Laboratory spill disposal

Contents indude laboratory and dinical environments, exposures to healthcare providers, laboratory spills, and medical waste disposal. Several appendices are Included on regulations and guidelines. 

A spill should be promptly cleaned up using either a commercial solvent spill kit material to absorb the hquid or a preparation of equal parts of soda ash, sand, and clay cat htter, which has been recommended as an absorbent. Since the lower explosion limit concentrations are so low for so many of the commonly used ethers, all ignition sources should be promptly turned off following a spill and all except essential personnel required to leave the area. The personnel performing the clean up should wear half-face respirators equipped with organic cartridges. The resulting waste mixture from the clean up can be placed in a fume hood temporarily until removed from the laboratory for disposal as a hazardous waste. 

A greater problem arises if the spill occurs in the open laboratory. All laboratory protocols should be designed to prevent such occurrences. In the event of an overt laboratory spill, the first action is evacuation of personnel fi om the affected area to minimize the exposure of personnel and experimental materials beyond those involved in the immediate area of the spill. The decontamination procedures adopted must be effective rapidly and must not create additional aerosol or allow mechanical transfer of materials to unaffected areas. Personnel carrying out the cleanup procedures must wear protective clothing and equipment, including respiratory protection (see Chapter 2). Consideration must be given to the safe disposal of all materials and liquids resulting from cleanup procedures. Reentry of personnel into the area should be avoided until it can be reasonably established that the area has been effectively decontaminated. Further specific details are provided in Appendix 1. 

Become familiar with the location and use of standard safety features in your laboratory. All chemistry laboratories should be equipped with fire extinguishers, eyewashes, safety showers, fume hoods, chemical spill kits, first-aid supplies, and containers for chemical disposal. Any questions regarding the use of these features should be addressed to your instructor or teaching assistant. 

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 a self-contained breathing apparatus, laboratory coat, eye protection, and nitrile rubber gloves (and rubber boots or overshoes if spillage is large). Cover the spilled liquid with a 1 1 1 mixture by weight of sodium carbonate or calcium carbonate, clay cat litter (bentonite), and sand. Scoop the mixture into a plastic container and, in the fume hood, add to a pail of cold water. Neutralize the mixture with 5% hydrochloric acid, let stand overnight, and then pour the liquid into the drain. Dispose of any solid with normal refuse. Wash the area of the spill with plenty of water.5-7... 

Wear nitrile rubber gloves, eye protection, and laboratory coat. Avoid breathing dust. Brush spill into a container and transport to the fume hood. Follow waste disposal procedure. 

Small spills. Wear breathing apparatus, eye protection, laboratory coat, and nitrile rubber gloves. Scoop up the solid and package for disposal by burning. Wash site with a strong soap solution.2,3,3... 

Wear leather gloves, eye protection, and laboratory coat. Work from behind body shield. Avoid unnecessary heat, friction, or impact. Absorb the liquid on paper towel. Place paper towel in a beaker containing concentrated hydrochloric acid (about 100 mL of acid for each 1 g of azide). Follow waste disposal procedure. Wash spill site thoroughly with soap and water.7,8... 

Armour, M.A., Laboratory methods for disposal of toxic inorganic and organic chemicals, in Hazardous Waste Control in Research and Education, Pollution Prevention and Waste Minimization in Laboratories, Reinhardt, P.A. etal., Eds., Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, FL, 1995, p. 105 Haz. Mat. Spills Tec., 29.7. 

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