Dihydrogen monoxide hoax

"Dihydrogen monoxide" redirects here. For the H₂O molecule, see Properties of water.

Water consists of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.

In the dihydrogen monoxide hoax, water is called by an unfamiliar name, "dihydrogen monoxide", followed by a listing of real negative effects of this chemical, in a mock attempt to convince people that it should be carefully regulated, labeled as hazardous, or banned. The hoax is designed to illustrate how the lack of scientific literacy and an exaggerated analysis can lead to misplaced fears.^[1] "Dihydrogen monoxide", shortened to "DHMO", is a name for water that is consistent with basic rules of chemical nomenclature,^[2] but is not among the names published by IUPAC^[3] and is almost never used.

A popular version of the hoax was created by Eric Lechner, Lars Norpchen and Matthew Kaufman, housemates while attending University of California, Santa Cruz in 1990,^[4] revised by Craig Jackson (also a UC Santa Cruz student) in 1994,^[5] and brought to widespread public attention in 1997 when Nathan Zohner, a 14-year-old student, gathered petitions to ban "DHMO" as the basis of his science project, titled "How Gullible Are We?".^[6]

"Dihydrogen monoxide" may sound dangerous to those with a limited knowledge of chemistry or who hold to an ideal of a "chemical-free" life (chemophobia).^[6] The only familiar common usage of the term "monoxide" is in the highly toxic gas "carbon monoxide", and the simplified term "monoxide poisoning" is commonly used to refer to poisoning by this colourless and odorless substance.^[7]

The joke has been frequently extended over the years. For example, a material safety data sheet — a list of information about potentially dangerous materials used in research and industry — has been created for it.^[8]

Original web appearance

The first appearance on the internet was attributed by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette to the so-called Coalition to Ban Dihydrogen Monoxide,^[5][9] a hoax organization started by Craig Jackson following the initial newsgroup discussions. The site included the following warning:^[10]

Dihydrogen monoxide:

• is called "hydroxyl acid", the substance is the major component of acid rain.
• contributes to the "greenhouse effect".
• may cause severe burns.
• is fatal if inhaled.
• contributes to the erosion of our natural landscape.
• accelerates corrosion and rusting of many metals.
• may cause electrical failures and decreased effectiveness of automobile brakes.
• has been found in excised tumors of terminal cancer patients.

Despite the danger, dihydrogen monoxide is often used:

• as an industrial solvent and coolant.
• in nuclear power plants.
• in the production of Styrofoam.
• as a fire retardant.
• in many forms of cruel animal research.
• in the distribution of pesticides. Even after washing, produce remains contaminated by this chemical.
• as an additive in certain "junk-foods" and other food products.

