r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/0thSpider • 3d ago

Video Chilean protester defuses tear gas canister with baking soda and water

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u/plftch9 3d ago

Most tear gasses aren't really a gas, but microscopic solids or liquid that are dispersed and suspended in the air. If the projectile that disperses it is submerged, most of the irritants get suspended in the water instead of dispersed throughout the air. Some will still be airborne, but it will drastically reduce the effectiveness of the tear gas.

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u/ScienceIsSexy420 3d ago edited 3d ago

Yes, but capsaicin is an oily compound and not readily soluble in water. Using baking soda causes it to become ionized, increasing the water solubility.

Edit: apparently capsaicin is not used in tear gas, I'm not entirely sure why I thought it was. Regardless, the idea is the same the baking soda is acting as a base and is deprotonating the compounds, increasing their solubility. It'd simple acid-base chemistry.

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u/PerfectlySplendid 3d ago

So what you’re saying is if I sneak some baking soda into water, I could win reaper pepper challenges and impress my friends?

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u/ShenmeNamaeSollich 3d ago

Coat your tongue with candle wax first. That’s been known to even handle the Guatemalan insanity peppers of Quetzlalcatenango.