Fuelstar!
The conundrum for Fuelstar: if it worked, it might be killing you!
Seeing how much Mr Cornelius rates the environmental engineering firm in California which rated his device so highly, it's appropriate that we quote another Californian to look at a different side of this whole Fuelstar business:
Note that Jeff is not commenting on the efficacy of Fuelstar and starts with a disclaimer to that effect. What Jeff did is look at the problem from an entirely different perspective.
When it comes to the question of how specifically this thing improves fuel efficiency, I am not an expert and am not really qualified to pass judgement
These guys are claiming this thing works by injection of colloidal tin particles into the gas stream. This raises a red flag for me.
Jeff, Ca.
This got me started thinking about tin and my first recollection was the TBTO problem identified 25-30 years ago. It is a known marine pollutant of high toxicology. It was discovered that tributyltin oxide (TBTO), which had been used as anti-fouling on ships and yachts was being released into the water from the anti-fouling paint containing the TBTO and that it is devastating to marine life. It still has uses as an anti-foulant, but must be contained within polymers which do not allow it to be released into the water. Tributyltin oxide is an organotin compound, with the chemical formula C24H540Sn2. Here is the joint World Heath Organisation - Environmental Protection Agency (USA) position on TBTO. It is nasty stuff and toxic to all mammals.
Whether TBTO or indeed what tin compounds are produced through use of the Fuelstar, we are completely unable to say, as no emissions have been found in testing. Given Mr Cornelius' claims that the vibration of a moving motor is what causes the unknown reaction, then what if that unknown reaction is causing TBTO or other tin compounds to be released into the environment?
If the device works as Mr Cornelius says and that tin is being consumed by the petrol/diesel as a catalyst/something else, then there most assuredly will be some form of tin being emitted by the exhaust. It cannot just disappear - even Mr Cornelius would not try to suggest that the very elemental structure of tin could be changed. Tin is a pollutant and we have no idea what tin compounds may be being emitted. At a time of global concerns for environment and health, the first step in looking at Fuelstar must be from the environmental and human impact angle. Most tin compounds are toxic and I, for one, am not pleased at the idea of tin being released in unknown quantities and molecular structure into my air.
To pursue this angle, I spoke to Dr Beazley of the National Poisons Centre in Dunedin.
Note that Dr Beazley was not asked for any opinion on the Fuelstar device, but was purely dealing with the problem of organic and inorganic tin compounds being released into the environment.
Dr Beazley confirmed the known toxicity of TBTO and several other compounds, but admitted that virtually nothing was known about tin as an air pollutant, since it doesn't appear anywhere in our air at the moment. Accordingly, Dr Beazley strongly recommended that the type of tin being released should be identified to enable an assessment of it.
The most important comment by Dr Beazley was relating to "extremely minute" particles entering the lungs. He stated that this is an area of growing and considerable concern within the medical community. It appears that extremely minute particles lodge in the lungs and cause long-term (and sometimes short-term) illnesses. He gave the example of zinc oxide fever, an occupational disease for welders using zinc which forms an oxide vapour.
Dr Beazley confirmed that "sub-micron" definitely qualifies as extremely minute.
He is available for further comment if tin compounds are identified in exhaust fumes.
Conclusions on Fuelstar from an environmental/medical perspective
Let's assume for a second that Fuelstar works.
Fact - it will be releasing either sub-micron particles of tin, or tin compounds, in the exhaust fumes.
Fact - tin and tin compounds are not good for mammals, including humans.
Fact - we don't know what these compounds are.
Fact - those compounds, or elemental tin, could be killing you.
This is Fuelstar's conundrum - if it works, it is creating an unknown and potentially lethal biohazard. The effects are unlikely to be positive, given the historical information on metals other than tin in the human body. Tin has the same outer electron configuration as lead and it accordingly tends to form the same compounds as lead, and others in the same group, such as carbon or germanium.
There are some classic examples, which even a non-chemist will understand:
Carbon monoxide. We all know that one, a poisonous, colourless gas. Tin, lead and germanium all form oxides in exactly the same way. Lead oxide is toxic a mere 15 grams will kill you. Tin oxide isn't known to be toxic beyond very high levels, but long-term exposure to many of the oxides has not been tested.
Like carbon dioxide, germanium can form a dioxide with two oxygen molecules. Its' even more toxic than lead!
CH4 is an atom of carbon and four of hydrogen. It is methane - another poisonous gas. Tin forms SnH4, tin hydride, another poison.
Tin forms a large number of toxic compounds
The matter has been referred to the Ministry for the Environment to investigate.
Copyright © 2008 Immortality Ltd
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