EXPERIMENT 3

GLASSWARE CLEANING AND CHEMICAL STORAGE

OBJECTIVE

1. Be able to apply the proper techniques of cleaning glassware

2. Be able to select the correct cleaner to clean stain
3. Be able to apply the procedure to store the chemicals and solvents according to the hazardous
grading.

RESULT

Table 1

Observation / cleaner
Glassware Residue
apparatus Water/ Thinner Detergent Chromic Conclusion
hot acid
water
Naphthalene is a white
crystalline volatile
 solid with a strong
Boiling Naphthalene coal-tar odor. The
Tube solid is denser than
water and insoluble in
water.
Because a solution of
chromic acid in
sulfuric acid is a
powerful oxidizing
Test tube Metallic  agent, it can be used to
silver mirror clean laboratory
glassware, particularly
of otherwise insoluble
organic residues.
 A paint thinner is a
 solvent used to thin oil-
Watch glass Paint based paints or clean up
after their use.
Water-soluble cleansing
agent which combines
with impurities and dirt
Beaker Butter  to make them more
soluble, and differs from
soap in not forming a
scum with the salts in
hard water.

Table 2

Exclamation mark
Benzoyl Exploding bombs
Peroxide Solid

Corrosion
Sodium Hydroxide Health hazard
Pallet

Flame over circle

Sodium Peroxide Corrosion

Flame over circle

Methanol Acute toxicity

Flame over circle

Potassium Harmful
Permanganate
 Corrosion
Sodium Cyanide Health hazard
Solid Acute toxicity
Environment

Exclamation mark for health

Sodium Chloride hazards

Corrosion
Cyclohexanone Flammable

Extreme flammable
Iodine Indicator

Alpha, Beta, X-ray,

Uranium Gamma-ray
Neutron radiation

QUESTION AND ANSWER

Answer

1. Deionized water or acetone

2. Chromic acid
3. Under inert solvent such as mineral oil, hexanes or toluene
4. Water or humid air
5. Alconox or potassium hydroxide ethanol
True or false

1. Hydrofluoric acid cannot be used as a cleaning agent because it can dissolve glass.
( true )
2. We should rinse the burette several times with distilled water before we use it for
titration.
( false)
3. Acid and bases should be stored in same storage cabinets to minimize the storage
spaces. ( false )
4. Ethers tend to react with air and light to form unstable peroxide. Therefore diethyl
ether should be stored in steel containers because the iron neutralizes peroxide.
( false )
5. Nitric acid and sulphuric acid should be stored in fumed cupboards because these
acids can vaporize in the air. ( false )

DISCUSSION

Cleaning glassware is an important part of synthetic chemistry. Chemists must be able

to rely on clean glassware for their reaction. Assessing glassware by eye is not enough to
confirm whether the glassware is clean. If unsure about the nature of the glassware, clean it.
It is always better to take a few extra minutes to have clean glassware than to spend hours
removing contaminants or have irreproducible results. Cleaning glassware and chemical
storage are important things to do for every student before start their experiment.

Apart from that, student also should be able to store chemicals and solvents according
to the hazardous grading. All hazardous chemicals must be labelled with specified elements
including pictograms, signal words and hazard and precautionary statement. Certain
hazardous chemicals should not be mixed or stored with other chemicals because a severe
reaction can take place or an extremely toxic reaction product can result. By knowing this
chemical storage guidelines, student can differentiate well between the chemical hazardous,
‘danger’ and ‘warning’ signs. Student also know how to disposal certain chemicals.
CONCLUSION

In the conclusion, ensuring clean glassware can enforce good practices beyond the
organic chemist's bench. Having clean equipment in general is important for all types of
applications within and outside of chemistry and science. In each case, it is important to
consider the material of the item being cleaned and the tools required for cleaning. Besides, it
is important to handle the two materials in a correct and proper way.

REFERENCE

1. Laboratory Manual 3 March 2019. Retrieve from SKL3013 chemistry laboratory

management techniques lab manual.
2. Cleaning glassware. 3 March 2019. Retrieve from :
https://www.jove.com/science-education/10342/cleaning-glassware.
3. University Of York, Department of Biology. 3 March 2019. Retrieve from
https://www.york.ac.uk/biology/intranet/health-safety/chemical-safety-2/safe-storage-
of-chemicals/