Guidelines for care & Use of Dry Solvent Stills [Example]

2. Common Organic Waste Solvents
The following common laboratory organic solvents can be poured into one of the two 55 gallon
waste drums located in the solvent room, #20, labeled HAZARDOUS WASTE, Non-Sulfur, Non-
Halogenated Organic Solvents, meant for the following highly flammable, generally non-reactive
hydrocarbons, commonly used in most academic research and teaching Labs. Do not add water or acidic
material to these drums:
acetone methyl ethyl ketone pump oil
benzaldehyde mineral spirits tetrahydrofuran
benzene motor oil toluene
cyclohexane naphtha xylenes
ethyl ether paint thinner ethyl alcohol, (and,
ethyl acetate petroleum ether low-molecular weight alcohols,
heptane propanol (1 or 2-propanol) cyclohexanol, methanol )
hexane propyl acetate ethylene glycol
Dimethylformamide
You must list each chemical by name and approximate amount (liters) in logbooks kept near each
drum. DO NOT OVERFILL THESE DRUMS! Leave about 4 to 6 inches from the top. Don't empty
mineral acids, organic acids, or aqueous solutions into these drums. Oxidizers in the presence of mixed
organic solvents may cause a fire. Waste companies do not appreciate receiving organic solvent drums with
a water layer on the bottom.
All other organic solvents not on the list above must be poured into separate glass or metal
containers, labeled, and placed on the metal table. This includes any potentially reactive or unstable
liquid organic chemical. Examples would be sulfur-containing compounds, complex heterocyclics,
corrosives, organic acids, lachrymators, etc. - i.e., bromine, acetic anhydride, acetyl chloride,
chlorosulfonic acid, pyridine, acetonitrile, alanine, 1,4-dioxane, tert-butyl chloride, etc.
The two common halogenated organic solvents (methylene chloride and chloroform, only) must
be separated from other solvents and poured into labeled, 20 liter empty white polyethylene containers kept
next to the large 55 gallon steel drums, on the floor in the wide yellow spill tray. When a waste company is
called to take out waste (about once every three months) these halogenated solvents will be consolidated
into one 55 gallon drum - to do so earlier would cause buildup of rust within the larger drums. Methylene
chloride hydrolyzes and produces HCl which causes metal cans to rust. Do not deposit these two solvents
in metal cans.
3. SAFETY PRECAUTIONS IN SOLVENT ROOM
Note that an eyewash station and safety shower are located just outside the door, in the loading
dock area. Wear safety glasses and chemically resistant gloves. Absorbent material for chemical spills is
located on the second metal table located next to the large 55 gallon drums. Follow the chemical spill
procedure in section III.J.3 of this manual. There is a rear emergency exit door. Please keep this door
unlocked from inside and locked from outside the room.
In the event of a fire, the automatic fire extinguisher system in the ceiling will trigger. Additional
fire extinguishers are located by the entrance doorway. Report any spills or corroded waste containers.
Static electricity discharge cables are located on the large 55 gallon drums. Connect these to metal waste
containers before you pour waste from them into the drum. Please note that the newly installed independent
ventilation systems in both the solvent room and the chemical storage room were designed to maintain
concentrations of chemical fumes below the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL). Report any malfunction of
the ventilation system to Physical Facilities (phone x-4255).
Some Fisher organic solvents in 20 liter blue-metal cans, placed in this room for community use,
are capable of peroxide formation once opened and exposed to air for long periods. If half emptied and left
for 5 or 6 months, these solvents may become explosive. DO NOT OPEN NEW CANS OF THIS
MATERIAL UNTIL CANS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN OPENED ARE USED UP ENTIRELY:
Diethyl ether, Tetrahydrofuran, 1,4-Dioxane
Date the label of these chemicals with the date on which the container was first opened. If the above cans
are not labeled, the laboratory manager will begin ordering these solvents individually, rather than in-bulk,
until students learn to properly date them. Be sure to tighten the black plastic spout cap after dispensing
any solvents kept in this room. The hazardous waste storage area is checked weekly by the laboratory
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