PARTIAL
LIST OF INCOMPATIBLE CHEMICALS
(REACTIVE
HAZARDS)
TOO
OFTEN CHEMICALS ARE STORED ALPHABETICALLY. THIS CAN LEAD TO EXPLOSIVE OR
TOXIC ALPHABET SOUP.
SUBSTANCES
IN THE LEFT COLUMN SHOULD BE STORED AND HANDLED SO THAT THEY CANNOT ACCIDENTALLY
CONTACT
CORRESPONDING SUBSTANCES IN THE RIGHT COLUMN UNDER UNCONTROLLED CONDITIONS.
SOURCE: Prudent
Practices for Handling Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories, National
Research Council, Washington, D.C., 1995.
|
CHEMICAL
|
INCOMPATIBILITY
|
| Acetic acid |
Chromic acid, nitric acid,
hydroxyl compounds,
ethylene glycol, perchloricacid, peroxides, permanganates |
| Acetone |
Concentrated nitric and
sulfuric acid mixtures |
| Acetylene |
Chlorine, bromine, copper,
fluorine, silver, mercury |
Alkali and alkaline earth
metals
(lithium, sodium,
potassium) |
Water, carbon tetrachloride
or other chlorinated
hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, halogens,
powdered metals (e.g.,aluminum or
magnesium) |
| Ammonia(anhydrous) |
Mercury (e.g., in manometers),
chlorine, calcium
hypochlorite, iodine, bromine, hydrofluoric
acid (anhydrous) |
| Ammonium nitrate |
Acids, powdered metals,
flammable liquids,chlorates,
nitrates, sulfur, finely divided organic or combustible materials |
| Aniline |
Nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide |
| Arsenical materials |
Any reducing agent |
| Azides |
Acids |
| Bromine |
See Chlorine |
| Calcium oxide |
Water |
| Carbon (activated) |
Calcium hypochlorite, all
oxidizing agents |
| Carbon tetrachloride |
Sodium, Chlorates, Ammonium
salts, acids, powdered
metals, sulfur,finely divided organic
or combustible materials |
| Chlorine |
Ammonia, acetylene, butadiene,
butane,
methane, propane (or other petroleum gases),
hydrogen, sodium carbide, benzene, finely
divided metals, turpentine |
| Chlorine dioxide |
Ammonia, methane, phosphine,
hydrogen sulfide |
| Chromic acid and chromium |
Acetic acid, naphthalene,
camphor, glycerol,
alcohol, flammable liquids in general |
| Copper |
Acetylene, hydrogen peroxide |
| Cumene hydroperoxide |
Acids (organic or inorganic) |
| Cyanides |
Acids |
| Flammable liquids |
Ammonium nitrate, chromatic
acid, hydrogen
peroxide, nitric acid, sodium peroxide,
halogens |
| Fluorine |
Isolate from everything |
| Hydrocarbons (e.g.,butane,propane,
benzene) |
Fluorine, chlorine, bromine,
chromic acid, sodium
peroxide |
| Hydrocyanic acid |
Nitric acid, alkali |
| Hydrofluoric acid (anhydrous) |
Ammonia (aqueous or anhydrous) |
| Hydrogen peroxide |
Copper, chromium, iron,
most metals or their
salts, alcohols, acetone, organic materials,
aniline, nitromethane,
combustible materials |
| Hydrogen sulfide |
Fuming nitric acid, oxidizing
gases |
| Hypochlorites |
Acids, activated carbon |
| Iodine |
Acetylene, ammonia (aqueous
or anhydrous),
hydrogen |
| Mercury |
Acetylene, fulminic acid,
ammonia |
| Nitrates |
Sulfuric acid |
| Nitric acid (concentrated) |
Acetic acid, aniline, chromic
acid, hydrocyanic
acid, hydrogen sulfide, flammable
liquids, flammable gases, copper,
brass, any heavy metals |
| Nitrites |
Potassium or sodium cyanide. |
| Nitroparaffins |
Inorganic bases, amines |
| Oxalic acid |
Silver, mercury |
| Oxygen |
Oils, grease, hydrogen,
flammable: liquids, solids,
or gases |
| Perchloric acid |
Acetic anhydride, bismuth
and its alloys, alcohol,
paper, wood, grease, oils |
| Peroxides, Organic |
Acids (organic or mineral),
avoid friction, store
cold |
| Phosphorus (white) |
Air, oxygen, alkalis, reducing
agents |
| Phosphorus pentoxide |
Water |
| Potassium |
Carbon tetrachloride, carbon
dioxide, water |
| Potassium chlorate |
Sulfuric and other acids |
| Potassium perchlorate |
(see Sulfuric and other
acids also chlorates) |
| Potassium permanganate |
Glycerol, ethylene glycol,
benzaldehyde, sulfuric
acid |
| Selenides |
Reducing agents |
| Silver |
Acetylene, oxalic acid,
tartaric acid, ammonium
compounds, fulminic acid |
| Sodium |
Carbon tetrachloride, carbon
dioxide, water |
| Sodium Chlorate |
Acids, ammonium salts, oxidizable
materials, sulfur |
| Sodium nitrite |
Ammonium nitrate and other
ammonium salts |
| Sodium peroxide |
Ethyl or methyl alcohol,
glacial acetic acid, acetic
anhydride, benzaldehyde, carbon disulfide, glycerin, ethylene glycol, ethyl
acetate, methyl acetate, furfural |
| Sulfides |
Acids |
| Sulfuric acid |
Potassium chlorate, potassium
perchlorate, potassium permanganate (similar compounds of light metals,
such as sodium, lithium) |
| Tellurides |
Reducing agents |
| Water |
Acetyl chloride, alkaline
and alkaline earth metals, their hydrides and oxides, barium peroxide,
carbides, chromic acid, phosphorous oxychloride, phosphorous pentachloride,
phosphorous pentoxide,sulfuric acid, sulfur trioxide |
15 Reasons Not to Store Your
Chemcials Alphabetically
| INCOMPATABILE
CHEMICALS |
POSSIBLE
REACTIONS |
| Acetic Acid - Acetaldehyde |
Small amounts of acetic
acid will cause the acetaldehyde to polymerize releasing great quantities
of heat. |
| Acetic Anhydride - Acetaldehyde |
Reaction can be violently
explosive. |
| Aluminum Metal - Ammonium
Nitrate |
A Potential Explosive |
| Aluminum - Bromine Vapor |
Unstable nitrogen tribromide
is formed: explosion may result. |
| Ammonium Nitrate - Acetic
Acid |
Mixture may result in ignition,
especially if acetic acid in concentrated. |
| Cupric Sulfide - Cadmium
Chlorate |
Will explode on contact. |
| Hydrogen Peroxide - Ferrous
Sulfide |
A vigorous, highly exothermic
reaction. |
| Hydrogen Peroxide - Lead
II or IV Oxide |
A violent, possibly explosive
reaction. |
| Lead Sulfide - Hydrogen
Peroxide |
Vigorous, potentially explosive
reaction. |
| Lead Perchlorate - Methyl
Alcohol |
An explosive mixture when
agitated. |
| Mercury II Nitrate - Methanol |
May form Hg fulminate- an
explosive. |
| Nitric Acid - Phosphorous |
Phosphorous aburns spontaneously
in presence of nitric acid. |
| Potassium Cyanide - Potassium
Peroxide |
A potentially explosive
mixture if heated. |
| Sodium Nitrate - Sodium
Thiosulfate. |
A mixture of the dry materials
may result in explosion. |
 |