Page 53 - Demo

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FORMALIN continued Disposal: #2
Shelf Life: Indefinite
Soluble: Water and alcohol.
Color and Odor: Colorless liquid with formaldehyde odor. Safety Purchase Suggestion: See listing for FormalternateTM.
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FormalternateTM, Concentrate
nonformaldehyde substitute
F0056* 500 mL
$21.80
CAS No. 64-18-6
Fructose
see Levulose
Fumaric Acid
laboratory grade, powder
C4H4O4 F.W. 116.08
*Each 500 mL makes 5 liters of ready-to-use solution. Storage: Organic #2
Disposal: #26b
Shelf Life: Indefinite
F0055 500 g
$21.05
Soluble: Water
Color and Odor: Colorless odorless liquid.
Technical Note: Formalternate, F0056, can be used instead of formaldehyde for storage (not fixation) of biological specimens. F0056 is sold in concentrated form: Dilute 1 volume concentrate per 9 volumes water to make 10 volumes of solution. Complete use instructions are furnished. This solution is an alternative for formaldehyde for biological specimen storage only. It is not a chemical substitute.
Storage: Organic #1
Disposal: #24a
Shelf Life: Indefinite
Soluble: Slightly in water and alcohol; insoluble in chloroform and benzene.
FORMIC ACID continued
Shelf Life: Poor; research suggests it ages poorly and may be an explosion risk. Avoid extended storage.
Soluble: Water, alcohol, and ether.
Color and Odor: Colorless liquid with penetrating, strong, vinegarlike odor.
Color and Odor: White, odorless solid. CAS No. 110-17-8
Formic Acid
23 Molar
88% solution ACS reagent HCOOH F.W. 46.03
G
 HAZARD ALERT: Corrosive to skin and tissue; reacts violently with bases. Upon aging, decomposes to carbon monoxide and water thus creating potential explosive danger in a tightly sealed bottle. Explosions have occurred. Slightly toxic by ingestion and inhala- tion. LD50 1100 mg/kg. TLV 9.4 mg/m3.
Storage: Organic #1 in a dedicated acid cabinet; if one is not avail- able store in a Flinn Saf-CubeTM.
Disposal: #24a. U-Listed (U123); purchase small amounts for effec- tive inventory control.
Continued on next column.
Storage: Organic #2
Disposal: #26a
Shelf Life: Indefinite
Soluble: Hot water and pyridine.
Color and Odor: White solid with malt odor. CAS No. 59-23-4
Gallium
small pieces
Ga G0031 A.W. 69.72
F0044 100 mL F0023 500 mL
$12.60 25.45
d-Galactose anhydrous
C6H12O6 F.W. 180.09
G0053 G0018
25 g 100 g
2.5 g
$22.00 46.50
$60.55
GALLIUM continued on next page.
Formaldehyde and Cancer
Formaldehyde gas is classified as a known human carcinogen according to the National Toxicology Program (NTP) and as a known human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). See the 12th Report on Carcinogens published by NTP in 2011.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in the Current Intelligence Bulletin No. 34, 15 April 1981, discussed the evidence for carcinogenicity of formaldehyde (Publication No. 81–111).
NIOSH recommends “that formaldehyde be handled as a potential occu- pational carcinogen and that appropriate controls be used to reduce worker exposure. These recommendations are based primarily on a study in which laboratory rats and mice exposed to formaldehyde vapor developed nasal cancer, and are supported by a New York University study where rats exposed to a mixture of formaldehyde and hydrochloric acid vapors developed nasal cancer. Formaldehyde has also been shown to be a mutagen in several short- term laboratory studies. In addition to the carcinogen potential, other adverse health effects caused by formaldehyde have been described.”
The TLV-C, or ceiling limit, for formaldehyde exposure is 0.3 ppm. NIOSH, lacking a risk estimate to people exposed at or below the current PEL 0.75 ppm standard, recommends efforts be made to reduce occupational exposure to the lowest feasible limit. For example, where formaldehyde- preserved animal specimens are used in laboratories, they should be rinsed overnight in water to reduce student exposure. The use of a fume hood is required.
Formaldehyde, Formalin and Paraformaldehyde
Pure formaldehyde is a gas. The liquid sold commercially for use in biology
and chemistry labs, and commonly used in the past for preserved speci- mens, is a solution of formaldehyde dissolved in water. The most common concentration is a 37 weight % solution (37 g of formaldehyde per 100 g of solution).
ACS Reagent formaldehyde solution, also known as formalin, is the 37% solution stabilized with 10–15% methyl alcohol to prevent polymerization and precipitate formation.
Formaldehyde solutions often contain a white solid at the bottom of the bottle. The solid may be either paraformaldehyde or trioxane. Paraformaldehyde is a linear polymer of formaldehyde obtained by concen- trating a formaldehyde solution. Trioxane or trioxymethylene is a stable, cyclic trimer C3H6O3 that also forms upon standing or evaporation of the aqueous solution. Both materials are white crystalline solids with an odor of formaldehyde. They dissolve readily in hot water with evolution of formal- dehyde. Paraformaldehyde is used for disinfection and tissue fixation and as a fumigant. Trioxane is used as a source of pure formaldehyde in the manu- facture of formaldehyde resins.
Paraformaldehyde or trioxane are not inherently more dangerous than formaldehyde, and the liquid above any solid can still be used as a preserva- tive. Decant the liquid in the hood and allow the solid to air dry. For disposal purposes, paraformaldehyde and trioxane must be treated the same as formaldehyde.
Formaldehyde Substitutes
The formaldehyde preservative in preserved animals may be replaced with a propylene–glycol based preservative such as Formalternate. Please call or e-mail Flinn Scientific to request a copy of Publication No. 952, Formaldehyde Substitute.
Formaldehyde Technical Notes