<br>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">I've always been instructed by HAZMAT officials that old picric acid (particularly if crystals have formed under the lid) is an acute explosion hazard. Just opening the jar<b> can</b> cause a large explosion. I've been in two situations (once in Memphis, Tennessee, once on Honolulu, Hawaii) when either the bomb squad or Army Explosive Ordinance Division came out to remove our picric acid. (Not at my insistance, but theirs. I would not open a jar of dry picric acid with crystal formation. Go to this website for more information.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">http://www-ehs.ucsd.edu/lab/2009.htm#c</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Jacqueline M. O'Connor HT(ASCP)<br>
Abbott Laboratories<br>
Global Pharmaceutical Research and Development<br>
Discovery Chemotheraputics<br>
847.938.4919<br>
</font>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<table width=100%>
<tr valign=top>
<td>
<td><font size=1 face="sans-serif"><b>John Kiernan <jkiernan@uwo.ca></b></font>
<br><font size=1 face="sans-serif">Sent by: histonet-admin@lists.utsouthwestern.edu</font>
<p><font size=1 face="sans-serif">11/10/2003 11:11 PM</font>
<br><font size=1 face="sans-serif">Please respond to jkiernan</font>
<br>
<td><font size=1 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=1 face="sans-serif"> To: jim <jim.manavis@imvs.sa.gov.au>, Histonet Listserver <histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu></font>
<br><font size=1 face="sans-serif"> cc: </font>
<br><font size=1 face="sans-serif"> Subject: Re: [Histonet] Picric Acid</font></table>
<br>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="Courier New">Wash under a tap. Put some water<br>
in the jar if it has dried out.<br>
<br>
Picric acid explodes if its temperature<br>
goes above 300C. Sources: Lange's<br>
Handbook of Chemistry, just checked;<br>
also remembered from various textbooks <br>
read over the years. This cannot happen <br>
in the presence of liquid water. <br>
<br>
Nearly all anecdotes about picric acid<br>
explosions in labs are urban legends<br>
(= untrue). For confirmation of this<br>
assertion, check it out with Google,<br>
but allow a couple of hours and use<br>
your brain to evaluate the produce.<br>
__________________________________<br>
> jim wrote:<br>
> <br>
> Has anyone information or data on the safe disposal<br>
> of Picric Acid (crystals have formed on lid of<br>
> bottle).<br>
> <br>
> Thanks<br>
> <br>
> Jim Manavis<br>
> Senior Hospital Scientist<br>
> Department of Neuropathology<br>
> Institute of Medical & Veterinary Science<br>
> Adelaide, SA, 5000<br>
> Australia<br>
> Phone: 61-08-8222-3668<br>
> FAX: 61-08-8222 3204<br>
> e.mail: jim.manavis@imvs.sa.gov.au<br>
> Disclaimer: Not this little black duck!<br>
> <br>
<br>
-- <br>
-------------------------<br>
John A. Kiernan<br>
Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology<br>
The University of Western Ontario<br>
London, Canada N6A 5C1<br>
kiernan@uwo.ca<br>
http://publish.uwo.ca/~jkiernan/<br>
<br>
_______________________________________________<br>
Histonet mailing list<br>
Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu<br>
http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet<br>
</font>
<br>
<br>