All good points
From: Ben Ruekberg [bruekberg**At_Symbol_Here**CHM.URI.EDU]
Sent:
08/11/2010 11:17 AM AST
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
; Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Old Formalin With Lots of Precipitate
Thoughts:
I do not wish to seem like an alarmist, but on page 82 of The Chemistry of the Carbonyl Group Vol. 2 , there is an equation showing formaldehyde reacting with oxygen to give carbon monoxide and hydrogen peroxide.=C2=A0 Hydrogen peroxide can react with carbon yl compounds to form some very explosive compounds, thus the restrictions on liquids carri ed on airplanes.=C2=A0 I would be cautious, even though paraformaldehyde is a li kely explanation.=C2=A0 A lot can happen in 35 years.
Perhaps a small sample could be mixed with ferrous ammonium sulfate solution, just to check, at least as a first step.< /font>
Ben
From: DCHAS-L
Discussion List [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU] On
Behalf Of Dan Blunk
Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 20
10
1:28 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Old Formalin
With Lots of Precipitate
Colleagues,
I wondered if you’ve run into this previously:
A physical plant person brought me a pint reagent bottle labeled 37% Formaldehy de this morning that he found while remodeling a workspace.
The
bottle is the original
It’s about =C2=BE full, and appears to have been opened.< /p>
About 50% of the volume of the bottle is a white precipitate, with about =C2=BC vol ume of clear liquid above.
The purchase date on the label is smudged, but it appears the bottle is at least 35 years old.
As I remember, aldehydes do undergo a slow polymerization reaction. I wouldn’ ;t expect an aqueous solution to form peroxides.
Thoughts?
Dan