RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH DRY ICE - Dry ice is extremely cold! Skin contact kills the cells, giving you a dry ice burn. It's best to use tongs or gloves when handling dry ice. Don't eat dry ice. If you use it to cool a drink, be careful that you don't accidentally get a piece of dry ice in your mouth or accidentally swallow some. Dry ice forms carbon dioxide gas. Although the carbon dioxide isn't toxic, it changes the chemistry of the air so that there is a lower percentage of oxygen. If dry ice is placed in a sealed container, there is a risk of the container rupturing or of the cap rifling off of the container when you open it. A dry ice bomb produces extremely loud noise and shoots out pieces of the container and dry ice.

.................................................................................................................................

Dry Ice Risks

Why Is Dry Ice Dangerous?

Risks Associated With Dry Ice

by Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. 

Dry ice, which is the solid form of carbon dioxide, is not dangerous if it is stored and used correctly.

It can present hazards because it is extremely cold and quickly sublimates into carbon dioxide gas.

While carbon dioxide is not toxic, it can build pressure or displace normal air, potentially causing problems.

Here's a closer look at the dangers of dry ice and how to avoid them, whether you buy or make dry ice.

Dry Ice Frostbite

Dry ice is extremely cold! Skin contact kills the cells, giving you a dry ice burn.

It only takes a couple of seconds to get burned, so it's best to use tongs or gloves when handling dry ice.

Don't eat dry ice. If you use it to cool a drink, be careful that you don't accidentally get a piece of dry ice in your mouth or accidentally swallow some.

Asphyxiation

Dry ice forms carbon dioxide gas. Although the carbon dioxide isn't toxic, it changes the chemistry of the air so that there is a lower percentage of oxygen.

This is not an issue in a well-ventilated area, but it can cause problems in enclosed spaces.

Also, the cool carbon dioxide gas sinks to the floor of a room.

The increased concentration of carbon dioxide is more likely to cause problems for pets or children than for adults, both because they have a higher metabolism and because they may be closer to the floor where the concentration of carbon dioxide is highest.

Explosion Hazard

Dry ice is not flammable or explosive, but it exerts pressure as it changes from solid dry ice to gaseous carbon dioxide.

If dry ice is placed in a sealed container, there is a risk of the container rupturing or of the cap rifling off of the container when you open it.

A dry ice bomb produces extremely loud noise and shoots out pieces of the container and dry ice.

You could harm your hearing and become injured by the container. Pieces of dry ice could become embedded in your skin, giving you internal frostbite.

To avoid these dangers, don't seal dry ice in a bottle, jar or locking cooler. It's fine in a paper bag in your refrigerator or freezer or in a cooler without a tight seal.

Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.

Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville - Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Science educator with experience teaching chemistry, biology, astronomy, and physics at the high school, college, and graduate levels.

ThoughtCo and About Education chemistry expert since 2001.

Widely-published graphic artist, responsible for printable periodic tables and other illustrations used in science.

Experience

Anne Helmenstine, Ph.D. has covered chemistry for ThoughtCo and About Education since 2001, and other sciences since 2013. She taught chemistry, biology, astronomy, and physics at the high school, college, and graduate levels. She has worked as a research scientist and also abstracting and indexing diverse scientific literature for the Department of Energy.

In addition to her work as a science writer, Dr. Helmenstine currently serves as a scientific consultant, specializing in problems requiring an interdisciplinary approach. Previously, she worked as a research scientist and college professor. 

Education

Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and a B.A. in physics and mathematics with a minor in chemistry from Hastings College. In her doctoral work, Dr. Helmenstine developed ultra-sensitive chemical detection and medical diagnostic tests.

ThoughtCo and Dotdash

ThoughtCo is a premier reference site focusing on expert-created education content. We are one of the top-10 information sites in the world as rated by comScore, a leading Internet measurement company. Every month, more than 13 million readers seek answers to their questions on ThoughtCo.

For more than 20 years, Dotdash brands have been helping people find answers, solve problems, and get inspired. We are one of the top-20 largest content publishers on the Internet according to comScore, and reach more than 30% of the U.S. population monthly. Our brands collectively have won more than 20 industry awards in the last year alone, and recently Dotdash was named Publisher of the Year by Digiday, a leading industry publication.

https://www.thoughtco.com/why-is-dry-ice-dangerous-606401