Chemical Safety

Chapter 7 Chemicals with Special Handling Requirements

There are a number of chemicals that pose special hazards and/or require special handling to ensure the safest environment for those working with them and for those who dispose them. The following groups of chemicals are addressed in this chapter:

• Shock sensitive and peroxide forming chemicals
• Gases
• PCBs
• Mercury
• Aerosol Cans
• Multi-hazard wastes

Shock sensitive and peroxide forming chemicals
Shock sensitive chemicals may explode with friction, movement or heat. Some chemicals are shock sensitive by nature, others become shock sensitive through drying, decomposition or slow reactions with oxygen, nitrogen or the container. Some chemicals that are or can become shock sensitive will have that hazard noted in the MSDS. If you find or need to dispose a shock sensitive chemical, contact the Division of Research Safety (DRS) at (217) 333-2755 to determine how it should be handled. Do not move or open the container until you have received directions from DRS.

• Specific Instructions for Picric Acid
• Dry picric acid is explosive. Picric acid is soluble in water and various solvents. When in solution, picric acid becomes nonexplosive and is safe to transport. As a safety precaution, all containers of dry picric acid must be placed lid down in a bucket or tray with 1-2 inches of water for one day. Next the container should be removed, opened, and water should be added to the picric acid. You can then request a pickup with UI# 8098-Picric Acid (Wetted Powder).

Peroxidizable compounds such as ethers, dioxanes and tetrahydrofuran, absorb and react with oxygen to form potentially explosive compounds over time. Peroxides are shock-sensitive compounds that can explode if subjected to mechanical shock, intense light, rapid changes in temperature, or heat. In unusual cases peroxides can explode through a spontaneous reaction. All peroxidizable compounds should be stored away from heat and light. They should be protected from physical damage and ignition sources.

A warning label should be affixed to all peroxidizable compounds as illustrated below to indicate the date of receipt and the date the container was first opened.

Below is a list that gives examples of common laboratory chemicals that are prone to form peroxides on exposure to air. If you find a bottle containing any of these peroxide forming chemicals that has crystals, contact DRS ((217) 333-2755) to determine how it should be handled. Do not move or open the container until you have received directions from DRS.

Common Peroxide Forming Chemicals*

LIST A
Severe Peroxide Hazard on Storage with Exposure to Air
Discard within 3 months

• Diisopropyl ether (isopropyl ether)
• Divinylacetylene (DVA)^a
• Divinyl ether
• Potassium metal
• Potassium amide
• Sodium amide (sodamide)
• Vinylidene chloride (1,1-dichloroethylene)^a

LIST B
Peroxide Hazard on Concentration; Do Not Distill or Evaporate Without First Testing for the Presence of Peroxides
Discard or test for peroxides after 6 months

• Acetaldehyde diethyl acetal (acetal)
• Cumene (isopropylbenzene)
• Cyclohexene
• Cyclooctene
• Cyclopentene
• Diacetylene (butadiene)
• Dicyclopentadiene
• Diethyl ether (ether)
• Diethylene glycol dimethyl ether (diglyme)
• Dioxane
• Ethylene glycol dimethyl ether (glyme)
• Furan
• Methylacetylene
• Methylcyclopentane
• Methyl isobutyl ketone
• Tetrahydrofuran (THF)
• Tetralin (tetrahydronaphthalene)
• Vinyl ethers

LIST C
Hazard of Rapid Polymerization Initiated by Internally Formed Peroxides
Discard or test for peroxides after 12 months

• Acrylic Acid
• Acrylonitrile
• Butadiene ^b
• Chloroprene (2-chloro-1,3-butadiene) ^b
• Chlorotrifluoroethylene
• Methyl methacrylate
• Styrene
• Tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) ^b
• Vinyl acetate
• Vinyl acetylene
• Vinyl chloride
• Vinylidene chloride
• Vinylpyridine

• ^aPolymerizable monomers should be stored with a polymerization inhibitor from which the monomer can be separated by distillation just before use.
  
  
• ^bThe hazard from peroxides in these compounds is substantially greater when they are stored in the liquid phase, and if so stored without an inhibitor, they should be considered as in LIST A.
  
  
• *Adapted from: Prudent Practices in the Laboratory-Handling Disposal of Chemicals, National Academy Press, Washington , D.C. , 1995.

