Corrosion from mouse urine?
Michael Richmann
>
>I am looking at an aluminum ship that has been in storage for the last four years. A friend of
>mine talked to an A+ P that said if it has had mice in it, to forget it, because mouse urine is
>a very corrosive element effectively making any aluminum ship junk.
>
>Has anyone heard of such a thing ?
I don't know if mouse urine alone would be enough to do the trick
but urine in general is somewhat acidic (pH~5-6) and over time
will react with metals. I suppose if the plane had been parked
long enough and there was a persistent mouse population...
--
Mike
My opinions, not Argonne's...
Mike Nelson
I am looking at an aluminum ship that has been in storage for the last four years. A friend of
mine talked to an A+ P that said if it has had mice in it, to forget it, because mouse urine is
a very corrosive element effectively making any aluminum ship junk.
Has anyone heard of such a thing ?
Thanks,
Mike
Dan L. Thompson
I have a neighbor that lost a Commanche to mice. It was in storage for
a number of years. Urine is corrosive to any metal.
-|-
Dan ---o-o-O-o-o---
Frank van der Hulst
> Mike Nelson <mi...@lynx.csn.org> wrote:
> >mine talked to an A+ P that said if it has had mice in it, to forget it, bec
>
> but urine in general is somewhat acidic (pH~5-6) and over time
Are you sure? My memory of high school chemistry, biology, etc is that
urine is alkaline (basic), with pH somewhere round 10 or 11. It's full
of ammonium salts, which cause the high pH. Can some-one do a litmus
test to confirm?
> will react with metals. I suppose if the plane had been parked
> long enough and there was a persistent mouse population...
I can't remember the relative reactivity of ammonium and aluminium. My
guess is that the urine attacks the protective coating over the alloy.
Frank.
--
fra...@dogbox.manawatu.planet.org.nz (Frank van der Hulst)
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Michael Richmann
>Michael Richmann <rich...@cmt.anl.gov> writes:
>> Mike Nelson <mi...@lynx.csn.org> wrote:
>> >mine talked to an A+ P that said if it has had mice in it, to forget it, bec
>> >a very corrosive element effectively making any aluminum ship junk.
>>
>> I don't know if mouse urine alone would be enough to do the trick
>> but urine in general is somewhat acidic (pH~5-6) and over time
>
>Are you sure? My memory of high school chemistry, biology, etc is that
>urine is alkaline (basic), with pH somewhere round 10 or 11. It's full
>of ammonium salts, which cause the high pH. Can some-one do a litmus
>test to confirm?
Yes, I'm sure and I have done the litmus test. Ammonium salts aren't
the only species present...
There's urea and a whole host of organic acids (just off the top of
my head) in there also.
>
>> will react with metals. I suppose if the plane had been parked
>> long enough and there was a persistent mouse population...
>
>I can't remember the relative reactivity of ammonium and aluminium. My
>guess is that the urine attacks the protective coating over the alloy.
Assuming there is one. If the hull hasn't been zinc chromated or
alodined, the only protection is the relatively thin aluminum oxide
layer.
smith gregory h
magnesium (remember those ribbons that burn with a bright-white light?).
My guess is that urine would lay waste (appologize for the pun) to
aluminum in short order.
Greg Smith, MD
On 20 Mar 1996, Frank van der Hulst wrote:
> Michael Richmann <rich...@cmt.anl.gov> writes:
> > Mike Nelson <mi...@lynx.csn.org> wrote:
> > >mine talked to an A+ P that said if it has had mice in it, to forget it, bec
> > >a very corrosive element effectively making any aluminum ship junk.
> >
> > I don't know if mouse urine alone would be enough to do the trick
> > but urine in general is somewhat acidic (pH~5-6) and over time
>
> Are you sure? My memory of high school chemistry, biology, etc is that
> urine is alkaline (basic), with pH somewhere round 10 or 11. It's full
> of ammonium salts, which cause the high pH. Can some-one do a litmus
> test to confirm?
>
> > will react with metals. I suppose if the plane had been parked
> > long enough and there was a persistent mouse population...
>
> I can't remember the relative reactivity of ammonium and aluminium. My
> guess is that the urine attacks the protective coating over the alloy.
>
> Frank.
>
>
> --
> fra...@dogbox.manawatu.planet.org.nz (Frank van der Hulst)
David M Parrish
smith gregory h <ghs...@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> wrote:
>Urine normally has a Ph around 5, and aluminum is almost as reactive as
>magnesium (remember those ribbons that burn with a bright-white light?).
>My guess is that urine would lay waste (appologize for the pun) to
>aluminum in short order.
As far as I can remember, plain old table salt has a pH of 7, or neutral. It's
also very nasty to metals. Just ask anyone that lives near the ocean or in the
rust belt. I think its all the ionic agents (organic acids, salts, etc.) that
cause the problems. Not to mention _where_ those durn little rodents can get
into.
---
David Parrish
Mechanic: I think you have mice in your wings.
Pilot: Oh, piss on it!
Mechanic: Exactly...
Robert P. Ollerton
Mouse (or any other) urine will eat Alum. There is a small amount of
allowable corrosion as specified in the Acceptable Practices book.
If the skin is not too far gone, you can Acid etch the area with metal prep,
Alodine it if you pleases, and for sure cover it with a coat of Epoxy
Chromate Primer like PPG DP40.
If its too far gone, or worrys you, replacing the skin or spar or whatever
is the only way to deal with it.
--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Robert P. Ollerton: Chandler and Patagonia Arizona
4 Airplanes, 6 cars, no house. Need Big Dog.
olle...@primenet.com