ABC of Safety in the Biological Sciences

 

 

 

CHEMICAL DATA AND QUICK REFERENCE CHARTS

A QUICK REFERENCE TO CHEMICALS IN COMMON USE
C = Carcinogen
O = Oxidising agent
T = Toxic
F = Flammable
P = Probable carcinogen
U = Unknown
I = Irritant
S = Safe

Disposal information refers to the section on disposal and is reproduced courtesy of Ajax Chemicals.

CHEMICAL NAME
STATUS
COMMENT
DISPOSAL
Acacia powder
F+I
18
Acetic Acid I Corrosive
24A
Acetone
F+T
Toxic when inhaled
18
Agarose I Mild irritant
18
Albumin, bovine U Can be viral contamination
18
Aluminium ammonium sulphate I Mild irritant
11
Aluminium chloride
I+T
Corrosive
11
Aluminium hydroxide I 11
Aluminium potassium sulphate
I+T
Toxic when ingested
11
8-amino-naphthol-3,6-disulphonic acid U 5
Ammonia solution
I+T
Corrosive,explosive
10
Ammonium acetate
I+T
Eye irritant
11
Ammonium bromide I Hygroscopic
11
Ammonium citrate I Mild irritant
11
Ammonium hydrogen sulphate I Corrosive
11
Ammonium hydrogen tetraborate
I+T
11
Ammonium nitrate
I+O+T
11
Ammonium oxalate
I+T
Very toxic
11
Ammonium sulphamate U 19
Ammonium sulphate I Corrosive
11
Amyl acetate
F+I
Dermatitis
18
Araldite LC 177N
F+T
Dermatitis
18
Araldite RD2
F+T
Dermatitis
18
Argon (gas) T Asphyxiant
Arsanilic acid
I+T
Very toxic
27D
Arsenazo
I+T
Very toxic
27D
Arsenazo III
I+T
Very toxic
27D
Barbitone T  
Barium carbonate
I+T
Very toxic
27H
Barium chloride
I+O+T
Very toxic
27H
Barium nitrate
I+O+T
Very toxic
27H
Barium sulphate S Mild eye irritant
26
Benzene
C+F+T
Narcotic
18
Benzidine P
18
Benzoyl chloride
F+I+T
Very toxic
1A
Borax
I+T
Moderately toxic
24B
Boric acid
I+T
24B
Butoxyethanol
F+I+T
Very toxic
18
Butvar I
Butyl alcohol
F+I+T
Narcotic
18
Calcium chloride
I+T
Dermatitis
11
Calcium oxalate
I+T
Severe irritant
11
Calcium oxide O Corrosive
11
Capryl alcohol I Mildly toxic
24A
Carbon
F+I
Flammable
27J
Carbon dioxide (gas) T
Carbon tetrachloride
I+P+T
Very toxic,mutagen
27J
Cedar wood oil
I+T
Allergen
18
Charcoal
F+I
Spon.combustion
26
Chloral hydrate
I+T
Very toxic
4B
Chloroform
F+P+T
Embryotoxin
27J
Chromic potassium sulphate
I+P+T
Very toxic
11
Chromium
I+T
11
Chromium chloride
I+T
Very toxic
11
Chromium trioxide
F+P
Corrosive
12A
Citric acid I Corrosive
24A
Clove oil U
18
Cobalt chloride
I+P+T
Very toxic
11
Cobaltous oxalate
I+T
Severe irritant
11
Collodion
F+T
Very flammable
18
Copper oxalate
I+T
Severe irritant
11
Copper print
I+T
27A
Copper sulphate
I+T
11
Creosote
I+T
Very toxic
18
D.P.X.
I+T
18
Dextrin U
18
Di lithium metaborate
I+T
11
Diaminobenzidine I
18
Diastase
I+T
Mildly toxic
18
1,2-dibromoethane
I+P+T
Very toxic
4B
Dibutyl phthalate
I+T
Mildly toxic
18
Dichloroethane
F+T
Very toxic
4B
Dichloromethane
I+T
27J
Diethyl ether
F+I+T
Narcotic
18
Dimethyl amino benzaldehyde   Combustible  
Dimethyl formamide
I+P
Embryotoxin
20
Dimethylarsinic acid T
27D
Dimethylphenylenediamine
I+T
 
