Carboxylic acids and related compounds
Read our general notes on Risk Assessment
Why is it that pure aspirin is not sold commercially?
No doubt pure aspirin is sold commercially by chemical manufacturers to people who formulate medicines.
Pure aspirin is not sold over the counter to the public because it would be dangerous to do so. The required dose (which is small) is mixed with other materials to make a tablet or powder so that it is easy for people to take a safe dose.
Typically people are recommended to take from 300 - 900 milligrams of aspirin every 4 to 8 hours.
If each tablet contains 300 mg, then is is easy to decide how many tablets to take. It would be very hard to measure out 300 mg accurately at home - asnd much too easy to take an overdose.
Risk assessment
Before attempting any practical work based on the advice and suggestions on this website, you must do the following. Identify any hazards, assess the risks from these hazards, and then decide appropriate control measures to reduce the risks. You must have these approved by those in authority in your school or college laboratory. Do not rely on what is said on this website.
For further guidance see our tutorial on Risk Assessment.
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updated: 18 March 2005
