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Chemical collection and stock control for UK schools, universities and hospitals

Acetonitrile (CAS 75-05-8): storage and disposal

Acetonitrile is a clear solvent held as a neat liquid in school, college and university stores, often alongside chromatography supplies. It is a highly flammable liquid and vapour, harmful if swallowed, in contact with skin and if inhaled, and an eye irritant. Because used solvent from analysis work is easy to mistake for the neat liquid, the record should say which a bottle holds.

CAS number
75-05-8
Form
Liquid
Storage class
Flammable
Signal word
Danger
Usual EWC code
16 05 06*
  • Flammable pictogramFlammable
  • Harmful or irritant pictogramHarmful or irritant

What to do this week

  1. Check the label is readable and write down the opened date if it is not already there.
  2. Check it is stored as flammable stock and apart from the items listed under "Do not store with".
  3. If you no longer need it, add it to your disposal list so it goes on the next collection.

Safe storage in a school or lab

Practical shelf check: open the cabinet door and see whether acetonitrile shares a shelf with any acid. Nitric acid reacts violently with organic solvents and can ignite them or build pressure in waste bottles, and perchloric acid forms explosive mixtures with organic material, so both stay in a different store. Use a ventilated fire-resistant cabinet with spill containment, away from ignition sources and oxidisers. The liquid is harmful through skin and lungs, so gloves go on to move a bottle and the cap is closed straight away. Only a spark-free refrigerator should hold it if cooling is needed.

How to tell it has deteriorated

A clear colourless liquid gives few visual signs of change, so the container carries the evidence. Compare the level with the stock list, since a highly flammable liquid drops quickly if the cap is loose, and look for a swollen liner, a damp neck, residue on the thread and a tacky shelf. Labels on chromatography bottles are often handwritten and fade, and a bottle with an unreadable label cannot be told apart from other clear solvents by eye. A liquid that has gone cloudy or yellow should be noted. A cracked or bulging bottle should be left undisturbed, with access restricted, until competent staff or a specialist collector have assessed how it can be handled safely.

How it must be disposed of

By specialist collection only. It never goes down the drain or into general waste. It is normally packed in a flammable laboratory pack with compatible chemicals.

Grouping comes first: acetonitrile is packed with compatible organic solvents in a lab pack, and a bottle of used solvent from analysis work is declared separately from the neat liquid, with whatever else it contains written on the label. Waste code 16 05 06* is the usual description, and 16 05 08* applies for a discarded organic chemical outside a pack. Give the size, fill and any damage. It is highly flammable and harmful, so it is never poured into a sink, never put in the bin and never left to evaporate, and no one should try to treat it first.

Waste codes and transport details for Acetonitrile
EWC code, laboratory chemicals16 05 06*
Discarded organic chemical, not a laboratory pack16 05 08*
Hazardous wasteYes

20 01 13* (solvents) belongs to municipal collections and is shown for reference only. It is not the normal code for a laboratory collection.

The code depends on where the waste came from and what it is mixed with. Use the waste code finder to see why.

Do not store with

  • OxidiserOxidisers can ignite flammable materials or make a fire far more intense.
  • AcidOxidising acids can ignite flammable materials, and acid fumes attack containers and seals.
  • CorrosiveA leak of corrosive stock can break down flammable containers and feed a fire.

Named chemicals to keep apart

  • Acetic acidOxidising acids can ignite flammable materials, and acid fumes attack containers and seals.
  • Calcium hypochloriteOxidisers can ignite flammable materials or make a fire far more intense.
  • Hydrochloric acidOxidising acids can ignite flammable materials, and acid fumes attack containers and seals.
  • Hydrogen peroxideOxidisers can ignite flammable materials or make a fire far more intense.
  • Nitric acidNitric acid reacts violently with organic solvents and can ignite them or build pressure in waste bottles.
  • Perchloric acidPerchloric acid forms explosive mixtures with organic material.
  • Potassium nitrateOxidisers can ignite flammable materials or make a fire far more intense.
  • Potassium permanganateOxidisers can ignite flammable materials or make a fire far more intense.
Show 3 more
  • Sulfuric acidOxidising acids can ignite flammable materials, and acid fumes attack containers and seals.
  • Thionyl chlorideA leak of corrosive stock can break down flammable containers and feed a fire.
  • Zinc chlorideA leak of corrosive stock can break down flammable containers and feed a fire.

Common quantities we collect

Usually held as: neat.

Part-used bottles and full containers are both fine. Tell us the size and how many, and an estimate is enough for a first price.

Where it is commonly held

Hazard statements

  • H225 Highly flammable liquid and vapour.
  • H302 Harmful if swallowed.
  • H312 Harmful in contact with skin.
  • H319 Causes serious eye irritation.
  • H332 Harmful if inhaled.
Precautionary statements
  • P210 Keep away from heat, hot surfaces, sparks, open flames and other ignition sources. No smoking.
  • P233 Keep container tightly closed.
  • P240 Ground and bond container and receiving equipment.
  • P241 Use explosion-proof electrical, ventilating and lighting equipment.
  • P242 Use non-sparking tools.
  • P243 Take action to prevent static discharges.
  • P261 Avoid breathing dust, fume, gas, mist, vapours or spray.
  • P264 Wash hands and exposed skin thoroughly after handling.
  • P264+P265 Wash hands and exposed skin thoroughly after handling. Do not touch eyes.
  • P270 Do not eat, drink or smoke when using this product.
  • P271 Use only outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.
  • P280 Wear protective gloves, protective clothing, eye protection and face protection.
  • P301+P317 IF SWALLOWED: Get medical help.
  • P302+P352 IF ON SKIN: Wash with plenty of water.
  • P303+P361+P353 IF ON SKIN (or hair): Take off immediately all contaminated clothing. Rinse skin with water or shower.
  • P304+P340 IF INHALED: Remove person to fresh air and keep comfortable for breathing.
  • P305+P351+P338 IF IN EYES: Rinse cautiously with water for several minutes. Remove contact lenses, if present and easy to do. Continue rinsing.
  • P317 Get medical help.
  • P321 Specific treatment (see supplemental first aid instruction on this label).
  • P330 Rinse mouth.
  • P337+P317 If eye irritation persists: Get medical help.
  • P362+P364 Take off contaminated clothing. And wash it before reuse.
  • P370+P378 In case of fire: Use suitable extinguishing media to extinguish.
  • P403+P235 Store in a well-ventilated place. Keep cool.
  • P501 Dispose of contents and container in accordance with local, regional, national and international regulations.

Substance as classified, dilutions may differ.

Questions

Can used acetonitrile from analysis go in with the neat bottles?

No. Do not combine them. A used solvent bottle may contain other substances, so label it with what it holds and list it as its own item. The collector then groups it correctly.

Why must acetonitrile be kept away from nitric acid?

Nitric acid reacts violently with organic solvents and can ignite them or build pressure in waste bottles. Keep them in separate stores, with the acid low down on a tray and the solvent in the fire-resistant cabinet.

Is acetonitrile harmful through the skin?

Yes. It is classified as harmful in contact with skin, as well as if swallowed or inhaled. Wear gloves to move a bottle, keep the cap closed and tell the collector if a bottle has leaked.

What should we record for a half empty bottle?

The label name, bottle size, approximate fill, condition of the cap and whether it is neat or used solvent. That is enough for the collector to pack it with compatible organic liquids.

Guidance only. Check your own risk assessment and your supplier's safety data sheet.

Hazard data source: PubChem GHS Classification, retrieved 31 Oct 2026. Formula C2H3N. EC number 200-835-2.

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