| Chemical Storage |
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Dry chemical storage
Dry chemicals can be stored together. To ensure compatibility, keep organic and inorganic chemicals segregated. Color-coded labels used by manufacturers are a handy reminder of compatible groups.
Liquid chemical storage
The first step is to determine the major storage groups such as acids, bases, flammables, oxidizers, and highly toxic chemicals.
Acids. Acids should be stored in trays that will catch any spill and provide adequate segregation. Many labs store only mineral acids, including nitric acid, in the chemically resistant acid cabinets.
Organic acids, organic bases, and flammables. Organic acids and organic bases may be stored with the flammables, but acid resistant plastic trays must carefully segregate them.
Oxidizers. Oxidizers are highly reactive. They should be separated from other chemicals.
A Table of Suggested Chemical Storage Groups | ||
| Large volumes of chemicals and/or those stored in glass containers, should be grouped into the following hazard groups first before they are placed in alphabetical order: | ||
Phase | Hazard Group | Common Chemical Examples |
| Solid | explosive | picric acid (dried), picrates |
| oxidizer | chlorates, dichromates, nitrates, perchlorates, permanganates, peroxides | |
| very reactive (w/ water or other chemicals) | aluminum chloride (anhydrous), calcium, calcium carbide, lithium, phosphorus pentachloride, phosphorus pentoxide, potassium, sodium, white phosphorus | |
| Liquid | strong acid | hydrogen fluoride, hydrochloric acid |
| strong caustic | sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide | |
| flammable | acetaldehyde, acetic acid, acetone, acetonitrile, acrylonitrile, allyl alcohol, n-amyl acetate, sec-amyl acetate, n-amyl alcohol, tert-amyl alcohol, benzene, 1-butanol, tert-butyl alcohol, carbon disulfide, chlorobenzene, cyclohexane, cyclohexene, 1,1- and 1,2-dichloroethane, 1,1-and1,2-dimethylhydrazine, dioxane, ethanol, ethyl acrylate, ethylenediamine, ethyl formate, n-heptane, n-hexane, hydrazine, isoamyl alcohol, isobutanol, isobutyl alcohol, isopropyl acetate, isopropyl alcohol, methyl alcohol, isopropylamine, methyl ethyl ketone, morpholine, nitromethane, 2-nitropropane, pentane, propylene oxide, pyridine, TEMED, toluene, triethylamine, vinyl acetate, xylene | |
| oxidizer | acid dichromate, chromic acid, chromium trioxide, hydrogen peroxide (>30%), nitric acid, sodium peroxide, sulfuric acid | |
| perchloric acid | -- | |
| very reactive/explosive | chlorosulfuric acid, chlorates, organic peroxides | |
| Gas | strong acid/caustic | ammonia, hydrogen chloride |
| flammable | acetylene | |
| oxidizer | chlorine, nitrous oxide | |
