Things I won't work with: the higher states of bromine (2019)

Enthusiasm for the series & science communication

• Many readers find the “Things I Won’t Work With” posts hilarious, gripping, and uniquely good at making advanced chemistry accessible to non‑chemists.
• Several people say this kind of writing (and similar high‑school teachers) drew them into science or made difficult topics approachable.
• A few note the style is becoming predictable or “structural clickbait” after many entries, with emotional beats feeling repetitive despite still-strong content.

Pointers to related terrifying chemistry

• Commenters share favorite entries from the same series: dioxygen difluoride (“FOOF”), thioacetone, hydrofluoric acid, and other high‑energy oxidizers and exotic halogen compounds.
• Recommendations extend to classic propellant/energetics books and old memoirs about dangerous industrial chemistry, plus modern YouTube channels demonstrating extreme inorganic reactions.

Hydrofluoric acid, fire suppression, and everyday products

• HF is repeatedly singled out as especially horrific: deep tissue damage, electrolyte disruption, and heart failure are mentioned.
• People describe industrial peptide synthesis setups using HF in sealed, specialized apparatus, with dramatic evacuations when leaks occur.
• A consumer rust remover containing ~3% HF on Amazon alarms multiple commenters; debate centers on concentration vs. lethality and how such products ship via normal logistics.
• “Improved” fire suppression using hydrofluorocarbons that can generate HF in fires is criticized; advice is to evacuate server rooms/vehicles when systems trigger.

Bromine, iodine, and lab/classroom anecdotes

• Several recall bromine incidents in teaching labs: red fumes, coughing, and full-area evacuations after improper disposal or mishandling (e.g., pipetting issues).
• There is criticism of poor safety training in some educational settings, contrasted with notes that bromine can be handled safely worldwide with proper precautions.
• Comparisons are made between bromine and iodine, with iodine perceived as much tamer.

Ethidium bromide and toxicity debate

• A genetics-lab worker worries about long-term effects from routinely microwaving agarose gels containing ethidium bromide and breathing the steam.
• Others link to material arguing EtBr is “surprisingly not mutagenic,” emphasizing that the bromide ion itself is benign and even physiologically used in trace amounts.
• Some remain skeptical, pointing out DNA intercalation and personal anecdotes of cancer, while others stress cell and nuclear membranes as barriers.
• Alternatives like SYBR Green are mentioned, but they also work via DNA intercalation, so safety advantage is seen as unclear.

Accidents, PPE, and risk perception

• Multiple serious accidents are recounted: ether explosions from aged solvents, strong-acid cleaning baths, and a famous lab mercury poisoning case.
• Discussion emphasizes that PPE is a last line of defense; even meticulous rule-followers can die if hazards are underestimated or not yet fully understood.
• There is debate over which stories best teach safety: cases where rules were ignored vs. cases where rules were followed but proved inadequate.

Meta, tangents, and analogies

• One commenter notes a popular YouTube “most dangerous chemicals” list that appears to have plagiarized this blog series.
• Others imagine alien biochemistries where our extreme halogen chemistry is “normal” and carbon chains are inert junk.
• A programming analogue to “Things I Won’t Work With” is suggested (e.g., dangerous tools, flaky compilers), with aspect‑oriented programming jokingly proposed as a candidate.