DCHAS-L Discussion List Archive

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)
>