Acetone spills

Acetone spilled out of a reaction vessel during the addition of dry ice. It seeped underneath a nearby electronic balance and ignited. The balance was severely damaged, but the fire was extinguished before the reaction vessel broke. 

Containers less than bulk must bear the red diamond-shaped "FLAMMABLE LIQUID" label. Bulk containers must display the red "FLAMMABLE" placard in association with the UN1090 identification. Fire is the main ha2ard in emergencies resulting from spills. Some manufacturers provide transportation emergency response information. A listing of properties and ha2ard response information for acetone is pubHshed by the U.S. 

Solubility — the amount of a given substance (the solute) that dissolves in a unit volume of a liquid (the solvent). This property is of importance in the handling and recovery of spilled hazardous materials. Water-insoluble ehemicals are much easier to reeover from water than spills of water-soluble chemicals. Acetone, which is miscible/soluble in water in all proportions, is not readily reeoverable from water. In contrast, benzene, which is lighter than water and insoluble as well, can be readily trapped with a skimmer. For organie eompounds, solubility tends to deerease with inereasing moleeular weight and ehlorine content. 

A hold tank is installed in an aqueous effluent-treatment process to smooth out fluctuations in concentration in the effluent stream. The effluent feed to the tank normally contains no more than 100 ppm of acetone. The maximum allowable concentration of acetone in the effluent discharge is set at 200 ppm. The surge tank working capacity is 500 m3 and it can be considered to be perfectly mixed. The effluent flow is 45,000 kg/h. If the acetone concentration in the feed suddenly rises to 1000 ppm, due to a spill in the process plant, and stays at that level for half an hour, will the limit of 200 ppm in the effluent discharge be exceeded ... 

SPILL, LEAK AND DISPOSAL PROCEDURES If spills or leaks of TGD occur, follow the same procedure as those for GD, but add the following step Since TGD is not water soluble, dissolve the TGD in acetone prior to introducing any decontaminating solution. Containment of TGD is generally not necessary. Spilled TGD can be carefully scraped off the contaminated surface and placed in a drum with a fully removable head and a high density, polyethylene lining. The TGD can then be decontaminated after it has been dis-... 

The quite loud explosions (either immediate or delayed) which occur when LNG (containing usually high proportions of heavier materials) is spilled onto water are non-combustive and harmless [1]. Superheating and shock-wave phenomena are involved [2], There is a similar effect when LNG of normal composition (90% methane) is spilled on to some CsCghydrocarbons or methanol, acetone or... 

A few LNG spill tests on organic liquids carried out at Conoco by Yang (1973) led to reproducible explosions. When saturated hydrocarbons from Cj through Cg (including many isomers) were used, immediate explosions were noted. Delays of 5 sec or longer were recorded before they occurred on methanol, acetone, or methyl ethyl ketone. Few or none were recorded for higher alcohols or for hydrocarbons above Cg (or benzene). 

Preparation of Chlorine by Oxidizing Hydrochloric Acid with Potassium Permanganate. Liquefaction of the Chlorine. Assemble an apparatus as shown in Fig. 54. Spill 10-15 g of potassium permanganate into flask 1. Pour a 37 % hydrochloric acid solution into dropping funnel 2, a saturated sodium chloride solution into cylinder 5, and a little concentrated sulphuric acid into wash bottle 4. Put the end of the gas-discharge tube of the apparatus into test tube 5 cooled outside by solid carbon dioxide (dry ice) wetted with acetone. What is the boiling point of chlorine ... 

Wear nitrile rubber gloves, laboratory coat, and self-contained breathing apparatus. Cover the spill with a 1 1 1 mixture by weight of sodium carbonate, clay cat litter (calcium bentonite), and sand. When all of the liquid has been absorbed, scoop the mixture into a plastic pail or other wide-mouth container and place in the fume hood. If local regulations permit, allow the acetone vapor to evaporate for several days until no odor remains. The spill mix can then be discarded with normal refuse.14,15 Otherwise, package and label for disposal by burning.15,16... 

Wear protective gloves, laboratory coat, and goggles. If a solution is spilled, absorb on tissue. If solid is spilled, as far as possible, scoop in a container and then rinse the area of the spill with methanol and absorb the methanol onto tissues. Place the tissues in the container with the solid and add sufficient household bleach (5% sodium hypochlorite solution) to cover. Allow to stand at room temperature for at least 2 hours. Add an equal volume of 5% aqueous acetone. Allow to react for 30 minutes and then wash into the drain with water/... 

