INCOMPATIBILITY OF COMMON LABORATORY CHEMICALS

When certain hazardous chemicals are stored or mixed together, violent reactions may occur because the chemicals are
unsuitable for mixing, or are incompatible. Classes of incompatible chemicals should be segregated from each other during
storage, according to hazard class. Use the following general guidelines for hazard class storage:

• Flammable/Combustible Liquids and Organic Acids

• Flammable Solids
• Mineral Acids
• Caustics
• Oxidizers
• Perchloric Acid
• Compressed Gases

Before mixing any chemicals, refer to this partial list, the chemicals' MSDS's or call OLSC at 4-3282 to verify compatibility:
CHEMICAL INCOMPATIBLE CHEMICAL(S)

aldehyde, bases, carbonates, hydroxides, metals, oxidizers, peroxides,

Acetic acid
phosphates, xylene

Acetylene halogens (chlorine, fluorine, etc.), mercury, potassium, oxidizers, silver

Acetone acids, amines, oxidizers, plastics

acids, chromium, ethylene, halogens, hydrogen, mercury, earth nitrogen,

Alkali and alkaline metals
oxidizers, plastics, sodium chloride, sulfur

Ammonia acids, aldehydes, amides, halogens, heavy metals, oxidizers, plastics, sulfur

acids, alkalis, chloride salts, combustible materials, metals, organic materials,

Ammonium nitrate
phosphorous, reducing agents, urea

Aniline acids, aluminum, dibenzoyl peroxide, oxidizers, plastics

Azides acids, heavy metals, oxidizers

acetaldehyde, alcohols, alkalis, amines, combustible materials, ethylene,

Bromine
fluorine, hydrogen, ketones (acetone, carbonyls, etc.), metals, sulfur
Calcium oxide acids, ethanol, fluorine, organic materials

Carbon (activated) alkali metals, calcium hypochlorite, halogens, oxidizers

Carbon tetrachloride benzoyl peroxide, ethylene, fluorine, metals, oxygen, plastics, silanes

Chlorates powdered metals, sulfur, finely divided organic or combustible materials

Chromic acid acetone, alcohols, alkalis, ammonia, bases

benzene, combustible materials, hydrocarbons, metals, organic materials,

Chromium trioxide
phosphorous, plastics

alcohol's, ammonia, benzene, combustible materials, flammable compounds

Chlorine (hydrazine), hydrocarbons (acetylene, ethylene, etc.), hydrogen peroxide,
iodine, metals, nitrogen, oxygen, sodium hydroxide

hydrogen, mercury, organic materials, phosphorous, potassium hydroxide,

Chlorine dioxide
sulfur

Copper calcium, hydrocarbons, oxidizers

Hydroperoxide reducing agents

Cyanides acids, alkaloids, aluminum, iodine, oxidizers, strong bases

ammonium nitrate, chromic acid, hydrogen peroxide, nitric acid, sodium

Flammable liquids
peroxide, halogens

alcohol's, aldehydes, ammonia, combustible materials, halocarbons,

Fluorine
halogens, hydrocarbons, ketones, metals, organic acids

Hydrocarbons (Such as butane,

acids, bases, oxidizers, plastics
propane benzene, turpentine,
etc.)

Hydrofluoric acid metals, organic materials, plastics, silica (glass), (anhydrous) sodium

acetylaldehyde, acetic acid, acetone, alcohol's carboxylic acid, combustible

Hydrogen peroxide materials, metals, nitric acid, organic compounds, phosphorous, sulfuric acid,
sodium, aniline

Hydrogen sulfide acetylaldehyde, metals, oxidizers, sodium

Hypochlorites acids, activated carbon

Iodine acetylaldehyde, acetylene, ammonia, metals, sodium

acetylene, aluminum, amines, ammonia, calcium, fulminic acid, lithium,

Mercury
oxidizers, sodium

Nitrates acids, nitrites, metals, sulfur, sulfuric acid

acetic acid, acetonitrile, alcohol's, amines, (concentrated) ammonia, aniline,

Nitric acid bases, benzene, cumene, formic acid, ketones, metals, organic materials,
plastics, sodium, toluene

Oxalic acid oxidizers, silver, sodium chlorite

acetaldehyde, secondary alcohol's, alkalis and alkalines, ammonia, carbon

Oxygen monoxide, combustible materials, ethers, flammable materials, hydrocarbons,
metals, phosphorous, polymers

acetic acid, alcohols, aniline, combustible materials, dehydrating agents,

Perchloric acid ethyl benzene, hydriotic acid, hydrochloric acid, iodides, ketones, organic
material, oxidizers, pyridine

