[kullwarrior]

Alright I'm gonna say these before uninformed people start screaming the same ol crap.

THIS TOPIC's PROPANE DANGER IS NOT ABOUT:
FLAMABILITY
HEAVIER THAN AIR
SMELLS STINKS (Its Dimethyl Sulfide not Propane that smells)


This topic is about the inherant danger of alkanes if anyone is in University 4th year, grad or organic chemist please answer this. (Biochemistry might also work)

Today, in my Orgchem lecture my prof mentioned the danger of sniffing bunch of stuff including alkanes aka propane. She said that inhaling propane is not a good thing as the respiratory tract would easily pull propane in when you breath in. The biggest problem is that non-polar stuff such as propane goes into individual cell relatively easily and will destroy the cell itself as alkanes are harmful.

Now, I'm a first year so I don't know much but based on what I know:
Any alkane aren't particularly good for a cell especially in the lungs
Alkane are non-polar and can be diffuse into a cell easily due to lipid bi-layer and the molecule as gas

To question that statement,
I know that lung has muscous layer which is made to protect harmful stuff to certain extent (mainly solid though)
I also know that Lipid bi-layer dont tend to absorb non-polar substance easily.

So exactly what is the danger of propane by itself as a chemical to a cell?

If you know please feel free, (and cite level of education on this if possible as I suspect alot of people are just gonna use normal common sense or high school chemistry)