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

4. Chemical Storage in Research Labs
Make an effort to use up bottles of a particular chemical you already have in your lab before
buying a new one, or be prepared to deal with old chemicals which have a short shelf life or decompose
slowly upon prolonged standing. Some, such as deliquescent compounds, tend to absorb large amounts of
water after prolonged storage. Several organic liquids tend to polymerize, becoming useless as laboratory
reagents. See the “Standard Operating Procedure for All Labs of Salem Hall” section of this manual for
dealing with ancient material which may have formed harmful peroxides.
* Take the trouble to periodically examine old chemical containers for cracks or other signs of wear
and tear. The original manufacturers label should remain intact, with reinforcing tape applied if necessary.
Graduate students and undergraduate chemical preparation personnel should make an attempt to print the
receiving date for each chemical which arrives in Salem Hall.
* See Prudent Practices, 2nd Edition, Table 4.1, Page 73, for guidance in storing chemicals in
compatible groups based on their mutual reactivity. PLEASE MAKE AN ATTEMPT TO SHELVE YOUR
LABORATORY CHEMICALS ACCORDING TO THIS SCHEME. ALSO, CONSULT TABLE 3.9,
PAGE 52 OF Prudent Practices, 2nd Edition, AND USE THIS AS YOUR GUIDE FOR KEEPING
INCOMPATIBLE CHEMICALS SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER ON STORAGE SHELVES. Note
also the excellent advice appearing beneath this table, i.e., that “separation of chemical groups can be by
different shelves within the same cabinet” and “Do Not store chemicals alphabetically as a general group.
This may result in incompatibles appearing together on a shelf. Rather, store alphabetically within
compatible groups.”
Research laboratory shelves in Salem Hall have been embellished with transparent lexan sideguard
strips to prevent accidental spillage of bottles when reaching for them.
Large amounts (over one liter) of flammable organic solvents should be kept in yellow metal
storage cabinets or in designated wooden cabinets lined with fireproof material in the research laboratories.
These cabinets should not be vented. Remember that open containers of such liquids are very dangerous
around sources of heat. The vapors of these liquids tend to be heavier than air, gathering in concentrated
levels on bench tops, corners, and recesses in the lab work area. Operating electrical equipment, spark
generating electrical switches, open flames, and warm heating mantels are potential sources of solvent fume
generated fires. Therefore, make every effort to keep such containers tightly capped. Open them, in so far
as is possible, in hoods. Keep them away from any sources of ignition.
The fifty-five gallon acetone drum in the solvent room # 20 is fitted with a grounding cable. If you
have metallic acetone containers which you use for acetone storage, be sure to attach one end of the wire to
the can before pouring out liquid from the 55 gallon drum into the can, thus equalizing the static electrical
charge between the storage can and the drum. This will prevent a spark from starting a solvent fire. Cold
winter days with low humidity content favor conditions of such discharge of static electricity.
Instead of metallic cans for organic solvents, non-metallic polyethylene safety storage containers
of one or two liter size ,such as “Justrite” brand, can be obtained from Fisher Scientific Co. (Fisher Catalog
# 17-177B). See page 96 of Prudent Practices, 2nd edition, for more elaboration. Such containers have
the advantage of less breakage potential.
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