Incompatible Chemicals

Many explosions, fires, and asphyxiations are caused by the accidental combination of some potentially dangerous compounds.  The following list contains some of these potentially dangerous combinations:

DO NOT CONTACT:

    ALKALI METALS, SUCH AS CALCIUM, POTASSIUM, AND SODIUM, with water, carbon dioxide, carbon tetrachloride and other chlorinated hydrocarbons.
    ACETIC ACID with chromic acid, nitric acid, hydroxyl-containing compounds, ethylene glycol, perchloric acid, peroxides, permanganates.

    ACETONE with concentrated sulfuric and nitric acid mixtures.

    ACETYLENE with copper (tubing), fluorine, bromine, chlorine, iodine, silver, mercury, and their compounds.

    AMMONIA, ANHYDROUS, with mercury, halogens, calcium hypochlorite, hydrogen fluoride.
    AMMONIUM NITRATE with acids, metal powders, flammable fluids, chlorates, nitrates, sulfur, finely divided organics or combustibles.

    ANILINE with nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide.

    BROMINE with ammonia, acetylene, butadiene, butane, hydrogen, sodium carbide, turpentine, finely divided metals.

    CHLORATES with ammonium salts, acid, metal powders, sulfur, finely divided organics or combustibles, carbon.

    CHROMIC ACID with acetic acid, naphthalene, camphor, alcohol, glycerine, turpentine, and other flammable liquids.

    CHLORINE with ammonia, acetylene, butadiene, benzene, and other petroleum fractions, hydrogen, sodium carbides, turpentine, finely divided powdered metals.

    CYANIDES with acids.

    HYDROGEN PEROXIDE with copper, chromium, iron, most metals or their respective salts, flammable fluids and other combustible materials, aniline, nitromethane.

    HYDROGEN SULFIDE with nitric acid, oxidizing gases.

    HYDROCARBONS, GENERAL, with fluorine, chlorine, bromine, chromic acid, sodium peroxide.

    IODINE with acetylene, ammonia, etc. (see BROMINE).

    MERCURY with acetylene, fulminic acid, hydrogen.

    NITRIC ACID with acetic, chromic, and hydrocyanic acids; aniline; carbon; hydrogen sulfide; flammable media, fluids, or gases; substances that are readily nitrated.

    OXYGEN with oils; grease; hydrogen-flammable liquids, solids, and gases.

    OXALIC ACID with silver, mercury.

    PERCHLORIC ACID with acetic anhydride, bismuth and its alloys, alcohol, paper, wood and other organic materials.

    PHOSPHORUS PENTOXIDE with water.

    POTASSIUM PERMANGANATE with glycerine, ethylene glycol, benzaldehyde, sulfuric acid.

    SODIUM PEROXIDE with any oxidizable substances, for instance, methanol, glacial acetic acid, acetic anhydride, benzaldehyde, carbon disulfide, glycerine, ethylene glycol, ethyl acetate, furfural, etc.

    SULFURIC ACID with chlorates, perchlorates, permanganates, water.






  HOME