The best thing to do would be to contact either your city chemist or the state EPA inspector to be sure to be in compliance with all local regulations. A reducing agent, such as sodium metabisulfite, sodium sulfite or sodium thiosulfate can be used to turn CrO3 into the less toxic Cr(III) oxide. Alternatively, I would collect the waste and have a chemical waste disposal company dispose of it. I'm not a big fan of the "flush-it-down-the-sink-with-water" method, unless we are talking minutes amounts. If nothing else, it is about being a better steward of our planet.
Terri L. Braud, HT(ASCP) Anatomic Pathology Supervisor Laboratory Holy Redeemer Hospital 1648 Huntingdon Pike Meadowbrook, PA 19046 ph: 215-938-3689 fax: 215-938-3874 Care, Comfort, and Heal -----Original Message----- From: histonet-requ...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-requ...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] Sent: Friday, April 12, 2019 1:00 PM To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: Histonet Digest, Vol 185, Issue 6 CAUTION: This is an EXTERNAL EMAIL. Stop and think before clicking links or opening attachments. Send Histonet mailing list submissions to histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to histonet-requ...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu You can reach the person managing the list at histonet-ow...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of Histonet digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Re: 5% Chromic acid disposal (Bob Richmond) 2. Re: 5% Chromic acid disposal (Bryan Llewellyn) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Thu, 11 Apr 2019 13:29:09 -0400 From: Bob Richmond <rsrichm...@gmail.com> To: "Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu" <histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu> Subject: Re: [Histonet] 5% Chromic acid disposal Message-ID: <CAOKsRH5_04a7g_v1p2A3CWGk46n=4j-3bhrcaek6rkms_dg...@mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Sharon at Celligent Diagnostics in Spartanburg SC asks: >>We are changing our GMS stain over from a Periodic acid kit to a 5% chromic acid kit. What do the labs that use chromic acid in special staining do with the waste/ used chromic acid?<< I hope someone can give an authoritative answer to this question, with references. Chromic acid (chromium trioxide, CrO3) is a strong oxidant, and chromium is toxic and an environmental hazard. I'd be comfortable with pouring it down the drain with a LOT of water, but what do the authorities want us to do? Bob Richmond Samurai Pathologist Maryville TN ------------------------------ Message: 2 Date: Thu, 11 Apr 2019 11:26:01 -0700 From: Bryan Llewellyn <llewl...@shaw.ca> To: Histonet <histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu> Subject: Re: [Histonet] 5% Chromic acid disposal Message-ID: <0cabb492-6985-4cb6-0783-172a98cdc...@shaw.ca> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed I suspect disposal might vary depending on the State. I live in British Columbia and we had permission from out city (Prince George) to use a dribble tank with lots of water and flush them into the local river (The Fraser), but I opted to collect all the toxic chemicals and ship them periodically to a facility in our neighboring Province of Alberta for recovery and reuse. There must be facilities of that kind somewhere in the United States, I would think. That is probably the best option. We used the same procedure for mercury salts, osmium tetroxide, etc. Bryan Llewellyn Bob Richmond via Histonet wrote: > Sharon at Celligent Diagnostics in Spartanburg SC asks: > >>> We are changing our GMS stain over from a Periodic acid kit to a 5% > chromic acid kit. What do the labs that use chromic acid in special > staining do with the waste/ used chromic acid?<< > > I hope someone can give an authoritative answer to this question, with > references. Chromic acid (chromium trioxide, CrO3) is a strong oxidant, and > chromium is toxic and an environmental hazard. I'd be comfortable with > pouring it down the drain with a LOT of water, but what do the authorities > want us to do? > > Bob Richmond > Samurai Pathologist > Maryville TN > _______________________________________________ > Histonet mailing list > Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu > http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet > ------------------------------ Subject: Digest Footer _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet ------------------------------ End of Histonet Digest, Vol 185, Issue 6 **************************************** _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
