PeteH
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Question about chemical storage
Hi,
I'm moving house and will be needing to pack up and store my chemicals (along with household contents) for approximately 6 months. They're
predominately raw powdered chems all for photographic developing. (Obviously they're all in sealed bottles or containers which I've boxed up (plastic
storage tubs mostly).
My intention was to store all of this, along with my household stuff, via shipping container storage. The container would then be sealed and stored in
a port of some sort.
I figured this would be ok but thought I'd check with more knowledgeable folk on this forum first.
Cheers
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HgDinis25
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It would be helpful to know wich chemicals are you talking about.
Some quick tips, anyway:
1- Don't store hygroscopic reagents inside bottles you don't trust to be completly airproof;
2- Don't store reagents in non apropriate containes, like concentrated strong alkali in glass, organic solvents with plastics, etc;
3- Don't store reagents that may decompose to dangerous producrs over long periods of time, like Chloroform, wich decomposes to phosgene.
4- Remember to protect your glass items (including reagents bottles) very well, transportation may be harsh and you don't want your precious chemicals
to get wasted or cause an accident.
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diddi
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you could always look up the MSDS for the photo chemicals and check for storage issues there. the worst items to store are acids/oxidants and
spontaneously combustibles, then the flammables. so prolly none of yours fit into these categories.
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Metacelsus
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Chloroform is fine if kept in a cool, dark place with little air in the bottle. If you want to be absolutely sure, add some ethanol to stabilize it.
Chloroform doesn't decompose, it is oxidized by air. An example of a compound that does decompose would be hydrogen peroxide (the rate of
decomposition is dependent on concentration and temperature). Storing concentrated hydrogen peroxide in a sealed container is a bad idea because
oxygen pressure can build up.
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PeteH
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Quote: Originally posted by HgDinis25  | It would be helpful to know wich chemicals are you talking about.
Here's my chemical list:
• 5 x Sodium Sulphite
• 1 x Sodium Sulphite Anhydrous
• 4.5 x Sodium Thiosulphate Hypo
• 1 x Sodium Hydroxide Caustic Soda
• 1 x Gelatine Powder
• 1 x Potassium Sodium (+)- Tartrate
• 1 x Potassium Oxalate
• 1 x Tartaric Acid
• 1 x Ammonium Ferric Citrate brown
• 1 x Hexameta Phosphate (Sodium) Calgon Quadrofos
• 1.5 x Boric Acid
• 2 x Sodium Tetraborate (Borax)
• 2 x Sodium Bromide
• 1 x Sodium Dithionite
• 3 x Potassium Dichromate (Potassium Bichromate)
• 1/4 full x Sodium Tiosulphate A.R.
• 1/5 full x Sodium Carbonate Anhydrous
• 1 x Potassium Bromide
• 1 x Sodium Hydrosulphite (Dithionite)
• 1 x Sodium Metabisulphite
• 1 x Sodium Sulphate
• 2 and 1/3 x CD-4
• 2 x Alum BP
• 1 x Silver Nitrate
• 1 x Potassium Iodide
• 1/2 x Kodak Ballancer Alkali
Liquids:
• 1 x Ammonia Solution
• 1 x Kodak 28% Acetic Acid
• 2 x Ilford IM-1 Indicator Stop Bath
• 1 x Kodak Photo-Flo 600 solution
• 1 x Ferric Chloride Solution 60% w/v
• Ilford Hypam Hardener Concentrated solution
- Bottle Sulfuric Acid
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MrHomeScientist
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Mostly I see nothing to be concerned about, except for the commercial products (CD-4? Photo-Flo?) which you'd need to look up the MSDS to find out
what they are made of. Keeping everything in tightly sealed bottles and in the dark is good, but the shipping container will probably get very hot in
the summer which might be bad. All of the solids will be fine if well-sealed.
Possibilities I see:
Ammonia Solution (depending on concentration) could build up pressure as it offgasses as it heats up.
Ferric Chloride could hydrolyze to iron hydroxides over time. I've had it happen very often with iron compounds.
Sulfuric Acid (depending on concentration) could pose problems if not stored in a glass container.
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PeteH
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Thanks everyone for the responses.
Will try and find alternative storage for the chems you mention MrHomeScientist so they're not left in the Aussie heat.
Cheers
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AJKOER
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I would seriously consider selling, giving away and even just throwout most of your liquids and any problematic solids.
Just too likely to break and inappropriately cause significant big problems (for the likes of an inexpensive bottle of ammonia?) not just resulting in
property damage, but potentially significant liability issues as well (and, I am not even assuming the worse, namely any potential criminal
prosecution resulting from failure on your part or your agents to disclose, properly transport or store, legally possess, violation of fire codes, or
whatever).
And, to top it off, if you were so unlucky, I am not clear if any of the usual insurance coverage you may have would even be applicable (being in
violation of law, could be cause for exclusion).
[Edited on 8-11-2014 by AJKOER]
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