Encyclopedia of Environmental Science and Engineering, Volume I and II

INDOOR AIR POLLUTION 501

Flush dilute acids and alkalies down the drain with large

quantities of water.

Never pour fl ammable liquids not miscible with water,

compounds that give off toxic vapors, or corrosive materials

down the drain. Special disposal containers are needed for

each of these wastes.

Storage: An effi ciently placed storage room is essential

for everyone’s safety. Chemical storage rooms should be

equipped with fi re doors, safety lights, fi re extinguishers, as

well as good ventilation and sprinkler systems.

Remember

Carefully group liquid reagents to prevent hazardous combi-

nations which may produce fumes, fi re, or explosion.

Segregate incompatible materials.

Keep volatile liquids away from ignition sources such as

heat, fl ames, or electric sparks.

Store large or heavy containers and apparatus near the

fl oor.

Store all solvents in safety cans.

Store and frequently vent drummed chemicals according

to supplier’s instructions.

Secure compressed gas cylinders.

Replace valve caps when not in use.

Smaller laboratories that don’t have separate storage

rooms should have noncombustible storage cabinets. Large

quantities of fl ammable solvents should be placed outside in

ventilated, noncombustible buildings.

Housekeeping: Good housekeeping is essential for safe

laboratory operation. All passages, exits, safety showers,

fi re extinguishers, electrical controls, and stairways must be

kept clear of equipment and obstructions. Remove unused

equipment or chemicals from work spaces. Clean up spilled

chemicals immediately to prevent dangerous chemical

combinations, burns, or slips and falls.

FUTURE TRENDS

We may expect stricter enforcement of existing local and

Federal regulations for the safe handling of toxic materials.

New regulations may dictate high fume hood face velocities

and increased exhaust volumes which place an increased

load on air tempering and exhaust systems. Because of this,

work involving small apparatus will probably be relegated

to glove box enclosures. Larger hood enclosures will more

than likely be fi tted with horizontal sliding doors or sashes

rather than the current vertical rising sash. This type of

hood would provide full access to the larger hood interior,

but would require opening only the areas needed by the

operator. This would result in lower exhaust volumes even

at the increased face velocities and provide an integral

safety shield if required.

Reported measurements of airborne bacteria and fungi

have been sparse (see Institute of Medicine, 2004, for a

summary). Viable bacteria concentrations, found in homes

in the U.S.A. ranged from 2220–4006 CFU/m^3 (i.e., colony

forming units per cubic meter of air). In Finland, homes and

day care centers with moisture problems and winter con-

ditions had unit concentrations as high as 35,000 CFU/m^3

(Hyvarinen et al., 2001).

REFERENCES

1. Brief, Richard S. et al., Design and Selection of Laboratory Hoods, Air
   Engineering, Oct. 1963.


2. Halitsky, James, Gas Diffusion Near Building, ASHRAE Transactions,
   69 , pp. 464–485, 1963.


3. Clarke, John H., Air Flow Around Buildings, Heating, Piping and Air
   Conditioning, May 1967.


4. Schulte, H.F. et al., Evaluation of Laboratory Fume Hoods, American
   Industrial Hygiene Association Quarterly, Sept. 1954.


5. Industrial Ventilation, A Manual of Recommended Practice, Ameri-
   can Conference of Governmental and Industrial Hygienists, 11th Ed.,
   1970.


6. Sax, Irving, N., Dangerous Properties of Industrial Materials, 9th Ed.,
   1996, Reinhold, New York.


7. Young, J.A., Improving Safety in the Chemical Laboratory, 1987,
   Wiley-Interscience, New York.


8. Di Berardinis et al., Guidelines for Laboratory Design, 1987, Wiley-
   Interscience, New York.


9. Dux, James P. and Stalzer, Robert F., Managing Safety in the Chemical
   Laboratory (1989), Van Nostrand-Reinhold, New York.


10. Slote, Lawrence, Editor, Handbook of Occupational Safety and Health,
    1987, Wiley-Interscience, New York.


11. Pipitone, David A., Safe Storage of Laboratory Chemicals, 1984,
    Wiley-Interscience, New York.


12. National Fire Protection Association, Fire Protection Guide on Haz-
    ardous Materials, 9th ed., 1986.


13. Institute of Medicine, Committee on Damp Indoor Spaces and Health,
    Publ. National Academies Press, Wash. D.C., 2004.


14. Hyvarinen A., Reponen T., Husman T., Nevalainen A., Central
    European Jnl. of Public Health, 9(3): 133–139 (2001).

JOHN D. CONSTANCE, P.E. (DECEASED)

Cliffside Park, N.J.

INCINERATION: see MANAGEMENT OF SOLID WASTE

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