From:
Kolodziej, Christopher <ckolodziej**At_Symbol_Here**EHS.UCLA.EDU>
Subject:
Re: [DCHAS-L] Storing ACS-grade acetic acid with ACS grade hydrochloric acid
Date:
Feb 29, 2024 16:30 UTC
Reply-To:
ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
Message-ID:
<SJ0PR04MB7773B38F16071705A732326CF75F2**At_Symbol_Here**SJ0PR04MB7773.namprd04.prod.outlook.com>
In-Reply-To:
<CAAszpkxXPxivmhNPiYWmXESu-+_RKKjM-ig9Df2PrWzGAB0rOQ**At_Symbol_Here**mail.gmail.com>
Margaret,
You’re not missing anything. The guidance to segregate organic from inorganic acids is a rule of thumb that can be dangerously misleading. The better guidance
is to segregate oxidizing acids from non-oxidizing acids. In addition to reacting violently with organic acids, nitric acid will also react violently with hydroiodic acid.
If you have nitric acid, acetic acid, and hydrochloric acid, and two bins to store them in, I’d segregate the nitric acid from the other two.
Chris
________________________________
Christopher M. Kolodziej, Ph.D.
Chemical Hygiene Officer
UCLA Environment, Health & Safety
| Chemical Safety
Phone: (310) 794-5013
Book a virtual appointment
My working hours may not be your working hours. Please do not feel obligated to reply outside of your normal work schedule.
From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
On Behalf Of Margaret Rakas
Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2024 5:49 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Storing ACS-grade acetic acid with ACS grade hydrochloric acid
Good evening--
The chemical compatibility charts I've reviewed indicate inorganic acids should be stored separately from organic acids. This makes sense if a lab is storing a variety of both types. We all know what happens with nitric acid and organic
acids..
However, we're renovating a geology lab that uses mostly hydrochloric acid and occasionally uses acetic acid, both ACS grade (which are further diluted before using to digest rock or soil samples). I have reviewed both Sigma and Fisher
SDS's for these two materials, and it does not seem to me that storing several 500mL-1 Liter bottles of each together in a corrosives cabinet would be incompatible storage or create a safety risk. Storing them with caustics, permanganates, oxidizing acids,
metals--that would be a concern, but this lab doesn't use any of these incompatible reagents.
Thoughts? Am I missing something?
Margaret
--
Margaret A. Rakas, Ph.D.
Lab Safety & Compliance Director
Clark Science Center
Smith College
413-585-3877 (p)
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