The correct method of storing and maintaining chemicals in the laboratory is one of the most important safety points that must be observed in the laboratory due to the potential risks it can bring. If incompatible chemicals are placed next to each other, there is a possibility of their reaction and the production of dangerous products with the ability to catch fire and explode. In addition to causing pollution, improper storage of chemicals can cause wastage of materials and reduce their properties and chemical effects. On the other hand, proper storage of chemicals can be a beneficial way to increase the life and stability of materials. Therefore, in order to prevent the unwanted combination of chemicals with each other and the occurrence of accidents, it is necessary to know the safety tips and their correct storage methods.
Observing the following points can greatly reduce the risks of material incompatibility:
- Avoid storing acids in the vicinity of bases or active metals such as sodium, potassium and magnesium.
- Avoid storing solids or oxidizing acids in the vicinity of organic acids and flammable materials.
- Avoid storing substances that react with water around the sink or near water solutions.
- Avoid storing acids in the vicinity of substances that produce toxic gases in contact with them (such as sodium cyanide, iron sulfide).
- Flammable materials should be stored in places completely away from heat and heat.
- Store materials that can be decomposed by light, away from direct light.
In the table below, the names of some incompatible chemicals whose combination may cause unwanted reactions are given.
Chemical incompatibility list
| Incompatible materials | chemical | Row |
| Oxidizing agents such as: chromic acid – nitric acid – hydroxyl compounds – ethylene glycol – perchloric acid – peroxides – permanganates | acetic acid | 1 |
| Nitric acid – sulfuric acid – other oxidizing agents | Acetone | 2 |
| chlorine-bromine-copper-fluorine-silver-mercury | acetylene | 3 |
| Water – carbon tetrachloride – other chlorinated hydrocarbon compounds – carbon dioxide – halogens | Alkaline and alkaline earth metals such as aluminum-magnesium-calcium-lithium-sodium-potassium powder | 4 |
| Mercury (in a mercury barometer) – chlorine – calcium hypochlorite – iodine – bromine – hydrofluoric acid | Anhydrous ammonia | 5 |
| Acids – metal powder – flammable solutions – chlorates – nitrites – sulfur – fine organic compounds or combustible materials | Ammonium nitrate | 6 |
| Nitric acid – hydrogen peroxide | Aniline | 7 |
| mitigating factors | Materials containing arsenic | 8 |
| Acids | Azides | 9 |
| See factors related to chlorine | to go | 10 |
| Water | Calcium oxide | 11 |
| Calcium hypochlorite – other oxidizing agents | Activated carbon | 12 |
| Ammonium salts – acids – metal powder – sulfur – organic compounds – combustible materials | Chlorates | 13 |
| Ammonia – acetylene – butadiene – butane – methane – propane (or other gases obtained from oil) – hydrogen – sodium carbide – benzene – metal powder – turpentine | Chlorine | 14 |
| Ammonia-methane-phosphine-hydrogen sulfide | Chlorine dioxide | 15 |
| Acetic acid – naphthalene – camphor – glycerol – alcohol – flammable solutions | Carmic acid (chromium trioxide) | 16 |
| Acetylene-hydrogen peroxide | copper | 17 |
| Acids | Cyanides | 18 |
| Ammonium nitrate – Chromic acid – Hydrogen peroxide – Nitric acid – Sodium peroxide – Halogens | Flammable solutions | 19 |
| Fluorine-chlorine-bromine-ceramic acid-sodium peroxide-other oxidizing agents | Hydrocarbons (such as: butane-propane-gasoline) | 20 |
| lye | Hydrocyanic acid | 21 |
| Potassium permanganate-sulfuric acid | Hydrofluoric acid | 22 |
| Metal oxides – copper powder – oxidizing agents | Hydrogen sulfide | 23 |
| Acids – activated charcoal – ammonia | Hypochlorites | 24 |
| Acetylene – Ammonia (gas or aqueous solution) – Hydrogen | Iodine | 25 |
| Acetylene-fulminic acid-ammonia | mercury | 26 |
| Metal and non-metal powders – metal sulfides – combustible solutions | Nitrates | 27 |
| Acetic acid – aniline – chromic acid – acid hydrocyanide – hydrogen sulfide – flammable gases and solutions – copper – brass alloy – heavy metals – alkalis | nitric acid | 28 |
| Ammonium salts – amides – phosphides – reducing agents | Nitrites | 29 |
| Acids-bases-amines-halides | Nitroparaffins | 30 |
| Silver – chlorites – urea | Oxalic acid | 31 |
| Oils – grease – hydrogen – other reducing agents including gases, solutions and flammable solids | oxygen | 32 |
| Similar to chlorates | High in chlorates | 33 |
| Reducing agents such as: acetic anhydride – bismuth and its alloys – alcohols – paper – wool – grease – oils | Perchloric acid | 34 |
| Air – oxygen – alkalis – halogens – halogen oxides – oxidizing agents | Phosphorus (white) | 35 |
| Carbon tetrachloride – carbon dioxide – water | potassium | 36 |
| Glycerol – ethylene glycol – benzaldehyde – other reducing agents – sulfuric acid | Potassium permanganate | 37 |
| Carbon tetrachloride – carbon dioxide – water | sodium | 38 |
| Ethanol-methanol-glacial acetic acid-acetic anhydride-benzaldehyde-carbon disulfide-glycerin-ethylene glycol-acetyl acetate-methylacetate-furfural | Sodium peroxide | 39 |
| Acids | Sulfides | 40 |
| Negates – water – aqueous solutions – reducing agents – chlorates – perchlorates – nitric acid | sulfuric acid | 41 |