle could clean calcium deposits, yellow stains and all other stains on glass doors and household appliances.

The doctor diagnosed the patient with poisoning from glass cleaning chemicals. He had to soak his fingers in a 10% calcium gluconate solution to detoxify the poison and was hospitalized for monitoring.

The cleaning spray bottle was brought to the hospital by the patient. Photo: Provided by the doctor

On May 31, Dr. Nguyen Trung Nguyen, Director of the Poison Control Center, Bach Mai Hospital, said that this product may contain the chemical Hydrogen fluoride (HF), also known as hydrofluoric acid. This is a very toxic chemical, with corrosive properties that dissolve and erode glass. Glass cups, bowls, and bottles used to store HF can be corroded to the point of perforation.

"Skin exposed to this chemical can become necrotic, even corroded and destroy bone tissue," said Dr. Nguyen, recommending that when exposed to HF, protective clothing must be worn to avoid harm to health.

The bottle is labeled V300, but the label does not have the name of the ingredients, the manufacturing facility, or instructions on how to handle it in case of poisoning. The chemical bottle's packaging only has one line in Vietnamese, "Touchless cleaning spray." Other information, including the warning "use with gloves," is written in very small letters and in a foreign language, so many people may not notice or understand it.

Dr. Nguyen said the hospital has received many cases of poisoning from cleaning chemicals. Therefore, he recommends that people buy products with clear and complete origin, ingredients and instructions for use.

Le Nga

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