Red Rot - Lung Health

[trompette24]

I'm not sure if there has already been a topic on this so excuse me if there has been.

I know red rot could be a minor or major issue depending on the extent and severity of it. I heard in some instances that a lead ipipe could last years/ decades still with I'm assuming a low amount that is kept as clean as possible.

My question is, does playing with red rot have any potential health risk in regards to the lungs, etc.?
_________________
-Russell Zimmer, DMA
AR Trumpets and Mouthpieces
Bach Mt. Vernon Trumpet 43/7
Bach Mt. Vernon Trumpet 37/43
Yamaha 8310z Gen 1 Trumpet

[huntman10]

Red rot is a separation of the zinc and copper which are the main components of brass. Mainly the zinc becomes dissolved and leaves the copper. I don't think much of it gets back into your body through that route, and it's t would be in very small quantities spread out over a long time.

As well, zinc and copper are both needed by your body so in small doses, a chronic buildup would be unlikely. Admittedly, some people are more sensitive to brass and other metals, but I don't think red rot would likely exacerbate the existing sensitivity.

If you look up zinc toxicity, it is an acute problem, meaning that low doses over time don't build up and cause problems, as your body uses the metal. Many cold remedies have extra zinc.

So I would expect red rot would not likely lead to lung disease by itself.
_________________
huntman10
Collector/Player of Fine (and not so fine) Brass Instruments including
Various Strads, Yammies, Al Hirt Courtois, Schilkes,
Selmer 25, Getzen Eternas, Kanstuls (920 Pic, CG)
Martin Custom Large Bore, Lots Olds!, Conns, etc.

[Goby]

Red rot certainly conjures images of disease and infection. After all, we are hard wired to fear the sight of blood, which red rot certainly resembles. To get scientific, red rot is dezincification of brass; brass, a mixture of copper and zinc, is neither an element nor a compound, just a mixture of two different elements (sometimes with additional additives like lead, nickel, tin, etc.). As such, there is no chemical bond holding the brass and zinc together. Over time, just like with a jar of organic peanut butter or bottle of Hetman valve oil, the ingredients will separate. In the case of red rot, the zinc precipitates out of the mixture leaving a copper lattice behind. The red we see on red rotted instruments is simply copper with a porous structure left behind by the zinc. The question then becomes: is exposure to solid copper significantly more harmful to the respiratory system than other chemicals which we are exposed to regularly (car exhaust, second hand smoke, gas stove fumes, dust, mold, fertilizer, insecticides, etc.) to which it is safe to say “no”, playing a trumpet with copper parts is not any more dangerous than other activities in our daily schedule.


If your horn smells strongly of something concerning, I would recommend taking it to a shop to get cleaned. A high end repair shop will know how best to clean your instrument without causing any damage to the weakened leadpipe, and cleaning out hardened scale that dawn dish soap and a brush can’t touch will make the horn play better. I saw your post on Facebook about your vintage Calicchio with the red rotted leadpipe, and I assume that this post refers to the same horn. I owned a vintage Calicchio from the mid 1970’s with a bubbly leadpipe that certainly appeared to be red rotted, but did not have any corrosion inside the leadpipe after inspection with an endoscope. It was the result of poor quality plating and prep work. Calicchio trumpets can be pretty sketchy when it comes to fit and finish, but there’s no denying that classic sound.

[trompette24]

I appreciate the comments. I am sending the horn into the shop in a couple weeks and anticipating different decisions that may have to be made.

Thank you.
_________________
-Russell Zimmer, DMA
AR Trumpets and Mouthpieces
Bach Mt. Vernon Trumpet 43/7
Bach Mt. Vernon Trumpet 37/43
Yamaha 8310z Gen 1 Trumpet