Gases
There are two types of gas cylinders used on campus:

1. Cylinders supplied by industrial gas vendors (containing argon, carbon dioxide, helium, nitrogen, oxygen, air and other common gases) usually in cylinders with screw-top valve covers. These are provided on a rental basis and should be returned to the vendor. DO NOT purchase these types of gases in lecture bottles.
2. Specialty gases, supplied by various vendors, commonly in "lecture bottles" (cylinders that are usually 12-15 inches long and 2 inches in diameter). These are usually sold outright.

The DRS Chemical Safety Section now accepts lecture bottles for disposal through the campus chemical waste disposal program. Please keep in mind that disposal costs can be extremely expensive. A toxic gas lecture bottle can cost over $1,000 for disposal. Before purchasing specialty gases in lecture bottles, find a vendor that can provide the gas in a rental cylinder. It may be cheaper to rent the gas in a larger container than it is to purchase it in a small lecture bottle. If a lecture bottle must be purchased, design the experiments so that the entire contents of the lecture bottle will be used. For more information, contact DRS at (217) 333-2755.

Storage of gases
All gas cylinders should be stored in the upright position. Lecture bottles should NEVER be stored in drawers as leaks or corrosion of the valve is more likely to occur and the bottles tend to be forgotten until the lab is occupied by someone new. Large gas cylinders should be returned to the vendor. Lecture bottles should be disposed of as soon as they are no longer needed through the campus chemical waste disposal program. Requests for disposal of lecture bottles should be on ChemTrak form CWM-TRK-01 using the appropriate UI#s from the Gas List (Appendix C). Long term storage of lecture bottles can greatly increase the disposal costs because of corroded valves, loss of labeling, etc.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) waste
PCB wastes require special handling. Do NOT mix PCB wastes with other wastes. Collect PCB liquids in a polyethylene container. Collect PCB contaminated debris, rags, etc. in a 4-6 mil plastic bag or in a box lined with a 4-6 mil plastic bag if sharp objects that may puncture the bag are present. The box may not be longer than 18 inches on any side. If you have PCB contaminated debris that cannot meet these requirements, call DRS ((217) 333-2755) for assistance. Requests for collection of PCB wastes should be on ChemTrak form CWM-TRK-01 using the appropriate UI#s from the Individual Chemicals and Products List (formerly Master Chemical List) (Appendix A).

Old equipment such as transformers, capacitors and other high-voltage generating equipment may contain PCBs or PCB-contaminated oil. If you have reason to believe that any of your equipment may contain PCBs e-mail the DRS Chemical Safety Section or call (217) 333-2755. DRS will come to inspect the unit and, if necessary, test the oil. All PCB containing equipment that is no longer in use should be disposed promptly. PCB equipment that is in use should also be disposed and replaced with non-PCB equipment. Fluorescent light ballasts should be handled as PCB waste if they are NOT stamped with the words "No PCBs." Current regulations require that PCB spills be cleaned up immediately. If you discover a spill in which PCBs may be involved, contact DRS (3-2755) immediately.

For the proper chemical name to use on the ChemTrak form CWM-TRK-01, refer to the "PCB waste" entries below or in the Individual Chemicals and Products List (formerly Master Chemical List) (Appendix A).

PCB contaminated oil >5ppm-UI#2052
PCB contaminated debris-UI#50019
PCB capacitors (large)-UI#2348
PCB capacitors (small)-UI#7654
PCB light ballasts-UI#10573

Mercury
All wastes containing mercury are regulated as hazardous wastes. There are many mercury-free alternative devices and compounds now available. DRS along with the UIUC Chemical Safety Committee encourage you to use mercury-free alternative devices and compounds wherever possible. The following guidelines provide for the most efficient management of mercury wastes.

See also Waste Minimization Fact Sheet- No. 4: Alternatives to Mercury and Mercury Compounds, and the campus Mercury Reduction Program at: http://www.drs.uiuc.edu/css/programareas/mercury/.

Elemental mercury will be collected for recycling by DRS. Please observe the following guidelines when packaging element mercury for recycling:

• place in a poly container with a screw-on cap
• maximum weight per container is 20 pounds
• containers must be in good condition (no cracks, holes, leaks)
• no thermometers
• no amalgams
• no alloys, reagents, or compounds

If the mercury waste does not meet the above recycling guidelines, chose the most appropriate UI# for your mercury waste. Several common examples are listed below. These and additional entries can be found in Appendix A. If none of the choices seems appropriate, email the DRS Chemical Safety Section or call (217) 333-2755.