Public efforts involving DHMO

The logo of DHMO.org, primary current residence of the dihydrogen monoxide hoax

• In 1989, Eric Lechner, Lars Norpchen and Matthew Kaufman circulated a Dihydrogen Monoxide contamination warning on the University of California, Santa Cruz Campus via photocopied fliers.^[11] The concept originated one afternoon when Kaufman recalled a similar warning about "Hydrogen Hydroxide" that had been published in his mother's hometown paper, the Durand (Michigan) Express, and the three then worked to coin a term that "sounded more dangerous". Lechner typed up the original warning flier on Kaufman's computer, and a trip to the local photocopying center followed that night.
• In 1994, Craig Jackson created a web page for the Coalition to Ban DHMO.^[10]
• The Friends of Hydrogen Hydroxide was created by Dan Curtis Johnson partly as a foil on the Coalition page, to provide evidence of 'misguided' supporters of dihydrogen monoxide. This form of collaborative connivance is a classic tool of internet spoofers.^[12]
• In 1997, Nathan Zohner, a 14-year-old junior high student at Eagle Rock Junior High School in Idaho Falls, Idaho, gathered 43 votes to ban the chemical, out of 50 people surveyed among his classmates. Zohner received the first prize at Greater Idaho Falls Science Fair for analysis of the results of his survey.^[6] In recognition of his experiment, journalist James K. Glassman coined the term "Zohnerism" to refer to "the use of a true fact to lead a scientifically and mathematically ignorant public to a false conclusion."^[13]
• In 1998, drawing inspiration from Jackson's web page and Zohner's research, Tom Way created the website DHMO.org, including links to some legitimate sites such as the Environmental Protection Agency and National Institutes of Health.
• On April 1, 1998 (April Fools' Day), a member of the Australian Parliament announced a campaign to ban dihydrogen monoxide internationally.^[14]
• The idea was used for a segment of an episode of the Penn & Teller show Penn & Teller: Bullshit!, in which an actor (Kris McGaha) and a camera crew gathered signatures from people considering themselves "concerned environmentalists" on a petition to ban DHMO.^[15]
• In 2001 a staffer in New Zealand Green Party MP Sue Kedgley's office responded to a request for support for a campaign to ban dihydrogen monoxide by saying she was "absolutely supportive of the campaign to ban this toxic substance". This was criticised in press releases by the National Party^{[citation needed]}, one of whose MP's fell for the very same hoax six years later.^[16]
• In March 2004, Aliso Viejo, California almost considered banning the use of foam containers at city-sponsored events because dihydrogen monoxide is part of their production. A paralegal had asked the city council to put it on the agenda; he later attributed it to poor research.^[17] The law was pulled from the agenda before it could come to a vote, but not before the city received a raft of bad publicity.^[6]

Danger sign in Louisville, Kentucky

• In 2006, in Louisville, Kentucky, David Karem, executive director of the Waterfront Development Corporation, a public body that operates Waterfront Park, wished to deter bathers from using a large public fountain. "Counting on a lack of understanding about water's chemical makeup," he arranged for signs reading: "DANGER! – WATER CONTAINS HIGH LEVELS OF HYDROGEN – KEEP OUT" to be posted on the fountain at public expense.^[18][19]
• Several online petitions to the British Prime Minister on this subject have been correctly identified by the Prime Minister's office as hoaxes, and rejected.^[20]
• In 2007 Jacqui Dean, New Zealand National Party MP, fell for the hoax, writing a letter to Associate Minister of Health Jim Anderton asking "Does the Expert Advisory Committee on Drugs have a view on the banning of this drug?"^[16][21][22]
• On April 1, 2010, the Dutch triathlon webzine Triathlonweb.nl stated in an April Fool's joke that WADA has put DHMO on the banned substances list, as it is detrimental for your health (e.g. when inhaled or ingested in large quantities) and improves sporting performance.^[23]
• On April 1, 2010, Canadian Member of Parliament Andrew Scheer used the DHMO hoax as the basis for an April Fool's Day "media release" on his web site, in which he claimed to have tabled a bill to ban the substance from all federal government buildings.^[24]

Terminology

The water molecule has the chemical formula H₂O, meaning each molecule of water is composed of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Literally, the term "dihydrogen monoxide" means "two hydrogen, one oxygen", consistent with its molecular formula: the prefix di- in dihydrogen means "two", the prefix mono- in monoxide means "one", and an oxide is a compound that contains one or more oxygen atoms.^[25]

Various names for water are commonly used within the scientific community. Some such names include hydrogen oxide, as well as an alkali name of hydrogen hydroxide, and several acid names such as hydric acid, hydroxic acid, hydroxylic acid, and hydroxilic acid. The term "hydroxyl acid" used in the original hoax is a non-standard name. An additional name, μ-oxido dihydrogen, has been developed for this compound.^[26]

Under the 2005 revisions of IUPAC nomenclature of inorganic chemistry, there is no single correct name for every compound.^[27] The primary function of chemical nomenclature is to ensure that each name refers, unambiguously, to a single substance. It is considered less important to ensure that each substance should have a single name, although the number of acceptable names is limited.^[27] Water is one acceptable name for this compound, even though it is neither a systematic nor an international name and is specific to just one phase of the compound. The other IUPAC recommendation is oxidane.^[28]

The use of numerical prefixes is typical nomenclature for compounds formed by covalent bonds, which are present in water.^[29][30] The prefix for the first named element is often dropped if the elements involved commonly form only one compound, or even if the number of atoms of the first-named element is the same in all the compounds of the two (or more) elements.^[25] Thus H₂S is often simply called hydrogen sulfide, and lithium oxide is a common name for Li₂O. However, the names dihydrogen sulfide,^[31] dilithium oxide,^[32] and dilithium monoxide^[33] are also commonly used both in industry and in universities, despite the fact that Li₂O is ionic.

