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From: "Wilhelm, Monique" <mwilhelm**At_Symbol_Here**UMFLINT.EDU>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Benchtop Methylene Chloride Use in Undergraduate OChem labs
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2014 13:19:19 +0000
Reply-To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
Message-ID: 1109037139E1524980CF9CBEB24766186FEE716F**At_Symbol_Here**UMF-EX10EMB1.umflint.edu
In-Reply-To <001401d00329$f849e840$e8ddb8c0$**At_Symbol_Here**wcenvironmental.com>
Hi Marjorie,
We use very little MeCl2 in our organic chemistry labs.å All usage is performed in a fume hood.å We DO NOT use MeCl2 for extractions.å However, we do ether extractions and have always required venting in the hoods, even when we had to have students ‰??share‰?? 3 foot hoods to do so.å Our organic students now do EVERYTHING in the hood as we got rid of traditional benches in favor of installing TruView hoods for all workstations in our organic labs this year.
Regards,
Monique Wilhelm
Laboratory Supervisor/Adjunct Lecturer/Chem Club Co-Advisor
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
University of Michigan-Flint
Flint, MI 48502
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU] On Behalf Of Russ Phifer
Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2014 7:20 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Benchtop Methylene Chloride Use in Undergraduate OChem labs
Marjorie ‰?? the OSHA Methylene Chloride standard (29CFR 1910.1052) requires initial monitoring for employees when it is to be used in the workplace. While students aren‰??t covered by the standard, you and other employees are. You are absolutely right that it should be handled exclusively in a hood, but that doesn‰??t negate the requirement for monitoring; I suspect many colleges aren‰??t aware of this requirement. I would urge you to get the monitoring done and use that as ammunition to restrict use of methylene chloride to the chemical hood.
Russ
Russ Phifer
WC Environmental, LLC
1085C Andrew Drive
West Chester, PAå 19380
Fax 800-858-6273
Cell - 610-322-0657
rphifer**At_Symbol_Here**wcenvironmental.com
•?? Please consider your environmental responsibility before printing this e-mail or any other document
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU] On Behalf Of drsamples**At_Symbol_Here**COMCAST.NET
Sent: Monday, November 17, 2014 11:54 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Benchtop Methylene Chloride Use in Undergraduate OChem labs
Dear All,
I have a question for anyone involved in undergraduate Organic Chemistry labs.
Methylene chloride is listed as a recognized carcinogen in California, and it is a B2 probable human carcinogen. As you all know, it is a volatile liquid commonly used in undergraduate Organic Chemistry labs as the organic solvent in liquid-liquid extractions using a separatory funnel. As many OChem labs lack adequate fume hoods, many colleges do these extractions at the bench, and so are venting methylene chloride in the general laboratory. Generally, these are not microscale extractions, but are regular lab scale with a 250 or 500 mL sep funnel.
It is a volatile probable human carcinogen and thus I believe that it should be handled in the fume hood and the extraction should also be done in a fume hood. Do you agree or disagree? If you agree, have you been successful in changing how your department handles methylene chloride in undergrad labs, and if so, how did you successfully argue your case to handle it in fume hoods?
SIncerely,
Marjorie Samples
Chemistry Professor
Los Rios Community College District
California
drsamples**At_Symbol_Here**comcast.net
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