Mercury (elemental)-UI#1181
Mercury, sulfur-UI#1627
Mercury thermometer (broken or intact)-UI#8169
Mercury manometer-UI#8061
Mercury switches-UI#8836
Mercury lamps-UI#7655
Mercury batteries-UI#5230

Collect elemental mercury and glass from broken thermometers in separate, impermeable, sealed plastic containers. (Handle elemental mercury as indicated above.) Wide mouth polyethylene jars with screw-on caps work well. If you cannot find a plastic jar large enough for your thermometer, place heavy tape over the broken ends, then overbag the thermometer in a heavy duty plastic bag. Seal the bag thoroughly.

Solutions containing mercury compounds
Always label the container with the specific mercury compound present, do not label as "mercury waste." An example of an appropriate label would be "Waste Mercuric Iodide Solution." Indicate the concentration of mercury in the solution. Do not mix mercury wastes with other wastes. Avoid situations in which mercury is mixed with organic solvents. E-mail the DRS Chemical Safety Section or call (217) 333-2755 if you need assistance in locating a proper UI#.

Aerosol cans
Dispose of aerosol cans according to the following procedures:

1. If the aerosol can is completely emptied and punctured, the aerosol can may be discarded in the regular trash. (Note: Must be BOTH emptied and punctured)
   
   
2. All other aerosol cans must be disposed of through DRS. For the proper chemical name to use on the ChemTrak form CWM-TRK-01, refer to the “Aerosol Can” entries below.
   
   Aerosol can (flammable)-UI#7107
   Aerosol can (nonflammable)-UI#7108
   Aerosol can (pesticide)-UI#7109
   

Multi-hazard wastes
Multi-hazard wastes are wastes that are infectious and/or radioactive, as well as chemically hazardous. If at all possible, do not mix chemical waste with infectious or radioactive wastes, as these are difficult to dispose and can be very expensive.

Infectious and chemically hazardous waste
All research involving biohazards (biohazards include infectious agents such as bacteria, fungi, algae, parasites, viruses, rickettsiae, chlamydiae, tumor cell lines, and recombinant DNA molecules) is monitored by the DRS Biological Safety Section. Research that generates waste that has both biological hazards (e. g., sharps, carcasses, microbiological cultures) and chemical hazards must be reviewed by the DRS Biological Safety Section ((217) 333-2755) in addition to the DRS Chemical Safety Section .

Radioactive chemical waste
There are several types of radioactive chemical wastes. Below describes the different types:

• Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM)
• Uranium, thorium and radium compounds are the most common Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM). On occasion other naturally occurring radioactive materials may be encountered. The following is a brief protocol for the handling of these materials.
  
  
• 1. All solid NORM compounds must be packaged and disposed in accordance with the procedures for radioactive waste. Contact the DRS Radiation Safety Section ((217) 333-2755) for instructions.
  2. Liquid NORM waste will NOT be picked up for disposal. These wastes must be absorbed or solidified prior to collection for disposal. Contact the DRS Radiation Safety Section ((217) 333-2755) for instructions.
  
  
• Organic liquid scintillation cocktail waste
• Used organic liquid scintillation cocktail (LSC) waste will contain small amounts of radioactive isotopes, in addition to xylene or another organic solvent. This waste is picked up by the DRS Chemical Safety Section. To request a pickup of used organic LSC waste the following procedures must be followed:
  
• 1. Documentation of the used organic LSC waste activity via printouts and calculations must be provided with the CWM-TRK-01 form. DRS will refuse to pickup used organic LSC waste without the appropriate documentation of activity. The activity of the isotope present must be listed in millicuries.
  2. Describe the waste on the CWM-TRK-01 form as: Scintillation Cocktail - Non-Rad, UI# 9444.
  
  
  
• Radioactive isotopes mixed with other chemicals
• Occasionally radioactive materials are used with chemicals that are hazardous. Materials containing radioactive and chemical materials must be reviewed by the DRS Radiation Safety Section ((217) 333-2755) in addition to the DRS Chemical Safety Section ((217) 333-2755) prior to disposal.