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Safety Alert - Picric Acid Danger
3 December 2018
Safety Services issued a safety alert for safe use on Picric acid.
Picric acid (2,4,6-trinitrophenol) can be highly explosive if not stored properly - crystals can form on the cap and bottle which make the chemical hazardous. If crystals have formed you must secure the store to prevent access.
Action to be taken
To ensure safe storage of Picric acid you must:
- Store the acid with at least 10% moisture - this should be checked at least once a month
- Correctly label it and store it in accordance with chemical reactivity
- Record usage of the acid and whenever water is added
- Record the date purchased/date opened
Approval for Picric acid use
If picric acid has to be used, the preferred form is a 1% solution rather than a wetted solid. If a wetted solid is necessary, principal investigators must get approval from the Head of Department
Disposal of Picric acid
When wetted, picric acid should be kept in a manner to prevent it from drying out. Any wetted Picric Acid older than 2 years must be disposed through the regular chemical disposal process.