Keeping Natural Gas Safe – What Exactly Is Mercaptan

 In Natural Gas Safety

Mercaptan is also known as methanethiol and is a harmless but pungent-smelling gas which has been described as having the stench of rotting cabbages or smelly socks.

It is often added to natural gas, which is colorless and odorless, to make it easier to detect.

The gas is an organic substance, made of carbon, hydrogen and Sulphur, and is found naturally in living organisms, including the human body where it is a waste product of normal metabolism. It is one of the chemicals responsible for the foul smell of bad breath and flatulence.

People who have eaten asparagus can experience the distinctive smell of mercaptan in their urine within 30 minutes of consuming the vegetable, which contains substances that are quickly broken down to methanethiol. However, not everyone is able to smell mercaptan in their urine as a genetic mutation in some people means they are immune to the odor.

The great advantage of mercaptan for industrial purposes is that it can be detected by most people in extremely small quantities, less than one part per million. This makes it an ideal additive to odorless gases, and, like natural gas, it is flammable.

Safe Handling and Delivery of Mercaptan
Whether delivering mercaptan to your facility or moving the chemical on your site, Midland Resource Recovery (MRR) enforces the strictest protocols to guarantee the safe and incident-free transportation of your mercaptan. The MRR equipment is state-of-the-art and subject to a thorough preventive maintenance program. Our technicians are properly trained and experienced, our equipment and the service are fully compliant with DOT regulations.
This article was shared from The Independent.
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