Skip Navigation

University at Buffalo - The State University of New York
  1. About
    1. Contact Us
    2. News, Alerts and Tips
  2. EH&S Programs
    1. Accident Reporting
    2. Asbestos and Lead
    3. Battery Recycling
    4. Biological Safety
    5. Chemical Safety
    6. Construction Safety
    7. Environmental Protection
    8. Fire and Life Safety
    9. General Safety
    10. Hazardous Waste
    11. Industrial Hygiene
    12. Laboratory Safety
    13. Public Health
    14. Radiation Safety
    15. EH&S Projects
    16. Small Claims
  3. Policies
    1. Building Evacuation Plans
    2. Campus Commitment to Safety
    3. Corridor Use Policy
    4. Excavation Marking and Dig Safely Procedure
    5. Guidelines for Drain Disposal of Lab Waste
    6. Lab Facilities & Equipment Servicing Release
    7. Outdoor Projects
    8. More...
  4. Forms
    1. Biosafety Forms
    2. Chemical Safety Forms
    3. Equipment Release Certification Form
    4. Fact Sheets
    5. Fire Safety Forms
    6. Hot Work Permit
    7. Laser Registration
    8. Material Safety Data Sheets
    9. Radiation Safety Forms
    10. Small Claims Incident Report Form
  5. Training
    1. Lab Safety Training
    2. Radiation Safety Training
    3. Right-to-Know Training

Home > Departments > Environment, Health & Safety > EH&S Programs > Chemical Safety > Chemical Storage and Compatibility

Chemical Storage and Compatibility

Following are general guidelines for compatibilities of several chemical groups. This list is not meant to be all-inclusive or cover every possible combination. Contact EH&S if you have any specific compatibility issues or if unsure which chemicals can be safely stored together.

Chemical Group

Incompatible With:

Flammable solvents (xylene, toluene, benzene, ethyl benzene, etc)

Caustics, acids (with the exception of acetic acid which should be stored along with flammables), oxidizers

Inorganic acids, non-oxidizing (sulfuric, hydrochloric, phosphoric acids, etc.)

Caustics, flammables, cyanides, sulfides, most halogenated and non-halogenated organics, reducing compounds, peroxides

Inorganic acids, oxidizing (nitric, chromic acids, etc.)

Organic acids, flammables, caustics, cyanides, sulfides, most halogenated and non-halogenated organics, reducing compounds, peroxides

Organic acids (formic acid, etc.)

Inorganic acids (oxidizing), flammables, cyanides, sulfides, caustics, most non-halogenated and halogenated organics

Oxidizers (sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, etc.)

Organics, inorganic acids, organic acids, reducers

Water reactives (sodium metal, lithium, etc)

Water, should be stored separate from all other chemicals

Cyanide and sulfide compounds

Inorganic and organic acids

Ammonia

Bleach, acids, organics

Halogenated solvents (chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, trichloroethylene, etc.)

Acids, caustics, oxidizers

Other Resources

The Chemical Reactivity Worksheet is a free program you can use to find out about the reactivity of substances or mixtures of substances from the Office of Response and Restoration, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Useful Links:

Cole-Palmer Instrument Company - Chemical Compatibility
TrippNT Laboratory Storage - Chemical Compatibility Table
Mallinckrodt Specialty Chemicals Co. - Chemical Compatibility List (pdf)
University of Georgia - Chemical Storage Plans for Laboratories