It is reported on TippFM Radio today that the Army Bomb Disposal Team were called to a chemist shop in Thurles around lunchtime today. Unstable Picric acid, was found at the premises during a routine audit of chemicals earlier.
The Army Bomb Disposal team removed the chemical to nearby waste ground, where they carried out a controlled explosion.
The scene was declared safe around 12.30pm.
Picric acid was the first high explosive nitrated organic compound widely considered suitable to withstand the shock of firing in conventional artillery.
Modern safety precautions recommend storing picric acid wet. Dry picric acid is relatively sensitive to shock and friction, so laboratories that use it store it in bottles under a layer of water, rendering it safe. Glass or plastic bottles are required, as picric acid can easily form metal picrate salts that are even more sensitive and hazardous than the acid itself.
Industrially, picric acid is especially hazardous because it is volatile and slowly sublimes even at room temperature. Over time, the buildup of picrates on exposed metal surfaces can constitute a grave hazard.
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