Permanent Marker

[saturn13]

Hey everyone,

So I noticed in a lot of the selling post that people are using permanent marker on the plugs. Are normal markers safe or are they a special type?

Thanks,
Dan

 

[Bender]

I do not have an answer, just tagging along as I am curious. I have received plugs with writing on them to.

 

[Malifry97]

I do not have an answer, just tagging along as I am curious. I have received plugs with writing on them to.

same

 

[MrsBugmaster]

I like to use these for my cords.

 

[link81]

@MrsBugmaster, i think they're talking about coral plugs...... ;Woot

 

[MrsBugmaster]

@MrsBugmaster, i think they're talking about coral plugs...... ;Woot

Oh, coral plugs, not electrical plug ;Shamefullyembarrased Sorry , my mistake.

 

[Malifry97]

#reefsquad @Battlecorals

 

[Malifry97]

@AquaLocker @AquaSD

 

[Ron Reefman]

I can't imagine that the amount of any bad chemical that might get released into a tank from the small amount of writing on a frag plug with a marker that has dried, could do much damage. It couldn't be more than some part per billion and the bigger the tank, they lower the issue. But that's just my best guess.

 

[dank reefer]

I've received corals from WWC with perm marker writing on it with the eBay lot # on it. So i'll say if they are using it with there corals, it should be safe.

 

[Retro Reefer]

I don’t know exactly what is in permanent markers but as it was pointed out by @Ron Reefman the amounts of any potential harmful substances left after the ink has dried would be minuscule and unlikely to cause any issues.

 

[cloggins]

Oh, coral plugs, not electrical plug ;Shamefullyembarrased Sorry , my mistake.

I mean, mistake or not, those things are cool.

 

[Flippers4pups]

I used permanent marker on my 33 gal brute trash cans, on the inside to indicate water increments. Never any ill effects. Perfectly safe.

 

[saturn13]

I mean, mistake or not, those things are cool.

I was.going to say the same, now I have something else to buy.

 

[saturn13]

Thanks everyone all the info helps.

 

[Isaac Alves]

chemical makeup of the “Sharpie” line, MSDS- Material Safety Data Sheet:

http://www1.mscdirect.com/MSDS/MSDS00018/73261240-20150117.PDF

 

[Isaac Alves]

Snippet from website: Wikipedia (ingredients and toxicology of the sharpie:

Talk:Sharpie (marker) - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Ingredients of Sharpie markers are as follows:

“
Dyes

Propyl alcohol (N-Propanol), 200-250 PPM

Propyl alcohol was "evaluated for acceptable daily intake for man" [3] (also, under "Observations in Man": "One fatal case of poisoning by ingestion of 400 to 500 ml of n-propyl alcohol has been reported". 400mL is 0.4 cubic decimeters)

Butyl alcohol (N-Butanol), 50-100 PPM

Butanol seems to be the most toxic of the three alcohols, being used as a solvent, often in paint thinner. However, it is also used as the base of some perfumes. (info from the Butanol article)

Diacetone alcohol (4-Hydroxy-4-Methyl-2-Pentanone), 50 PPM

There is this page [4]. Also, [2-Pentanone] is "sometimes used as a flavoring food additive".
Simply by PPM, the alcohols correspond to a maximum of 400 PPM or 400/1000000 = .04% of the total volume of chemicals in a Sharpie. "dyes" have "NOT APPLICABLE" instead of the PPM measurements specified for the alcohols, so I am assuming that the dyes constitute the rest of the contents of each marker - which would mean that each marker is 99.96% dye.

The first document I gave (from Duke University) lists Sharpies as being hazardous when inhaled, but not when ingested or absorbed through skin.

Ben-Arba 10:56, 28 May 2006 (UTC)”

 

[AquaLocker]

@AquaLocker @AquaSD

Once the ink is dry, the rest of the chemicals (all alcohols and dye) should be inert and not cause any issues.

 

[Malifry97]

Once the ink is dry, the rest of the chemicals (all alcohols and dye) should be inert and not cause any issues.

Cool! Good To Know!

 

[MarshaHarrison]

When and if the permanent marker is dried, the chemicals evaporate... It should be fine.