Dilution is used to mitigate hazardous releases, especially releases that form liquid pools. If properly implemented, the addition of an appropriate diluent to a liquid spill can have beneficial effects. Dilution can be employed to reduce the vapor pressure of the spilled hazardous material. It may also chemically combine with the hazardous material and render it nonhazardous. An example of this would be the use of water to dilute spills of a water-soluble material, such as acetone. Acetone is very soluble in water, and as it is diluted, the vapor pressure of the acetone above the mixture is reduced, commensurately reducing the potential for ignition and fire. However, to be effective there must be adequate volume available to obtain a satisfactory dilution and a way to dispose of the acetone-water mixture in an environmentally sound manner after the initial crisis has passed. 

Lecture bottles of HCI and CO2 gas must be strapped or chained securely to the laboratory bench. Work on a vacuum system requires preliminary review of procedures and careful execution in order to avoid damage to the apparatus and possible injury from broken glass in addition, the liquid nitrogen used for cold traps must be handled properly (see Appendix C). Safety glasses must be worn. Acetone is volatile at room temperature and should be handled carefully clean up any spills and avoid breathing the vapor. 

If you spill acetone on a hot plate in the laboratory, it evaporates much Objective 9... 

The choice of solvents is determined by cost, spectral qualities (for HPLC use), extraction efficiency, toxicity and commercial availability. Methylene chloride (dichloromethane) has been the preferred solvent for many semi-volatile compounds due to its high extraction efficiency and relatively low cost. However, for most petroleum species a non-polar solvent such as hexane is more effective for relatively fresh or recent spills. In aged polluted sites where absorption may have taken place, the addition of a polar solvent such as acetone to hexane is common. The hexane/acetone cocktail usually meets all requirements but may not always be compatible with the extraction technique. The following are examples of extraction techniques ... 

The technique of filling the sample holder is to fill it 1/3 to 1/2 full of liquid. Place the lower end into the dry ice-acetone or isopropanol container, and tilt the holder to about a 60 angle or as flat as possible without spilling the liquid. Slowly turn the holder so a film of solid sample freezes around the inside of the sample holder. Freeze the sample for a few minutes longer, connect the top section and then connect it to the condenser before it begins to melt. This rotation technique increases the surface area, and the water in this thin film, about 1 cm thick at most, can be sublimed rapidly. 

Major spills of explosives should never happen to the careful and conscientious manufacturer. Minor spills can be dealt with by following some general guidelines. If it was batch material before drowning in water, dilute it with some water, then soak it up in a bunch of Kleenex . Follow this with some alcohol or acetone, depending upon what solvent the explosive dissolves in, and mop it up with some more Kleenex . 

SPILL CLEAN-UP absorb as much as possible on paper bum the paper wash away remaining acetone with copious amounts of water evaporate on a glass or iron dish in hood remove all ignition sources. 

Flammable liquids are occasionally used as low-temperature baths without regard to the fire hazards associated with such systems. Perhaps the most common of these is the acetone-solid CO2 bath. Unfortunately, if the solid CO2 is added too rapidly, liquid acetone may be forcibly expelled from the container. As the flash point of acetone in air at 1 atm is — 18°C, a fire hazard is created if the acetone temperature is above this value if the acetone temperature is below — 18°C, a fire hazard will be created when the liquid absorbs enough heat from the surroundings to reach this value. Fortunately, acetone is soluble in water so that it can be rendered nonflammable should an accidental spill occur. 

Section 304 (40 CFR 355.40) Facilities are subject to state and local reporting for accidental releases, in quantities equal to or greater than their reportable quantities (RQ), of extremely hazardous substances (EHS) or CERCLA hazardous substances (40 CFR 302, Table 302.4) under Section 304. n-Hexane, cyclohexane, acetone, and some of the other solvents discussed are CERCLA hazardous substances and have CERCLA RQ for spills (Table 14.10.5). 

In the event of a spill, remove all ignition sources, soak up the acetone with a spill pillow or absorbent material, place in an appropriate eontainer, and dispose of properly. Respiratory protection may be necessary in the event of a large spiU or release in a confined area. 

Spills of chemicals in laboratories come in various sizes, and present various levels of hazard. Knocking over a 100-mL graduated cylinder with 5 mL of 0.1 M NaCl in it is a fairly trivial event. Dropping a large glass container that has 4 L of concentrated nitric acid or 4 L of (flammable) acetone is a serious event. What to do in the event of some chemical spill depends on the nature of the spill. 

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