Partial List of Incompatible Chemicals

The following list of chemicals in the left-hand column should be transported, stored, used, and disposed of in such a manner that they do not accidentally come in contact with the corresponding chemicals in the right-hand column.

These chemicals could react violently if allowed to come in accidental contact with each other, resulting in an explosion, or may produce highly toxic and/or flammable gases or vapors. However, it should be remembered that this list is not in any way complete, but is to serve only as a guide for the more commonly used chemicals.

Chemical	Reagent
PARTIAL LIST OF INCOMPATIBLE CHEMICALS
Acetic acid	Chromic acid, ethylene glycol, hydroxyl-containing compounds, nitric acid, perchloric acid, permanganates, and peroxides.
Acetone	Bromine, chlorine, nitric acid, and sulfuric acid.
Acetylene	Bromine, chlorine, copper, mercury, and silver.
Alkaline and alkaline earth metals such as calcium, cesium, lithium, magnesium, potassium and sodium	Carbon dioxide, chlorinated hydrocarbons, and water.
Aluminum and its alloys (particularly powders)	Acid or alkaline solutions, ammonium persulphate and water, chlorates, chlorinated compounds, nitrates, and organic compounds in nitrate/nitrite salt baths.
Ammonia (anhydrous)	Bromine, calcium hypochlorite, chlorine, hydrofluoric acid, iodine, mercury, and silver.
Ammonium perchlorate, permanganate, or persulfate	Combustible materials; oxidizing materials such as acid, chlorates, and nitrates.
Ammonium nitrate	Acids, chlorates, chlorides, lead, metallic nitrates, metal powders, finely divided organics or combustibles, sulfur, and zinc.
Aniline	Hydrogen peroxide or nitric acid.
Barium peroxide	Combustible organics, oxidizable materials, and water.
Barium rhodanide	Sodium nitrate.
Bismuth and its alloys	Perchloric acid.
Bromine	Acetone, acetylene, ammonia, benzene, butadiene, butane and other petroleum gases, hydrogen, finely divided metals, sodium carbide, and turpentine.
Calcium or sodium carbide	Moisture (in air) or water.
Calcium hypochlorite	(Activated) ammonia or carbon.
Chlorates or perchlorates	Acids, aluminum, ammonium salts, cyanides, phosphorous, metal powders, oxidizable organics or other combustibles, sugar, sulfides, and sulfur.
Chlorine	Acetone, acetylene, ammonia, benzene, butadiene, butane and other petroleum gases, hydrogen, metal powders, sodium carbide, and turpentine.
Chlorine dioxide	Ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, methane, and phosphine.
Chromic acid	Acetic acid (glacial), acetic anhydride, alcohols, combustible materials, flammable liquids, glycerine, napthalene, nitric acid, sulfur, and turpentine.
Cumene hydroperoxide	Acids (mineral or organic).
Cyanides	Acids or alkalies.
Fluorine	Most materials.
Hydrocarbons such as benzene, butane, gasoline, propane, turpentine, etc.	Bromine, chlorine, chromic acid, fluorine, hydrogen peroxide, and sodium peroxide.
Hydrofluoric acid or anhydrous hydrogen fluoride	Ammonia (anhydrous or aqueous).
Hydrocyanic acid or hydrogen cyanide	Alkalies and nitric acid.
Hydrogen peroxide 3‰	Chromium, copper, iron, most metals or their salts.
Hydrogen peroxide 30‰ or 90‰	Same as 3‰ hydrogen peroxide plus aniline, any flammable liquids, combustible materials, nitromethane, and all other organic matter.
Hydrogen sulfide	Fuming nitric acid or oxidizing gases.
Iodine	Acetylene, ammonia (anhydrous or aqueous), and hydrogen.
Lithium	Acids, moisture in air, and water.
Lithium aluminum hydride	Air, chlorinated hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, ethyl acetate, and water.
Magnesium (particularly powder)	Carbonates, chlorates, heavy metal oxalates or oxides, nitrates, perchlorates, peroxides, phosphates, and sulfates.
Mercuric oxide	Sulfur.
Mercury	Acetylene, alkali metals, ammonia, nitric acid with ethanol, and oxalic acid.
Nitrates	Combustible materials, esters, phosphorous, sodium acetate, stannous chloride, water, and zinc powder.
Nitric acid (conc.)	Acetic acid, aniline, chromic acid, flammable gases and liquids, hydrocyanic acid, hydrogen sulfide, and nitratable substances.
Nitric acid	Alcohols and other oxidizable organic material, hydriodic acid (hydrogen iodide), magnesium or other metals, phosphorous, and thiophene.
Nitrates	Potassium or sodium cyanide.
Nitro paraffins	Inorganic alkalies.
Oxalic acid	Mercury or silver.
Oxygen (liquid or enriched air)	Flammable gases, liquids, or solids such as acetone, acetylene, grease, hydrogen, oils, and phosphorous.
Perchloric acid	Acetic anhydride, alcohols, bismuth and its alloys, grease, oils or any organic materials, and reducing agents.
Peroxides (organic)	Acids (mineral or organic).
Phosphorous	Chlorates and perchlorates, nitrates and nitric acid.
Phosphorous pentoxide	Organic compounds or water.
Phosphorous (Red)	Oxidizing materials.
Phosphorous (White)	Air (oxygen) or other oxidizing materials.
Ploric acid	Ammonia heated with oxides or salts of heavy metals and friction with oxidizing agents.
Potassium	Air (moisture and/or oxygen) or water.
Potassium chlorate or perchlorate	Acids or their vapors, combustible materials, especially organic solvents, phosphorous, and sulfur.
Potassium permanganate	Benzaldehyde, ethylene glycol, glycerin, and sulfuric acid.
Silver	Acetylene, ammonium compounds, nitric acid with ethanol, oxalic acid, and tartaric acid.
Sodium amide	Air (moisture and oxygen) or water.
Sodium chlorate	Acids, ammonium salts, oxidizable materials and sulfur.
Sodium hydrosulfite	Air (moisture) or combustible materials.
Sodium nitrite	Ammonia compounds, ammonium nitrate, or other ammonium salts.
Sodium peroxide	Acetic acid (glacial), acetic anhydride, alcohols, benzaldehyde, carbon disulfide, ethyl acetate, ethylene glycol, furfural, glycerine, methyl acetate, and other oxidizable substances.
Sulfur	Any oxidizing materials.
Sulfuric acid	Chlorates, perchlorates, and perchlorates, and permanganates.
Water	Acetyl chloride, alkaline and alkaline earth metals, their hydrides and oxides, barium peroxide, carbides, chromic acid, phosphorous oxychloride, phosphorous pentachloride, phosphorous pentoxide, sulfuric acid, and sulfur trioxide, etc.
Zinc chlorate	Acids or organic materials.
Zinc (particular powder)	Acids or water.
Zirconium (particularly in powder form)	Carbon tetrachloride and other halogenated hydrocarbons, peroxides, sodium bicarbonate, and water.

Environmental Health and Safety

Hazardous Waste Management

Partial List of Incompatible Chemicals