The mono- prefix is often dropped for the second-named element if it is the only common compound the elements form.^[34] Thus for instance the IUPAC name of H₂S is hydrogen sulfide rather than hydrogen monosulfide.^[35] However, since carbon and oxygen can form several compounds (carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, tricarbon dioxide, and dicarbon monoxide), the mono- prefix is kept, as it is with silicon monoxide and silicon dioxide. Indeed, hydrogen and oxygen do form another common compound, H₂O₂ (hydrogen peroxide). Using prefix nomenclature, H₂O₂ would be called dihydrogen dioxide. Thus, keeping the mono- in dihydrogen monoxide does serve to distinguish it from another compound.

See also

• Chemical nomenclature
• Parody science
• Sense and reference
• Water intoxication

References

1. ^ Carder, L; Willingham, P.; Bibb, D. (2001), "Case-based, problem-based learning: Information literacy for the real world", Research Strategies 18 (3): 181–190, doi:10.1016/S0734-3310(02)00087-3, http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0734331002000873 .
2. ^ Leigh, G. J. et al. (1998), Principles of chemical nomenclature: a guide to IUPAC recommendations, Blackwell Science Ltd, UK, pp. 27–28, ISBN 0-86542-685-6, http://www.iupac.org/publications/books/principles/principles_of_nomenclature.pdf 
3. ^ Leigh, G. J. et al. (1998), Principles of chemical nomenclature: a guide to IUPAC recommendations, Blackwell Science Ltd, UK, p. 34, ISBN 0-86542-685-6, http://www.iupac.org/publications/books/principles/principles_of_nomenclature.pdf 
4. ^ Erich Lechner (February 23, 1990), Warning! Dangerous Contamination! (original usenet posting), Usenet rec.humor.funny archive, http://groups.google.com/group/rec.humor.funny/browse_thread/thread/3f985a069a2a19d8/ 
5. ^ ^{a b} Kruszelnicki, Karl S. (2006), Mysterious Killer Chemical, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, http://www.abc.net.au/science/k2/moments/s1631494.htm .
6. ^ ^{a b c d} Dihydrogen Monoxide from Urban Legends Reference Pages, accessed 25 September 2006.
7. ^ Knight, Bernard (1998), Lawyers Guide to Forensic Medicine, Routledge, pp. 280, ISBN 9781859411599, http://books.google.com/?id=CMA4_NHHc8wC&pg=PA63&lpg=PA63&dq=%22monoxide+poisoning%22+-carbon 
8. ^ "DHMO Material Safety Data Sheet". Improbable Research. http://improbable.com/2010/03/24/dhmo-material-safety-data-sheet/. 
9. ^ Roddy., Dennis B. (1997), Internet-inspired prank lands 4 teens in hot water, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (published April 19, 1997) 
10. ^ ^{a b} Craig Jackson (1994), Ban Dihydrogen Monoxide!, Coalition to ban DHMO, archived from the original on 1996-10-31, http://web.archive.org/web/19961031232918/http://media.circus.com/~no_dhmo/ . Coalition to ban DHMO officers, Coalition to ban DHMO, archived from the original on January 25, 1997, http://web.archive.org/web/19970125144038/http://media.circus.com/~no_dhmo/members.html .
11. ^ The original poster circulated at UC Santa Cruz (PDF)
12. ^ http://www.armory.com/~crisper/DHMO/
13. ^ Glassman, James K (1997). "Dihydrogen Monoxide: Unrecognized Killer". The Washington Post. http://www.junkscience.com/news/glassman.html. Retrieved 2007-03-08. 
14. ^ Campaign launched against dihydrogen monoxide, Deutsche Presse-Agentur, April 1, 1998 .
