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Table of Incompatible Chemicals

The following substances may react violently with one another and must be kept apart.

 
Chemical Is Incompatible with
Acetic acid Chromic acid, nitric acid alcohols, ethylene glycol, perchloric acid, peroxides, permanganates
Acetone Concentrated nitric and sulfuric acid mixtures
Acetylene Chlorine, bromine, fluorine, copper, silver, mercury
Acids Bases
Activated
Carbon
Calcium hypochlorite, oxidizing agents
Alkali Metals Water, carbon tetrachloride and other halogenated alkanes, carbon dioxide, halogens
Aluminum
Alkyls
Water
Ammonia, Mercury (e.g., in pressure gauges), laboratory gas chlorine, calcium hypochlorite, iodine, bromine, hydrogen fluoride
Ammonium Acids, powered metals, flammable liquids, chlorates, nitrates, sulfur, fine-particulate organic Nitrate or combustible materials.
Aniline Nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide
Azides Acids
Bases Acids
Bromine See chlorine
Carbon
Tetrachloride
Sodium
Chlorates Ammonium salts, acids, powered metals, sulfur, fine-particulate organic or combustible substances
Chlorine Ammonia, acetylene, butadiene, butane, methane, propane, hydrogen, petroleum benzine, benzene, powered metals
Chromic Acid Acetic acid, naphthalene, camphor, glycerol, petroleum benzine, alcohols, flammable liquids
Copper Acetylene, hydrogen peroxide
Cumene
Hydroperoxide
Acids, both organic and inorganic
Cyanides Acids
Flammable Liquids Ammonium nitrate, chromic acid, hydrogen peroxide, nitric acid, sodium peroxide, halogens
Fluorine Store separately
Hydrocarbons
(butane, propane,
benzene, etc.)
Fluorine, chlorine, bromine, chromic acid, sodium peroxide
Hydrogen Fluoride Ammonia, laboratory gas or solution
Hydrogen Peroxide Copper, Chromium, iron, metals and metals salts, alcohols, acetone, organic substances, aniline, nitromethane, combustibles (solid or liquid)
Hydrogen Sulfide Fuming nitric acid, oxidizing gases
Iodine Acetylene, ammonia (laboratory gas or solution)
Mercury Acetylene, ammonia
Nitric Acid, Conc. Acetic acid, aniline, chromic acid, prussic acid, hydrogen sulfide, flammable liquids and gases
Oxalic Acid Silver, mercury
Perchloric Acid Acetic anhydride, bismuth and its alloys, alcohols, paper, wood
Phosphorus Sulfur, oxygen-containing compounds with such as chlorates
Potassium See alkali metals
Potassium Chlorate See chlorates
Potassium Perchlorate See chlorates
Potassium
Permanganate
Glycerol, ethylene glycol, benzaldehyde, sulfuric acid
Silver Acetylene, oxalic acid, tartaric acid, ammonium compounds.
Sodium See alkali metals
Sodium Peroxide Methanol, ethanol, glacial acetic acid, anhydride, benzaldehyde, carbon disulfide, glycerol, ethylene glycol, ethyl acetate, methyl acetate, furfurol
Sulfides Acids
Sulfuric Acid Potassium chlorate, potassium perchlorate, potassium permanganate

Please note: This is not an exhaustive list of incompatible chemicals. See the specific lab standard operating procedures or your Lab Supervisor/Principal Investigator to determine additional material incompatibilities of which to be aware.

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