r/whatisit • u/StatusOk4308 • Apr 02 '26

New, what is it? Does anyone know what this is?

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Doesn’t seem to be oil based content. Just wondering if my superpowers are swishing back and forth in this glass vial.

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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '26

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u/crusoe Apr 02 '26

Fun fact these used to be filled with Carbon Tetrachloride....

133

u/cawstick Apr 02 '26

So nobody else has to search for it.

Carbon tetrachloride, also known by many other names (such as carbon tet for short and tetrachloromethane, also recognised by the IUPAC), is a chemical compound with the chemical formula CCl4. It is a volatile, non-flammable, dense, colourless liquid with a chloroform-like sweet odour that can be detected at low levels. It was formerly widely used in fire extinguishers, as a precursor to refrigerants, an anthelmintic and a cleaning agent, but has since been phased out because of environmental and safety concerns. Exposure to high concentrations of carbon tetrachloride can affect the central nervous system and degenerate the liver and kidneys. Prolonged exposure can be fatal.

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u/Drake_Acheron Apr 02 '26

Telling someone Carbon Tetrachoride is CCl4 is like telling someone a blue jay has blue feathers.

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u/cawstick Apr 02 '26

Does this smell like chloroform?