Incompatible Chemicals (Reactive Hazards)

Reactive Hazards

It can sometimes be dangerous to accidentally mix incompatible chemicals. This may, for example, cause an explosion or release a toxic or flammable chemical or both. It is particularly important to keep this in mind in a country like Iceland where earthquakes are common. It is best to store these chemicals in separate cabinets so that there is almost no chance that they could mix in case of an accident.

This information is included in Section 10 of the SDS, which describes the chemical's stability and reactivity and any incompatible chemicals.

Here is a list of common incompatible chemicals, taken from the book "Prudent Practices in the Laboratory" published in 1995. Please note that this list is by no means exhaustive.

Acetic acid	Chromic acid, nitric acid, peroxides, permanganates
Acetic anhydride	Hydroxyl-containing compounds such as ethylene glycol, perchloric acid
Acetone	Concentrated nitric and sulfuric acid mixtures, hydrogen peroxide
Acetylene	Chlorine, bromine, copper, silver, fluorine, mercury
Alkali and alkaline earth metals, such as sodium, potassium, lithium, magnesium, calcium, powdered aluminum	Carbon dioxide, carbon tetrachloride, other chlorinated hydrocarbons (also prohibit the use of water, foam, and dry chemical extinguishers on fires involving these metals—dry sand should be employed)
Ammonia (anhydrous)	Mercury, chlorine, calcium hypochlorite, iodine, bromine, hydrogen fluoride
Ammonium nitrate	Acids, metal powders, flammable liquids, chlorates, nitrites, sulfur, finely divided organics, combustibles
Aniline	Nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide
Bromine	Ammonia, acetylene, butadiene, butane, other petroleum gases, sodium carbide, turpentine, benzene, finely divided metals
Calcium oxide	Water
Carbon, activated	Calcium hypochlorite, other oxidants
Chlorates	Ammonium salts, acids, metal powders, sulfur, finely divided organics, combustibles
Chromic acid and chromium trioxide	Acetic acid, naphthalene, camphor, glycerol, turpentine, alcohol, other flammable liquids
Chlorine	Ammonia, acetylene, butadiene, butane, other petroleum gases, hydrogen, sodium carbide, turpentine, benzene, finely divided metals
Chlorine dioxide	Ammonia, methane, phosphine, hydrogen sulfide
Copper	Acetylene, hydrogen peroxide
Fluorine	Isolate from everything
Hydrazine	Hydrogen peroxide, nitric acid, any other oxidant
Hydrocarbons (benzene, butane, propane, gasoline, turpentine, etc.)	Fluorine, chlorine, bromine, chromic acid, peroxides
Hydrocyanic acid	Nitric acid, alkalis
Hydrofluoric acid (anhydrous)	Ammonia (aqueous or anhydrous) Hydrogen fluoride
Hydrogen peroxide	Copper, chromium, iron, most metals or their salts, any flammable liquid, combustible materials, aniline, nitromethane
Hydrogen sulfide	Fuming nitric acid,a oxidizing gases
Iodine	Acetylene, ammonia (anhydrous or aqueous)
Mercury	Acetylene, fulminic acid,a ammonia
Nitric acid (concentrated)	Acetic acid, acetone, alcohol, aniline, chromic acid, hydrocyanic acid, hydrogen sulfide, flammable liquids, flammable gases, nitratable substances
Nitroparaffins	Inorganic bases, amines
Oxalic acid	Silver and mercury and their salts
Oxygen	Oils, grease, hydrogen, flammable liquids, solids, gases
Perchloric acid	Acetic anhydride, bismuth and its alloys, alcohol, paper, wood, grease, oils (all organics)
Peroxides, organic	Acids (organic or mineral), (also avoid friction, store cold)
Phosphorus (white)	Air, oxygen
Phosphorus pentoxide	Alcohols, strong bases, water
Potassium chlorate	Acids (see also chlorates)
Potassium perchlorate	Acids (see also perchloric acid)
Potassium permanganate	Glycerol, ethylene glycol, benzaldehyde, sulfuric acid
Silver and silver salts	Acetylene, oxalic acid, tartaric acid, fulminic acid,a ammonium compounds
Sodium	See alkali metals (above)
Sodium nitrite	Ammonium nitrate and other ammonium salts
Sodium peroxide	Any oxidizable substance, such as ethanol, methanol, glacial acetic acid, acetic anhydride, benzaldehyde, carbon disulfide, glycerol, ethylene glycol, ethyl acetate, methyl acetate, furfural
Sulfuric acid	Chlorates, perchlorates, permanganates