Dimethylsulphoxide I Teratogen, allergen
4B
Dioxane
C+F+T
Mutagen,very toxic
15
Diphenylamine
I+P+T
Teratogen  
Diphenyloxazole I Mildly toxic  
Disodium hydrogen orthophosphate I
11
EDTA I Food additive
4C
1,2-epoxypropane
F+I+P+T
Corrosive
15
Ethanol
F+T
18
Ethoxyethanol
F+I+T
Teratogen
18
Ethylene glycol
F+I+T
Mutagen
18
Ethylmaleimide T Corrosive
18
Ferric ammonium sulphate I
11
Ferric chloride
I+T
Corrosive
11
Ferric potassium oxalate
I+T
Severe irritant
11
Ferric sulphate I Mildly toxic
11
Ferrous oxalate
I+T
Severe irritant
11
Ferrous sulphate
I+P+T
11
Flavianic acid C
24B
Formaldehyde
C+F+I+T
Dermatitis  
Formic acid
C+F+T
Corrosive
24A
Gelatin S
26
Glutaraldehyde
I+T
Dermatitis  
Glycerin I Dermatitis
18
Glycine I Combustible
4C
Gold chloride
I+T
Mildly toxic
27K
Gum acacia
F+I
18
Hexamine
I+T
Combustible
7A
Histoclear
I+T
Dermatitis
18
Hydrazine sulphate
I+P+T
Corrosive
16
Hydrochloric acid I Corrosive
24B
Hydrofluoric acid T V.toxic,corrosive
24B
Hydrogen peroxide
F+I+O
Very corrosive
22A
Hydroquinone
I+T
Very toxic
18
Hydroxyquinoline
I+T
Mildly toxic  
Iodine
I+T
V.toxic,corrosive
12A
Iso pentane
F+I+T
Narcotic
18
Lanthanum nitrate
I+O+T
Mildly toxic
11
Lead acetate
P+T
Cumulative poison
27F
Lead citrate T
27F
Lead metaborate
I+T
11
Lead nitrate
O+T
V.toxic,explosive
27F
Lithium carbonate C Mutagen,corrosive
11
Lithium metaborate
I+T
11
Lithium oxalate
I+T
Severe irritant
11
Magnesium carbonate
I+T
Mildly toxic
26
Magnesium chloride
I+T
Mildly toxic
11
Magnesium nitrate
I+O+T
11
Magnesium oxalate
I+T
Severe irritant
11
Magnesium sulphate
I+T
11
Manganous oxalate
I+T
Severe irritant
11
Mercuric chloride T V.toxic,corrosive
27B
Mercuric oxide
O+T
V.toxic,corrosive
27B
Mercury
I+T
Very toxic
27B
Merthiolate I
18
Methanol
F+I+T
Mutagen,narcotic
18
Methyl acetate
I+T
Narcotic
18
Methyl cellulose
I+T
Mildly toxic
18
Methyl trisulphide
I+T
11
Methylaminophenol sulphate (METOL)
I+T
Skin sensitiser
18
Naphthalene
F+I+T
18
Naphthol
I+T
18
Naphthylamine P
18
Nitric acid
I+O
Corrosive
24B
Octan-1-ol (capryl alcohol) I Low toxicity
24A
Oil of turpentine F
18
Orcinol I Combustible
18
Osmium tetroxide
+T
Very toxic
27K
Oxalic acid
I+T
Very toxic
24A
Paraformaldehyde
I+T
Very toxic  
Peanut oil I
18
Perchloric acid
C+O+T
V.toxic,corrosive
12A
Periodic acid
F+I+O
Corrosive
24B
Petroleum spirit
F+I+T
Narcotic
18
Phenol
I+T
V.toxic,corrosive
18
Phenyl arsenoxide
I+T
Very toxic
27D
Phenylarsonic acid
I+T
Very toxic
27D
Phenylenediamine hydrochloride
I+T
18
Phosphomolybdic acid
I+O+T
Corrosive
11
Phosphorus pentoxide
I+O
Corrosive
24B
Phosphotungstic acid I Corrosive
24B
Picric acid
I+O+T
Neurotoxin  
Polyethylene glycol S
18
Polyvinyl alcohol I Mildly toxic
18
Potassium acetate I
11
Potassium bisulphate I Severe corrosive
11
Potassium bromide
I+T
Skin sensitiser
11
Potassium carbonate I Dermatitis  
Potassium chlorate
I+O+T
Explosive
12A
Potassium chloride
I+T
Very toxic
11
