Metals: All metals, except mercury, can be stored together.

Metals should be stored separate from all oxidizers, halogens, organic compounds and moisture. Oxidizers (except ammonium nitrate). Oxidizers include such chemicals as: nitrates,nitrites, permanganates, chromates, dichromates, chlorates, perchlorates, and peroxides. They should be separated from metals, acids, organic materials, and ammonium nitrate. They should be separated from flammable liquids by a onehour fire wall or a distance of 8 meters. Ammonium nitrate: Ammonium nitrate should be stored in isolation from all other chemicals. Bases: All strong bases, such as sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide should be stored in a dedicated corrosive chemicals cabinet that is coated with corrosion-resistant material. Acids: All inorganic acids (except nitric acid), and all regulated organic acids should be stored in a cabinet constructed of corrosion resistant material. Acids may be stored with bases, but fumes from acids and bases may produce an annoying coating of salt crystals on the outside of reagent containers. Nitric acid should be stored separately from acetic acid. Fuming nitric acid should never be used in the school laboratory. Flammables: Flammables should be stored in a dedicated wooden flammable materials cabinet, 8 meters away from all oxidizers. The cabinet should be coated with flame retardant paint, and should be appropriately labeled with the notice: FLAMMABLE LIQUID STORAGE. KEEP FIRE AWAY! Poisons: Highly toxic substances such as cyanides should never be used in a school laboratory. Poisons approved by state and district education boards should be stored in a locked cabinet away from the acids cabinet. Compressed Gases: Compressed gas cylinders should be strapped to the wall. Oxidizing gases such as oxygen should be stored far away from flammable liquids, gases, and metals. Flammable gases should be separated from oxidizers and oxidizing gases by a one-hour fire wall or a distance of 8 meters. Low Hazard Chemicals: Many weak bases, oxides, sulfides, indicators, amino acids, sugars, stains and carbonates are classified as low-hazard chemicals. These chemicals may be stored on open shelves with bars to prevent accidental spillage. Storage Codes: Some manufacturers provide color-coded labels to categorize chemicals for storage purposes. Chemicals with a common storage color may be stored together, except when indicated otherwise.

Chemicals with different storage color labels should be stored in different areas. The following is a commonly accepted code.

R Y

Storage

code Red Flammable. Store in area designated for flammable reagents. Storage code

Yellow
Reactive and oxidizing. May react violently with air, water, or other substances. Store away from flammable and combustible materials.

Storage

code Blue Health hazard. These chemicals are toxic if inhaled, ingested, or absorbed through the skin. They should be stored in a locked cabinet.

W G

storage

code

White
Corrosive. These chemicals may harm skin, eyes, mucous membranes. They should be stored away from red, yellow, and blue-coded reagents. storage

code Gray Moderate or minimal hazard. According to current data, these chemicals do not pose more than a moderate hazard in any category. SULFUR, PHOSPHOROUS, ARSENIC, PHOSPHOROUS PENTOXIDE HALIDES, SULFATES, SULFITES, THIOSULFATES, PHOSPHATES, HALOGENS, ACETATES AMIDES, NITRATES, (not AMMONIUM NITRATE), NITRITES, AZIDES (Store Ammonium Nitrate away from all other substances--ISOLATE IT!) METALS and HYDRIDES (Store away from any water and store flammable solids in a flammables cabinet) HYDROXIDES, OXIDES, SILICATES, CARBONATES, CARBON ARSENATES, CYANIDES, CYANATES (Store away from any water) SULFIDES, SELENIDES, PHOSPHIDES, CARBIDES, NITRIDES BORATES, CHROMATES, MANGANATES, PERMANGANATES CHLORATES, PERCHLORATES, CHLORITES, PERCHLORIC ACID, PEROXI DES, HYPOCHLORITES, HYDROGEN PEROXIDE MISCELLANEOUS Avoid Using Floor

Store Nitric Acid away from other acids unless your acid cabinet provides a separate compartment for Nitric Acid. ACIDS, except NITRIC (Acids are best stored in dedicated cabinets) Fig 2. Suggested Sheld Storage Pattern -- Organic ALCOHOLS, GLYCOLS, AMINES, AMIDES, IMINES, IMIDES (Store flammables in a dedicated cabinet) HYDROCARBONS, ESTHERS, ALDEHYDES (Store flammables in a dedicated cabinet) ETHERS, KETONES, HALOGENATED HYDROCARBONS, ETHYLENE OXIDE (Store flammables in a dedicated cabinet) EPOXY COMPOUNDS, ISOCYANATES SULFIDES, POLYSULFIDES, ETC.