Peroxides, organic acids (organic or mineral)

Phosphorus (white) oxygen (pure and in air), alkalis

 acetylene, acids, alcohols, halogens, hydrazine, mercury, oxidizers, selenium,
Potassium
sulfur

acids, ammonia, combustible materials, fluorine, hydrocarbons, metals,

Potassium chlorate
organic materials, sugars

Potassium perchlorate (also see alcohols, combustible materials, fluorine, hydrazine, metals, organic matter,
chlorates) reducing agents, sulfuric acid

Potassium permanganate benzaldehyde, ethylene glycol, glycerol, sulfuric acid

Silver acetylene, ammonia, oxidizers, ozonides, peroxyformic acid

Sodium acids, hydrazine, metals, oxidizers, water

acetic anhydride, acids, metals, organic matter, peroxyformic acid, reducing

Sodium nitrate
agents

acetic acid, benzene, hydrogen sulfide metals, oxidizers, peroxyformic acid,

Sodium peroxide
phosphorous, reducers, sugars, water

Sulfides acids

Sulfuric acid potassium chlorates, potassium perchlorate, potassium permanganate

 Basic Chemical Segregation

CLASS OF RECOMMENDED STORAGE

EXAMPLES INCOMPATIBILITIES
CHEMICALS METHOD
SEE MSDS IN ALL CASES
Store in a cool, dry area,
Compressed away from oxidizing Oxidizing and toxic
Gases- gases. Securely strap or Methane, acetylene, propane compressed gases,
Flammable chain cylinders to a wall oxidizing solids.
or bench top.
Store in a cool, dry area,
away from flammable
Compressed
gases and liquids.
Gases- Oxygen, chlorine, bromine Flammable gases.
Securely strap or chain
Oxidizing
cylinders to a wall or
bench.
Store in a cool, dry area,
away from flammable
Compressed
gases and liquids. Flammable and/or
Gases- Carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulphide (H2S)
Securely strap or chain oxidizing gases.
Poisonous
cylinders to a wall or
bench.
Mineral acids - Hydrochloric acid, sulfuric Flammable liquids,
Corrosives - Store in separate acid
acid, nitric acid, perchloric acid, chromic flammable solids, bases,
Acids storage cabinet.
acid, chromerge oxidizers.
Flammable liquids,
Corrosives - Store in separate storage
Ammonium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide oxidizers, poisons, and
Bases cabinet.
acids.
Ammonium nitrate, Nitro Urea, Picric Acid
(in dry state), Trinitroaniline,
Shock Store in secure location Trinitroanisole, Trinitrobenzene, Flammable liquids,
Sensitive away from all other Trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid, oxidizers, poisons,
Materials chemicals. Trinitrobenzoic acid, Trinitrochlorobenzene, acids, and bases.
Trinitrophenol/Picric acid, trinitrotoluene,
Urea Nitrate, Zirconium picramate
Flammable In grounded flammable Acetone, benzene, diethyl ether, methanol, Acids, bases, oxidizers,
Liquids storage cabinet. ethanol, toluene, glacial acetic acid and poisons.
Store in a separate dry,
Flammable cool area away from Acids, bases, oxidizers,
Phosphorus
Solids oxidizers, corrosives, and poisons.
flammable liquids.
Store on general
General
laboratory benches or Agar, sodium chloride, sodium bicarbonate,
Chemicals See MSDS
shelving preferably and most non-reactive salts
Non-reactive
behind glass doors, or
 below eye level.
Sodium hypochlorite, benzoyl peroxide,
Store in a spill tray inside
potassium permanganate, potassium
a noncombustible Separate from reducing
chlorate, potassium dichromate. The
Oxidizers cabinet, separate from agents, flammables and
following are generally considered oxidizing
flammable and combustibles.
substances: peroxides, perchlorates,
combustible materials.
chlorates, nitrates, bromates, superoxides
Store separately in
vented, cool, dry, area, in Flammable liquids,
Cyanides, heavy metals compounds, i.e.
Poisons unbreakable chemically acids, bases, and
cadmium, mercury, osmium
resistant secondary oxidizers.
containers.
Water Store in dry, cool, Separate from all
Sodium metal, potassium metal, lithium
Reactive location, protect from aqueous solutions, and
metal, lithium aluminum hydride
Chemicals water fire sprinkler. oxidizers.