Potassium chromate
O+P+T
Corrosive
12A
Potassium citrate I
11
Potassium cyanide
I+T
V.toxic,corrosive
14
Potassium dichromate
C+O
Corrosive
12A
Potassium dihydrogen orthophosphate
I+T
Moderately toxic
11
Potassium ferricyanide U Insufficient data
14
Potassium ferrocyanide I
14
Potassium hydrogen orthophosphate
I+T
11
Potassium hydrogen oxalate
I+T
Severe irritant
11
Potassium hydrogen sulphate
I+T
Corrosive
11
Potassium hydroxide
I+T
Strong corrosive
10
Potassium iodide
I+T
Dermatitis
11
Potassium metabisulphite I Strong corrosive
12B
Potassium metaborate
I+T
11
Potassium nitrate
I+O+T
12A
Potassium oxalate
I+T
Severe irritant
11
Potassium permanganate
I+O+T
Corrosive
12A
Potassium pyrosulphate
I+T
Corrosive
11
Potassium tetraoxalate
I+T
Severe irritant
11
Potassium thiocyanate
I+T
11
Potassium thiosulphate I
11
Potassium titanium oxalate
I+T
Severe irritant
11
Propanediol
I+T
Mildly toxic
18
Propanol
F+I+T
Narcotic
18
Propylene oxide
F+I+T
Corrosive
18
Protargol
I+T
27K
Pyridine
F+I+T
Neurotoxin  
Pyrogallol
I+T
Very toxic
18
Silica I
26
Silver nitrate
I+O+T
V.toxic,corrosive
27K
Sodium acetate
I+T
Mildly toxic
11
Sodium azide
F+I+T
Explosive  
Sodium B glycerophosphate T Mildly toxic
7B
Sodium barbitone T Narcotic
11
Sodium bicarbonate S Mild eye irritant
11
Sodium borohydride
F+I+T
Corrosive
17
Sodium cacodylate
I+T
Very toxic
27D
Sodium carbonate I Severe irritant
11
Sodium chloride I Animal mutagen
11
Sodium chromate
C+O
Corrosive
12A
Sodium citrate I
11
Sodium dichromate
I+O+P
Corrosive
12A
Sodium dihydrogen orthophosphate
I+T
11
Sodium dithionite
F+I+T
Spon.combustion
12B
Sodium fluoride
I+T
V.toxic, severe
11
Sodium formate I Mildly toxic
11
Sodium hydrogen carbonate S Mild eye irritant
11
Sodium hydrogen sulphate
I+T
Corrosive
11
Sodium hydroxide
I+T
Very corrosive
10
Sodium hypochlorite I Very corrosive
12A
Sodium hypophosphate I Explosive
12B
Sodium iodate
I+O+T
Mildly toxic
11
Sodium metabisulphite   Corrosive
12B
Sodium metaborate
I+T
11
Sodium nitrate
I+O+T
Dermatitis
12A
Sodium nitrite
O+P+T
Very toxic
12A
Sodium nitroprusside T Very toxic
14
Sodium oxalate
I+T
Severe irritant
11
Sodium periodate
I+O+T
12A
Sodium pyrosulphate
I+T
Corrosive
11
Sodium sulphite I Corrosive
12B
Sodium tetraborate
I+T
11
Sodium thiosulphate
I+T
12B
Stannous oxalate
I+T
Severe irritant
11
Sucrose S
18
Sulphuric acid
I+O
Very corrosive
24B
Tannic acid P
24A
Tetrahydrofuran
F+I+T
Very toxic
18
Thimerosal
I+T
Very toxic
18
Thioglycolic acid
I+T
V.toxic,corrosive
13
Thoron
I+T
Very toxic
27D
Thymol I Corrosive
18
Toluene
F+I+T
Very toxic
18
Trichloracetic acid I Strong corrosive
4C
Triphenylarsine
I+T
Very toxic
27D
Triton X-100 I
18
Trypsin I Dermatitis
29
Tween 20 S
26
Uranyl acetate
I+T
Very toxic
27K
Uranyl formate
I+T
Very toxic
27K
Urea I
26
Xylene
F+I+T
Narcotic
18
Zinc
F+T
27A
Zinc oxalate
I+T
Severe irritant
11

 

 

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REFERENCES