Appendix I: Common Chemicals That Are Likely to Form Peroxides During Storage (this list is not exhaustive)

Class III contains materials that readily form explosive peroxides without evaporative concentration.  They should be tested for the presence of peroxides at least every three months after opening and if tested positive should be disposed of


 

Butadiene

Chloroprene

Divinylacetylene

 

Isopropyl ether

Tetrafluoroethylene

Vinylidene chloride


 

Class II contains materials that peroxidize but become hazardous only on evaporative concentration.  They should be tested at least once a year after opening and disposed of if peroxides are detected.


 

Acetal

Acetaldehyde

Benzyl alcohol

2-Butanol

Cumene

Cyclohexanol

2-Cyclohexen-1-ol

Cyclohexene

Decahydronaphthalene

Diacetylene

Dicyclopentadiene

 

 

Diethyl ether

Diethylene glycol

  dimethyl ether  

  (diglyme)

Dioxanes

Ethylene glycol

  dimethyl ether (glyme)

4-Heptanol

2-Hexanol

Methylacetylene

3-Methyl-1-butanol

Methylcyclopentane

 

Methyl isobutyl ketone

4-Methyl-2-pentanol

2-Pentanol

4-Penten-1-ol

1-Penylethanol

2-Phenylethanol

2-Propanol

Tetrahydrofuran

Tetrahydronaphthalene

Vinyl Ethers

Other secondary     

   alcohols


Class I contains peroxidizable materials that also can polymerize exothermically when initiated by the peroxide content.  Testing and disposal requirements are the same as for Class II.


Acrylic acid

Acrylonitrile

Butadiene

Chloroprene

Chlorotrifluoroethylene

Methyl methacrylate

Styrene

Tetrafluoroethylene

Vinyl acetate

Vinylacetylene

Vinyl chloride

Vinylpyridine

Vinyladiene chloride


References:

Improving Safety in the Chemical Laboratory: A Practical Guide, J. Young, 1991.

Safety in the Chemistry and Biochemistry Laboratory, A. Picot and P. Grenouillet, 1995.