From:
Debbie Decker <debbie.m.decker**At_Symbol_Here**GMAIL.COM>
Subject:
Re: [DCHAS-L] Storing ACS-grade acetic acid with ACS grade hydrochloric acid
Date:
Feb 29, 2024 20:17 UTC
Reply-To:
ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
Message-ID:
<CABNxZ9dOwDukkEz-u3BGSv0rdQChHDDSRYPxhfz2MJ6wYo6dLg**At_Symbol_Here**mail.gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:
<CAAszpkxXPxivmhNPiYWmXESu-+_RKKjM-ig9Df2PrWzGAB0rOQ**At_Symbol_Here**mail.gmail.com>
Hi Margaret
Secondary containment is your friend to segregate the relatively small quantities you have of inorganic acids from organic acids and from oxidizing acids (nitric) within a corrosives cabinet.
Another commented that acetic acid is considered flammable. But there's some nuance in that recommendation. Glacial acetic acid is combustible and probably should be in a flam cabinet (in a secondary container). But dilute acetic acid is probably not combustible and can be stored with corrosives - in a secondary container.
Hope this helps.
Best
Debbie
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?
Many thanks as always-
Margaret
-- Margaret A. Rakas, Ph.D.
Lab Safety & Compliance Director
Clark Science Center
Smith College
413-585-3877 (p)
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