BURNING DRIFTWOOD - Why Burning Driftwood Makes Colored (Toxic) Fire - Burning driftwood, especially from the ocean, gets a fire with blue and lavender flames. The colored fire comes from excitation of the metal salts that have soaked into the wood. While the flames are pretty, the smoke given off of the fire is toxic. Driftwood releases a lot of dioxin from combustion of salt-soaked wood. Dioxins are carginogenic, so burning driftwood from beaches is not recommended. All smoke contains particulates which can cause health problems when the smoke is inhaled, but you may have been unaware of the additional issue with burning driftwood.

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Burning Driftwood

Why Burning Driftwood Makes Colored (Toxic) Fire

by Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. 

Did you know you can burn driftwood, especially from the ocean, to get a fire with blue and lavender flames?

The colored fire comes from excitation of the metal salts that have soaked into the wood. 

While the flames are pretty, the smoke given off of the fire is toxic.

Specifically, driftwood releases a lot of dioxin from combustion of salt-soaked wood.

Dioxins are carcinogenic, so burning driftwood from beaches is not recommended.

Some coastal communities have considered burn bans on driftwood to reduce the levels of pollution from the smoke.

All smoke contains particulates which can cause health problems when the smoke is inhaled, but you may have been unaware of the additional issue with burning driftwood.

Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.

Introduction

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.

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https://www.thoughtco.com/burning-driftwood-colored-toxic-fire-3975990