Chemical Waste Treatment

Report on

TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL OF CHEMICAL WASTES IN CHEM 111.1 PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY

Submitted by:
Christian Manahan
Anna Esperanza Legaspi

CHEM 180 – X
2nd Semester AY 2012-2013

Date Presented: March 21, 2013
Date Submitted: March 22, 2013

Prof. Josefina L. Solivas I. Introduction

Chemicals have been indispensable in the everyday lives of humans. Their uses have made life easier and better. However, their effects on the environment have been accumulating and can’t be ignored. The different hazards and biochemical effects of chemicals must be given proper attention and should be addressed appropriately.
If not addressed properly, they may cause disturbance of the balance of the environment and ecosystems they may have contact with. Thus, various measures are being intensively applied to address such effects. One of the sources of chemicals in our environment is the laboratories. These may be in industry, medicine, research or in schools and universities.
In this report, we specifically looked on to the chemical waste treatment and disposal of CHEM 111.1 Physical Chemistry Laboratory in the University of the Philippines Los Baños. In this laboratory, the basic principles of chemistry are discussed including chemical thermodynamics, properties of gases, and physical and chemical equilibria. The following are the titles of the exercises performed in each semester of the laboratory class:

* Exercise 1: Molecular Weight Determination by Vapor Density Method * Exercise 2: Computation of the Compression Factor and Fugacity of Real Gases * Exercise 3: Joule-Thomson Experiment * Exercise4: Vapor Pressure of a Liquid * Exercise 5: Enthalpies of Reaction * Exercise 6: The Acid Dissociation Constant of an Indicator Dye * Exercise 7: Surface Tension of Pure Liquids And Solutions * Exercise 8: Viscosity of Pure Liquids And Solutions

It must be emphasized that the nature of chemical wastes generated in these exercises are generally not very toxic or hazardous. Exercise 2 does not require any use of chemicals since it only involves computation of the compression factor and fugacity of real gases using various methods. On the other hand, Exercise 3 only requires a CO2 gas cylinder as the source of chemicals to be used. The exercise involves the use of a Joule-Thomson apparatus which only calls for the measurement of changes in pressure in the manometer. In Exercise 1, the procedure involves the evaporation of the sample in a flask as the temperature of its vapour is being measured. Hence, not much waste is generated in this exercise. For the other experiments, most of the compounds are completely consumed after use, diluted, used in minimum amounts and can be thrown down the sink. Hence, the chemical wastes generated are also minimal.
It is the goal of this report to present suggestions for the treatments and disposal of the chemical wastes generated in CHEM111.1 Physical Chemistry laboratory in UPLB.

II. Methodology I. Reagents used in the laboratory i. Volatile organic solvents

Reagent | Exercise Used | Use/Purpose | Amount of Waste generated | Acetone | 1 | Sample | None | | 4 | Sample | < 10 mL | | 7, 8 | Calibration and test liquid | ~100mL, ~15 mL | 2-butanone | 1 | Sample | None | Ethyl acetate | 1 | Sample | None | | 7,8 | Calibration and test liquid | ~100mL, ~15 mL | Dichloromethane | 1 | Sample | None | Ethanol | 1 | Sample | None | | 6 | Solvent | ~20 mL | | 7 | Test liquid | ~100 mL | Methanol | 1 | Sample | None | n-Propanol | 4,7 | Sample, test liquid |