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Quick Reference for Spill Cleanups
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Chemical Spilled
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Cleanup
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Acids, organic
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Apply sodium bicarbonate. Absorb with spill pillow or vermiculite.
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Acids, inorganic
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Apply sodium bicarbonate/calcium oxide or sodium carbonate/calcium oxide. Absorb with spill pillow or vermiculite. Note: Hydrofluoric acid is an exception to this general practice; see below.
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Acid chlorides
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Do not use water. Absorb with sand or sodium bicarbonate.
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Aldehydes
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Absorb with spill pillow or vermiculite.
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Aliphatic amines
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Apply sodium bisulfite. Absorb with spill pillow or vermiculite.
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Aromatic amines
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Absorb with spill pillow or vermiculite. Avoid skin contact or inhalation.
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Aromatic halogenated amines
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Absorb with spill pillow or vermiculite. Avoid skin contact or inhalation.
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Azides (potential explosives)
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Absorb with spill pillow or vermiculite. Decontaminate with 10% ceric ammonium nitrate solution.
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Bases (caustic alkalis)
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Neutralize with acid or commercial chemical neutralizers and absorb with spill pillow or vermiculite.
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Carbon disulfide (flammable and toxic)
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Absorb with spill pillow or vermiculite.
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Chlorohydrins
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Absorb with spill pillow or vermiculite. Avoid skin contact or inhalation.
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Cyanides
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Wet or mist solids before sweeping, or use a HEPA filter vacuum to collect the solids. Absorb liquids with spill pillow or vermiculite.
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Halides, organic or inorganic
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Apply sodium bicarbonate.
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Halogenated hydrocarbons
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Absorb with spill pillow or vermiculite.
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Hydrazine
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Absorb with spill pillow or vermiculite. Avoid organic matter.
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Hydrofluoric acid
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Absorb with calcium carbonate (or calcium oxide) rather than sodium bicarbonate. The use of sodium bicarbonate will lead to the formation of sodium fluoride, which is considerably more toxic than calcium fluoride. Be careful in the choice of spill pillows used to absorb the acid. Certain pillows contain silicates that are incompatible with hydrofluoric acid.
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Inorganic salt solutions
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Apply soda ash.
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Mercaptans/organic sulfides
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Neutralize with calcium hypochlorite solution. Absorb with spill pillow or vermiculite.
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Nitriles
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Sweep up solids. Absorb liquids with spill pillow or vermiculite.
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Nitro compounds, organic nitros
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Absorb with spill pillow or vermiculite. Avoid skin contact or inhalation.
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Oxidizing agents
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Apply sodium bisulfite.
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Peroxides
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Absorb with spill pillow or vermiculite.
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Phosphates, organic and related
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Absorb with spill pillow or vermiculite.
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Reducing substance
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Apply soda ash or sodium bicarbonate.
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Reference: Reagent Chemicals, MCB Manufacturing Chemists, Inc., 1981, pp. 359-402.
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