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> Incompatible Chemicals
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INCOMPATIBILITY
OF COMMON LABORATORY CHEMICALS
When certain
hazardous chemicals are stored or mixed together, violent reactions
may occur because the chemicals are unsuitable for mixing, or are
incompatible. Classes of incompatible chemicals should be segregated
from each other during storage, according to hazard class. Use the
following general guidelines for hazard class storage:
- Flammable/Combustible
Liquids and Organic Acids
- Flammable
Solids
- Mineral Acids
- Caustics
- Oxidizers
- Perchloric
Acid
- Compressed
Gases
Before mixing
any chemicals, refer to this partial list, the chemicals' MSDS's
or call the ORCBS to verify compatibility:
| CHEMICAL |
INCOMPATIBLE
CHEMICAL(S) |
| Acetic
acid |
aldehyde,
bases, carbonates, hydroxides, metals, oxidizers, peroxides,
phosphates, xylene |
| Acetylene |
halogens
(chlorine, fluorine, etc.), mercury, potassium, oxidizers, silver |
| Acetone |
acids,
amines, oxidizers, plastics |
| Alkali
and alkaline metals |
acids,
chromium, ethylene, halogens, hydrogen, mercury, earth
nitrogen, oxidizers, plastics, sodium chloride, sulfur |
| Ammonia |
acids,
aldehydes, amides, halogens, heavy metals, oxidizers, plastics,
sulfur |
| Ammonium
nitrate |
acids,
alkalis, chloride salts, combustible materials, metals, organic
materials, phosphorous, reducing agents, urea |
| Aniline |
acids,
aluminum, dibenzoyl peroxide, oxidizers, plastics |
| Azides |
acids,
heavy metals, oxidizers |
| Bromine |
acetaldehyde,
alcohols, alkalis, amines, combustible materials, ethylene,
fluorine, hydrogen, ketones (acetone, carbonyls, etc.), metals,
sulfur |
| Calcium
oxide |
acids,
ethanol, fluorine, organic materials |
| Carbon
(activated) |
alkali
metals, calcium hypochlorite, halogens, oxidizers |
| Carbon
tetrachloride |
benzoyl
peroxide, ethylene, fluorine, metals, oxygen, plastics, silanes |
| Chlorates |
powdered
metals, sulfur, finely divided organic or combustible materials |
| Chromic
acid |
acetone,
alcohols, alkalis, ammonia, bases |
| Chromium
trioxide |
benzene,
combustible materials, hydrocarbons, metals, organic materials,
phosphorous, plastics |
| Chlorine |
alcohol's,
ammonia, benzene, combustible materials, flammable compounds
(hydrazine), hydrocarbons (acetylene, ethylene, etc.), hydrogen
peroxide, iodine, metals, nitrogen, oxygen, sodium hydroxide |
| Chlorine
dioxide |
hydrogen,
mercury, organic materials, phosphorous, potassium hydroxide,
sulfur |
| Copper |
calcium,
hydrocarbons, oxidizers
|
| Hydroperoxide |
reducing
agents |
| Cyanides |
acids,
alkaloids, aluminum, iodine, oxidizers, strong bases |
| Flammable
liquids |
ammonium
nitrate, chromic acid, hydrogen peroxide, nitric acid, sodium
peroxide, halogens |
| Fluorine |
alcohol's,
aldehydes, ammonia, combustible materials, halocarbons, halogens,
hydrocarbons, ketones, metals, organic acids |
| Hydrocarbons
(Such as butane, propane benzene, turpentine, etc.) |
acids,
bases, oxidizers, plastics |
| Hydrofluoric
acid |
metals,
organic materials, plastics, silica (glass), (anhydrous) sodium |
| Hydrogen
peroxide |
acetylaldehyde,
acetic acid, acetone, alcohol's carboxylic acid, combustible
materials, metals, nitric acid, organic compounds, phosphorous,
sulfuric acid, sodium, aniline |
| Hydrogen
sulfide |
acetylaldehyde,
metals, oxidizers, sodium |
| Hypochlorites |
acids,
activated carbon |
| Iodine |
acetylaldehyde,
acetylene, ammonia, metals, sodium |
| Mercury |
acetylene,
aluminum, amines, ammonia, calcium, fulminic acid, lithium,
oxidizers, sodium |
| Nitrates |
acids,
nitrites, metals, sulfur, sulfuric acid |
| Nitric
acid |
acetic
acid, acetonitrile, alcohol's, amines, (concentrated) ammonia,
aniline, bases, benzene, cumene, formic acid, ketones, metals,
organic materials, plastics, sodium, toluene |
| Oxalic
acid |
oxidizers,
silver, sodium chlorite |
| Oxygen |
acetaldehyde,
secondary alcohol's, alkalis and alkalines, ammonia, carbon
monoxide, combustible materials, ethers, flammable materials,
hydrocarbons, metals, phosphorous, polymers |
| Perchloric
acid |
acetic
acid, alcohols, aniline, combustible materials, dehydrating
agents, ethyl benzene, hydriotic acid, hydrochloric acid, iodides,
ketones, organic material, oxidizers, pyridine |
| Peroxides,
organic |
acids (organic
or mineral) |
| Phosphorus
(white) |
oxygen
(pure and in air), alkalis |
| Potassium |
acetylene,
acids, alcohols, halogens, hydrazine, mercury, oxidizers, selenium,
sulfur |
| Potassium
chlorate |
acids,
ammonia, combustible materials, fluorine, hydrocarbons, metals,
organic materials, sugars |
| Potassium
perchlorate (also see chlorates) |
alcohols,
combustible materials, fluorine, hydrazine, metals, organic
matter, reducing agents, sulfuric acid |
| Potassium
permanganate |
benzaldehyde,
ethylene glycol, glycerol, sulfuric acid |
| Silver |
acetylene,
ammonia, oxidizers, ozonides, peroxyformic acid |
| Sodium |
acids,
hydrazine, metals, oxidizers, water |
| Sodium
nitrate |
acetic
anhydride, acids, metals, organic matter, peroxyformic acid,
reducing agents |
| Sodium
peroxide |
acetic
acid, benzene, hydrogen sulfide metals, oxidizers, peroxyformic
acid, phosphorous, reducers, sugars, water |
| Sulfides |
acids |
| Sulfuric
acid |
potassium
chlorates, potassium perchlorate, potassium permanganate |
References:
Material Safety
Data Sheets, various chemical companies.
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