Date: Tue, 30 Jan 2007 10:24:50 -0600
Reply-To: Diane Amell <Diane.Amell**At_Symbol_Here**STATE.MN.US>
Sender: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
From: Diane Amell <Diane.Amell**At_Symbol_Here**STATE.MN.US>
Subject: Re: Aqueous/Flammable solvent mixtures
Comments: To: Erika
If it is actual data that you want, I do have a chart and a graph
showing the flashpoints of different concentrations in water. The source
is the now-defunct NFPA 325 (although the information appears to be in
NFPA's Fire Protection Guide to Hazardous Materials. 
 
(Being in the Upper Midwest, we have a lot of ethanol plants.)
 
- Diane Amell, MNOSHA

>>> Erika  1/30/2007 8:00 AM >>>

While I agree with Carl that flammable solvent mixtures are generally
judged
by their flash point, I disagree with the blanket statement that "All
flammable solvents mixed with water should be treated, handled, and
stored
as flammable liquids."  If a flammable solvent is completely miscible
with
water, said solution is used a dilution which yields no flash point,
and the
solution will not sustain combustion in a fire (i.e., has no "fire
point"),
no regulation or insurer is going to be concerned with their storage
(or
shipment) as a flammable liquid.  The basic problem (to which Susan
Hadden
alludes) is generating the data for any such solution.  Perhaps
somebody has
done this, but I am not aware of any published data.

Richard Rosera
Environmental Specialist
Reckitt Benckiser, Inc.
Hillsborough, NJ

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Carl Zipfel" 
To: 
Sent: Monday, January 29, 2007 6:38 PM
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Aqueous/Flammable solvent mixtures

> I went down this road many years ago and gave up.  The problem is
that the
> only acceptable test of flammability is the "flash point".  The
flash
point
> defines flammability, and is what is accepted by the EPA, OSHA, and
more
> importantly the insurance companies.  While the solvents that you
mention
> are miscible, once a little heat is applied they will separate and
form a
> flammable mixture in the air. All flammable solvents mixed with
water
should
> be treated, handled, and stored as flammable liquids.
>
> Carl Zipfel, csp
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Hadden, Susan [PRDUS]" 
> To: 
> Sent: Monday, January 29, 2007 2:36 PM
> Subject: [DCHAS-L] Aqueous/Flammable solvent mixtures
>
>
> > Many of our researchers use aqueous mixtures of miscible flammable
> solvents
> > for their LC work. They often have questions about storage and
whether
to
> > treat them as flammable or not. I've been looking for data that
might
show
> > me flammability as a function of concentration for the common
solvents
> such
> > as CH3CN, MeOH, EtOH, IPA, etc. I've checked OSHA, NFPA and ASTM
but
can't
> > find any solvent specific data. Does anyone know where I might find
that
> > information?
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Susan Hadden
> > Senior Occupational Safety Specialist
> > J&J PRD Environmental, Health & Safety
> > 1000 Rt 202, PO Box 300
> > Raritan, NJ 08869
> > 908-704-4295 (ph), 908-707-9211 (fax)
>

Previous post   |  Top of Page   |   Next post



The content of this page reflects the personal opinion(s) of the author(s) only, not the American Chemical Society, ILPI, Safety Emporium, or any other party. Use of any information on this page is at the reader's own risk. Unauthorized reproduction of these materials is prohibited. Send questions/comments about the archive to secretary@dchas.org.
The maintenance and hosting of the DCHAS-L archive is provided through the generous support of Safety Emporium.