PHENOLS, CRESOLS PEROXIDES, AZIDES, HYDROPEROXIDES ACIDS, ANHYDRIDES, PERACIDS (Store certain organic acids in an acid cabinet) MISCELLANEOUS

ALCOHOLS, GLYCOLS, HYDROCARBONS, ESTHERS, ETHERS, KETONES, ETC. STORE FLAMMMABLES IN A DEDICATED CABINET Store Severe Posions in a Poisons Cabinet Specific Chemical Incompatibilities and Instabilities In general chemicals with the following functional groups are prone to instability: OO (peroxide) N3 (azide) NO2 (nitro) N=O (nitroso) N=N (azo) ONO2 (nitrate ester) N= (imino) NNO 2 (nitro amine)

These reagents should be dated, handled according to prescribed storage conditions, and disposed of after use: Chemical Acetic Acid Acetone Chemicals Incompatible with* Nitric acid, peroxides, permanganates, ethylene glycol, hydroxyl compounds, perchloric acid, or chromic acid Concentrated sulfuric and nitric acid

Acetylene Alkali Metals Alkaline Metals (powdered aluminum or magnesium) Ammonia, Anhydrous

Bromine, chlorine, fluorine, copper, silver, mercury and their compounds Carbon tetrachloride, carbon dioxide, water, halogens Carbon tetrachloride, or other chlorinated hydrocarbons, halogens, carbon dioxide Mercury, hydrogen fluoride, calcium hypochlorite, chlorine, bromine Acids, flammable liquids, metal powders, sulfur, chlorates, any finely divided organic or combustible substance Nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide Ammonia, petroleum gases, hydrogen, sodium, benzene, finely divided metals Calcium hypochlorite and all oxidizing agents Ammonium salts, acids, metal powders, sulfur, and finely divided organic or combustible substances Ammonia, methane, phosphine, hydrogen sulphide Glacial acetic acid, camphor, glycerin, naphthalene, turpentine, lower molecular weight alcohols, and many flammable liquids Acetylene and hydrogen peroxide Acids and alkalines Ammonium nitrate, chromic acid, hydrogen peroxide, sodium peroxide, nitric acid and the halogens Fluorine, chlorine, bromine, sodium peroxide and chromic acid Ammonia(aqueous or anhydrous) Most metals and their salts, alcohols, organic substances, any flammable substances Oxidizing gases, fuming nitric acid Acetylene, ammonia, hydrogen Acetylene, ammonia Acetic acid, hydrogen sulfide, flammable (concentrated) liquids and gases, chromic acid, aniline Oils, grease, hydrogen, flammable liquids, solids and gases Silver, mercury Acetic anhydride, bismuth and its alloys, alcohols, paper, wood, and other organic materials Water

Ammonium Nitrate Aniline Bromine, Chlorine Carbon, activated Chlorates

Chlorine dioxide

Chromic acid Copper Cyanides Flammable liquids Hydrocarbons (propane, benzene, gasoline) Hydrofluoric Acid Hydrogen Peroxide Hydrogen Sulfide Iodine Mercury Nitric Acid

Oxygen Oxalic acid Perchloric Acid Phosphorus Pentoxide

Potassium Chlorate

Sulfuric and other acids, any organic material

Potassium Permanganate Sulfuric acid, glycerine, ethylene glycol Silver Sodium Peroxide Sulfuric Acid Acetylene, ammonia compounds, oxalic acid, tartaric acid Ethyl or methyl alcohol, glacial acetic acid, carbon disulfide, glycerine, ethylene glycol, ethyl acetate Potassium chlorate, potassium perchlorate, potassium permanganate

* Taken from 'School Science Laboratories -- A Guide" to Some Hazardous Substances' with Technical support from the U.S. Product Safety Commission and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

D. Peroxidizable Compounds
Peroxidizable compounds tend to absorb and react with oxygen from the air to form unstable peroxides. Table 1. lists specific chemicals in this category. Pay attention to the following details regarding these compounds: 1. Date all peroxidizable compounds when received and when opened. 2. Eliminate compounds in Group A three months after opening, and Group B compounds one year after opening. 3. Inspect all containers of undetermined age prior to opening, and, if it appears old or in bad condition, do not attempt to open. 4. Order less than six months supply of these chemicals." 5. Store these materials separately from oxidizers and mineral acids. Table 1 -- Peroxidizable compounds Group A Isopropyl ether Divinyl acetylene Vinylidene chloride Potassium metal Sodium metal Butadiene Vinyl pyridine Tetrafluoroethylene Chloroprene Group B Diethyl ether Shock/heat-sensitive compounds

Ammonium perchlorate

Dicyclopentadiene Tetrahydrofuran Diacetylene Dioxane Methyl acetylene Decahydronaphthalene (Decalin) Tetrahydronaphthalene (Tetralin) Ethylene glycol dimethyl ether Vinyl ethers Acetamethyl methacrylate Chlorotrifluoroethylene Styrene Vinyl acetylene Acrylic acid Vinyl acetate Acrylonitrile Vinyl chloride

Dibenzoyl peroxide Ammonium permanganate Anhydrous perchloric acid Dinitrobenzene (ortho) Butyl Hydroperoxide Ethyl methyl ketone peroxide Butyl perbenzoate Ethyl nitrate Butyl peroxyacetate, tert Hydroxylamine Peroxyacetic acid 1Chloro2,4dinitrobenzene Picric acid Cumene hydroperoxide Trinitrobenzene Diacetyl peroxide Trinitrotoluene

E. Laboratory storage of chemicals

When individual laboratories require their own chemical storage area, amounts permitted should be as small as practical. The PI should inspect and review such storage areas periodically to remove any old and never-used chemicals. Exposure to heat and direct sunlight should be avoided.