Aqua regia comes from Latin name ‘Royal Water’ because this solution is used for dissolving gold which is noble element. It is a mixture of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid in ratio 3:1. This mixture is mostly used for removing noble metals such as gold, platinum and palladium from base elements.
Aqua regia is extremely corrosive and it can result in explosion or skin burns if it’s not handled right.
Safety measures must be taken when dealing with Aqua regia.
Before using Aqua regia for dissolving gold or some other noble metal you should first learn something about emergency procedures in case something goes wrong.
In case of skin contact Aqua regia may cause skin burns. You need to flush skin with water for at least 15 minutes and necessarily seek for a medical attention.
Because Aqua regia is highly corrosive in case it comes to eye contact it could be very irritating. Flush contaminated eye (or both eyes) with fresh water for at least 15 minutes and seek for a medical attention.
In case of inhalation you feel irritation on the respiratory tract. Go on the fresh and uncontaminated air and seek for a medical attention. Symptoms for inhalation may be delayed.
More about
using and handling Aqua regia you can find on this link.
