DRYING AGENTS Clause Samples

DRYING AGENTS. The safest common drying agents are calcium chloride, silica gel, molecular sieves and calcium sulfate (Drierite). These are recommended because of their low toxicity and stability. Drying agents that pose varying degrees of hazard and disposal problems include: • Phosphorus Pentoxide generates highly corrosive phosphoric acid and heat on contact with water and has to be disposed of as a hazardous waste unless it can be reacted and neutralized. • Magnesium Perchlorate (Dehydrite) is a strong oxidizer and may cause fires or explosions on contact with organic materials and must be disposed of as a hazardous waste. • Water Reactive Chemicals (materials such as sodium metal, potassium metal, calcium metal, calcium carbide, calcium hydride, lithium hydride, lithium aluminum hydride, sodium hydride and potassium hydride) are not recommended for use as general purpose drying agents because they form flammable gases on contact with water and are both dangerous and expensive to dispose of. Small amounts of these materials can be safely disposed of by reacting them with water under controlled conditions by knowledgeable personnel to create non-hazardous or less hazardous materials. If a bottle of solvent contains a water reactive drying agent, this information must be clearly marked on the bottle. This is necessary for the safety of personnel handling the material during disposal.