15. ^ "Penn & Teller: Bullshit!" Environmental Hysteria (2003), Internet Movie Database, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0672528/ 
16. ^ ^{a b} Gnad, Megan (2007-09-14). "MP tries to ban water". New Zealand Herald. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10463579. 
17. ^ Local officials nearly fall for H₂O hoax, at MSNBC 15 March 2004, accessed 25 September 2006.
18. ^ Water without hydrogen would warrant warning, Louisville Courier-Journal, Monday, July 17, 2006 (link inactive as of Friday, May 18, 2007)
19. ^ Danger! H in H₂O, Chemical & Engineering News, October 23, 2006 webcite mirror
20. ^ search.petitions.number10.gov.uk/kbroker/number10/petitions/search.lsim?ha=1159&qt=dihydrogen (search result for "dihydrogen" among rejected petitions on e-petition site at number10.gov.uk; not linked because of an over-general Wikipedia blacklist
21. ^ "Questions And Answers – Wednesday, 12 September 07". Scoop. 2007-09-13. http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0709/S00224.htm. 
22. ^ "PDF file of related correspondence" (PDF). Scoop. 2007-09-13. http://img.scoop.co.nz/media/pdfs/0709/DeanDHMO.pdf. 
23. ^ "Doping hunt rampage: sports itself is in danger". 2010-04-01. http://www.triathlonweb.nl/twn/show.php?chapter=Nieuws&ID=10,057. 
24. ^ "REGINA-QU'APPELLE MP TABLES LEGISLATION TO BAN DIHYDROGEN MONOXIDE". 2010-04-01. http://www.andrewmp.ca/090401_release_dhmo.html. 
25. ^ ^{a b} Van Bramer, S.E. (1996), Chemical Nomenclature, http://science.widener.edu/svb/pset/nomen_b.html .
26. ^ "/www.bluelaketec.com". Bluelake Technologies. http://www.bluelaketec.com/awater.htm. Retrieved 2 April 2010. 
27. ^ ^{a b} IUPAC Report: General Aims, Functions and Methods of Chemical Nomenclature (March 2004) http://www.iupac.org/reports/provisional/abstract04/RB-prs310804/Chap1-3.04.pdf
28. ^ Leigh, G. J. et al. 1998. Principles of chemical nomenclature: a guide to IUPAC recommendations, p. 99. Blackwell Science Ltd, UK. ISBN 0-86542-685-6
29. ^ Leigh, G. J. et al. 1998. Principles of chemical nomenclature: a guide to IUPAC recommendations, p. 28. Blackwell Science Ltd, UK. ISBN 0-86542-685-6.
30. ^ Nishiura, James, "Polar Covalent Bonds", Biology 4, City University of New York, http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/biology/bio4fv/page/polar_c.htm .
31. ^ Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (PDF), Dihydrogen sulfide, California Environmental Protection Agency, http://www.oehha.ca.gov/air/chronic_rels/pdf/7783064.pdf .
32. ^ Diagnostics on calculations: Species with negative natural orbital occupation numbers, National Institutes of Health, http://cccbdb.nist.gov/diagnostics.asp 
33. ^ Lithium oxide, PubChem public chemical database, http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=82891&loc=ec_rcs 
34. ^ Leigh, G. J. et al. 1998. Principles of chemical nomenclature: a guide to IUPAC recommendations, p. 28. Blackwell Science Ltd, UK. ISBN 0-86542-685-6: "The multiplicative prefixes may not be necessary if the oxidation states are explicit or are clearly understood."
35. ^ Hydrogen sulfide, PubChem public chemical database, http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=402 .

External links

• Dihydrogen Monoxide website
• Ban Dihydrogen Monoxide!
• Friends of Hydrogen Hydroxide
  • Some responses by college students