ldanielrosa - 21-3-2014 at 00:30
I recently ordered these from someone, and to my surprise they were shipped in the same box. I thought that a bit foolish, and I'd like some input
from some people here as to what I should say to whom- as in the postal service, the trade forum, and the merchant- and in what order.
Also, is there a fairly simple experiment that will confirm the KIO3? I'm thinking about titrating it against some ascorbic acid I have on hand.
bismuthate - 21-3-2014 at 02:54
Add sodium metabisulfie to a solution of KIO3 and it makes I2.
plante1999 - 21-3-2014 at 03:39
If you start making bad reputation at chem sellers, someday we will have none. If there was a dislike button I would have clicked it.
Dr.Bob - 21-3-2014 at 05:06
The rules for shipping are very complex, and there are some situations, depending on amounts, where dissimilar or reactive compounds can be shipped
together. Given that even the best companies have issues with shipping chemicals, I would not create more ill will for them, as plante says above.
Since both are solids, there is much less of an issue than if you have a liquid and a solid that react, as they are much easier to mix by accident.
That also factors into what can be mixed in the same shipment. But the rules are 100's of pages long, and I don't deal with them much now. But
there are more than a few rules that even contradict each other, since they are made by multiple groups of the government, often with different goals.
ldanielrosa - 21-3-2014 at 11:09
Plante, that's why I'm taking input before committing to any action.
Dr.Bob, that's what I was afraid of. It's difficult to find sense after the bureaucracy.
His carelessness could have raised an alarm or worse if something went wrong. There is also a paper trail that he generated, and that could also bite
him later on.
Shipping a fuel and oxidizer together requires some consideration of failure modes. Neither had double containment nor were the pair bagged together
to exclude water if the package were dropped into a puddle, but the package was very well padded.
I've ordered fuels and oxidizers at the same time before, and the suppliers had their way or resolving it. One distributor had two BoLs generated
automatically, and a shipping charge for each. The acids usually shipped with the oxidizers. Another distributor refused to allow fuels and
oxidizers in the same order- I'd have to wait until one order was shipped before I could buy the other items.
But then, I've also seen ridiculous extremes. Activated charcoal was listed as a "combustible solid", and as such a local chemical distributor
required that I pay hazard fees for them to receive it then I had to come in to pick it up. I haven't spoken to that clerk since then.
This guy is small-time, and the prices are good for the unit size. I definitely want him to stay in business.
I don't know if this was a simple oversight or if it is indicative of a lack of understand on his part, or on my part for that matter. Maybe KIO3 and
CaC2 are benign together even when mixed into a slurry and dried in a hot skillet. I do know that chromic acid is incompatible with hydrocarbons,
which is why we have different waste containers at work. Yet some people still throw stuff into the wrong bins.
Mailinmypocket - 21-3-2014 at 14:22
What's the big problem with calcium carbide and potassium iodate in the same box, dry and packed well?
I'd worry more about calcium carbide and distilled water to be honest.