Nicotine (CAS 54-11-5): storage and disposal
A tobacco alkaloid and an oily liquid, nicotine turns up as legacy stock in older school and college prep rooms and as reference standards in university labs. As classified it is fatal by swallowing, skin contact or inhalation, and toxic to aquatic life. It darkens on standing, so colour says something about age, but the closure, the label and the quantity present are what decide how it is handled.
- CAS number
- 54-11-5
- Form
- Liquid
- Storage class
- Toxic
- Signal word
- Danger
- Usual EWC code, laboratory stock
- 16 05 06*
Acute toxicity
Hazardous to the environment
What to do this week
- Without moving anything that looks damaged, check the label is readable and write down the opened date if it is not already there.
- Check it is stored as toxic stock, and apart from anything listed under "Do not store with" on this page. If nothing is listed, that does not prove it is safe with everything.
- If you no longer need it, add it to your disposal list so it can be included in a collection.
Safe storage in a school or lab
Small brown glass bottles are typical of legacy prep room stock, while reference standards tend to come in small sealed vials or ampoules. Stay with the original container, because air and light are what turn the liquid brown, and a loose cap also lets it draw in moisture. It belongs in a locked cabinet with a stock record, away from food and drink areas, acids and oxidisers. Nicotine is a base and combines readily with acids, which is one more reason for that separation. A tray beneath the bottle helps, since a slow leak of an oily liquid that is fatal on skin is easy to miss. If the outside already feels or looks oily, leave it in place and take advice.
How to tell it has deteriorated
Colour is what you notice first. Fresh nicotine is close to colourless, and air and light take it through yellow to brown, so a dark bottle has probably been opened at some point or kept in poor conditions. Browning alone does not change how it should be described or collected. Look next for an oily film on the shoulder of the bottle, staining around the cap, a sticky or faded label and marks on the shelf underneath. Any of these suggests a failed seal, and they matter far more than the colour. A tobacco smell near the cabinet points the same way, though nobody should go looking for it by sniffing. Do not wipe or handle a contaminated bottle, and record the missing details if the stock record has gone.
How it is disposed of
We arrange this by specialist collection. We do not publish a drain or general waste route for any chemical. It is normally packed in a toxic laboratory pack with compatible chemicals.
Collection by a registered waste carrier, on to a permitted facility, is the only way it leaves the site. It must never go into a sink, a drain, a general waste bin or a skip, given that it is toxic to aquatic life, and nobody should try to treat it first. It usually goes under list of waste code 16 05 06*, in a compatible group of toxic stock. Tell us what the label actually says: neat liquid or solution, any solvent, any salt such as the salicylate, and the volume left. A leak or sticky exterior should be mentioned at the start, since it affects how the item is packed. A consignment note goes with it, or a special waste note in Scotland.
| Usual EWC code, laboratory stock | 16 05 06* |
|---|---|
| Discarded organic chemical, not a laboratory pack | 16 05 08* |
| Usually classed as hazardous waste | Yes |
The code depends on where the waste came from and what it contains, and classifying it is the producer's duty. Use the waste code finder to see why.
Do not store with
- OxidiserToxic and oxidising stock are stored apart. A reaction could release toxic vapours.
- AcidToxic stock is stored apart from acids. Several toxic salts release toxic gas in contact with acid.
Named chemicals to keep apart
- Acetic acidToxic stock is stored apart from acids. Several toxic salts release toxic gas in contact with acid.
- Calcium hypochloriteToxic and oxidising stock are stored apart. A reaction could release toxic vapours.
- Hydrochloric acidToxic stock is stored apart from acids. Several toxic salts release toxic gas in contact with acid.
- Hydrogen peroxideToxic and oxidising stock are stored apart. A reaction could release toxic vapours.
- Nitric acidToxic stock is stored apart from acids. Several toxic salts release toxic gas in contact with acid.
- Potassium nitrateToxic and oxidising stock are stored apart. A reaction could release toxic vapours.
- Potassium permanganateToxic and oxidising stock are stored apart. A reaction could release toxic vapours.
- Sulfuric acidToxic stock is stored apart from acids. Several toxic salts release toxic gas in contact with acid.
Common quantities
Usually held as: legacy stock, reference standard.
Tell us the container size and how many you hold. An estimate is enough to start with, and some items cannot be priced until someone has looked at them.
Where it is commonly held
Hazard statements
- H300 Fatal if swallowed.
- H310 Fatal in contact with skin.
- H330 Fatal if inhaled.
- H411 Toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects.
Precautionary statements
- P260 Do not breathe dust, fume, gas, mist, vapours or spray.
- P262 Do not get in eyes, on skin, or on clothing.
- P264 Wash hands and exposed skin thoroughly after handling.
- P270 Do not eat, drink or smoke when using this product.
- P271 Use only outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.
- P273 Avoid release to the environment.
- P280 Wear protective gloves, protective clothing, eye protection and face protection.
- P284 In case of inadequate ventilation wear respiratory protection.
- P301+P316 IF SWALLOWED: Get emergency medical help immediately.
- P302+P352 IF ON SKIN: Wash with plenty of water.
- P304+P340 IF INHALED: Remove person to fresh air and keep comfortable for breathing.
- P316 Get emergency medical help immediately.
- P320 Specific treatment is urgent (see supplemental first aid instruction on this label).
- P321 Specific treatment (see supplemental first aid instruction on this label).
- P330 Rinse mouth.
- P361+P364 Take off immediately all contaminated clothing. And wash it before reuse.
- P391 Collect spillage.
- P403+P233 Store in a well-ventilated place. Keep container tightly closed.
- P405 Store locked up.
- P501 Dispose of contents and container in accordance with local, regional, national and international regulations.
Substance as classified, dilutions may differ.
Questions
Our bottle of nicotine has gone dark brown. Can it still be collected?
Yes. Browning is expected in old stock and it does not stop a specialist collection. Mention the colour in your description, along with the label wording and the rough volume. There is no need to open the bottle to check it. The state of the seal is the more useful thing to report.
Our reference standard is a dilute solution in a small vial. Is it as hazardous as the neat liquid?
A dilute solution may be less hazardous than the pure substance, but it cannot be assumed safe, and the solvent may bring hazards of its own. Give the solvent and concentration exactly as the vial states them. They affect how it is described and which items it can be grouped with.
Can nicotine wait in the general chemical store until collection?
It should stay in a locked cabinet with a stock record, since it can be fatal by skin contact or inhalation. A general store with open access is not suitable. If it is already leaking where it stands, leave it there, restrict access to the area and ask for advice before anyone touches it.
