Safety Considerations
OsO4 is highly poisonous, even at low exposure levels, and must be handled with appropriate precautions. In particular, inhalation at concentrations well below those at which a smell can be perceived can lead to pulmonary edema, and subsequent death. Noticeable symptoms can take hours to appear after exposure.
OsO4 also stains the human cornea, which can lead to blindness if proper safety precautions are not observed. The permissible exposure limit for osmium tetroxide (8 hour time-weighted average) is 2 µg/m3. Osmium tetroxide can penetrate plastics and therefore is stored in glass in a cold place.
On April 6, 2004 British intelligence sources believed they had foiled a plot to detonate a bomb involving OsO4. Experts interviewed by New Scientist affirmed osmium tetroxide's toxicity, though some highlighted the difficulties of using it in a weapon: osmium tetroxide is very expensive. The osmium tetroxide may be destroyed by the blast; what remaining toxic fumes may also be dispersed by the blast as well.
Read more about this topic: Osmium Tetroxide
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