Lemon Water in Styrofoam Cups
Lynda Denison
styrofoam cups, and have noticed the styrofoam starting to "melt". Could
anyone tell me what kind of reaction is happening here? Is it dangerous or
harmful to us?
Mark L. Tracy
lden...@steelcase-research.com (Lynda Denison) wrote:
Lemon oil contains many pleasant smelling hydrocarbons. One of them is
limonene, better know as Citra-solv, the natural cleaning solvent you see
around. It will most certainly dissolve in polystyrene, making it soft. A
tiny bit causes the 'melting' you see. Enough limonene will dissolve the
cup entirely, and you will end up with something like 'non-toxic'
model-airplane glue. This is not any hazard to health. It does rather
reduce the pleaure of drinking lemon water. Personally, I would not use
styrofoam cups for lemon water just on aesthetic grounds.
Mark Tracy
John Vinson
I've heard of this before; apparently there is enough lemon oil
from the peel (and perhaps even from the flesh of the lemon) to
plasticize the polystyrene foam. I don't expect it's especially
dangerous; any polystyrene that dissolves would have a hard time
getting absorbed and it's not particularly toxic anyway.
John Vinson
DMurphy3
reacted to form some type of carcinogen. Has anyone else heard of this? I
certainly avoid lemon juice in my iced tea when using styrofoam.
Regards,
Dexter M.
Nigel Farrand
>Several of my co-workers drink lemon water on a daily basis. Most of them use
>styrofoam cups, and have noticed the styrofoam starting to "melt".
Its the hydrocarbons in the lemon reacting with the hydrocarbons in the
styrofoam. Any liquid containing hydrocarbons will do the same thing, try
gasoline! If the free hydrocarbon is not present in great amounts the
melted styrofoam will re-solidify. Its not dangerous but not pleasant
either.
James Ianni
: lden...@steelcase-research.com (Lynda Denison) wrote:
: >Several of my co-workers drink lemon water on a daily basis. Most of them use
: >styrofoam cups, and have noticed the styrofoam starting to "melt".
: Its the hydrocarbons in the lemon reacting with the hydrocarbons in the
: styrofoam. Any liquid containing hydrocarbons will do the same thing, try
: gasoline! If the free hydrocarbon is not present in great amounts the
^^^^^^^^^^^
Nay, it's most fun with acetone, just watch me make dozens of styrofoam
cups disappear in three seconds....
A. B. Janes
C'mon, just use a ceramic mug.
DMurphy3
ceramics.