Doing some chemical experiment sometimes could be fun things to do. We can learn how the chemical reacts to other chemicals and we can see the reaction happen. But some people forget a chemical experiment is still dangerous activity. Therefore people has to obey certain rules to prevent accident. Such as never return excess chemical to its container or reagent bottle.
Excess chemical compounds often treated carelessly. People think it is okay to return chemical compounds to its container after we are no longer need. But this treatment in chemical experiment is forbidden. Why? Because the excess chemical compound can be contaminated with other chemical compound and some reaction can be happen.
It Could be Harmful
Contaminated chemical compound could makes the compounds react differently. For example, there are some chemical that reacts to the oxygen or the air. Which most beginner experimenter not realize that the air is also has chemical compounds. That is why most chemical experiments are done in fully controlled environment. Every variables could have an effect to the chemical compounds. The heat, the humidity or the way it is treated. Even the experimenter or lab technician has to wear particular suit to prevent chemical contamination from their own body.
To prevent chemical contamination the experimenter has to understand not only how to control the environment but also how to treat the chemical compounds correctly. One rule that must be complied is never returning the excess chemical to its container. Check out more about Harmful Effects of Chemical Waste in Our Daily Life.
The dangerous potential of returning excess chemical compounds to its container could occur when the experimenter do not realize that the returned compound has been changed into another compounds. While the experimenter do not aware of it, the experimenter could do an error by mixing the unknown compound with another. If the unknown compound has ability to explode, an accident could be happen and might injure the experimenter.
For example, the pyrophoric chemicals which could ignites in air below certain degree Celsius. Uranium, Potassium, Sodium are the some famous compounds for this case. That is why every chemical container always has label and a sign on it to prevent mistreatment of the chemical compounds. Check out more about Inorganic Toxic Substances in Water
Contaminated chemical might also mislead the experiment. While the experimenter do not realize their mistake, they could presume the compounds are the correct compound as the container label said. So the experiment result can be false and makes the experiment invalid.
How To Prevent
Then what should we do to the excess chemical compounds? There are several things we could do to it. Such as share it with your experiment partner or neighbor. Sharing compounds could be the easiest way to do. It could also makes the experiment efficient and effective because it using precise chemical compounds resources. But doing experiment with a partner is quite rare except you are a student who only doing chemical experiment together in a class. Check out more about List of Importance of Organic Chemistry in Industry
In most cases, to prevent returning excess chemical compounds to its original container happened, there are two separate container. This method could prevent chemical contamination resulted by returning excess chemical compounds to its original container.
If we do chemical experiment alone or there are inevitable excess then we should put the excess chemical compounds to the correct waste container. Why? Because not every chemical compounds can be treated in same way. For example most chemical compounds can not be put in plastics. Acid is one of chemical compounds that could melt a plastic. Therefore, plastic container is not effective to contain it.
Glass bottle is the most common way to preserve chemical compounds. Because it believed can not makes any reaction to the compounds. It also quite versatile compared to plastics. But glass is not invincible, sodium hydroxide is a chemical compound that able to melt glass. But it is safe to contain it in a plastic container.
Contaminated chemical compounds which result from returning excess chemical compounds to its original container can makes the chemical can no longer be used. Because it could have changed into another chemical compounds. Therefore the chemical compounds have to be thrown away as a waste and if it happens then the chemical resources is wasted. Check out more about List of Chemistry Experiments for High School
Doing chemical experiment is indeed fun, but be remember the there are rules for treating chemical waste and we have to pay attention to it. Since nowadays, authority regulation are very strict to prevent environment problems. We can get fine penalty just because throwing away chemical waste carelessly. So understand the rules, do not break the law and do the fun.