University of Rochester
EMERGENCY INFORMATIONCALENDARDIRECTORYA TO Z INDEXCONTACTGIVINGTEXT ONLY


CHEMICAL HYGIENE PROGRAM

Printable files are available in three parts with Adobe Acrobat Reader:


Appendix 8

Chemical Abbreviations

OSHA and EPA regulations require all chemical containers be labeled.  To assist lab personnel in the identification of laboratory prepared solutions, the following abbreviations were approved by the Departmental Chemical Hygiene Officer Committee.  The hazards are based on the pure materials.  The chemicals may pose a lesser hazard when they are diluted with water.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) rates the hazard of a chemical on a scale of 0 to 4 (0 is no hazard and 4 is severe hazard).  The hazards include:

  • H = health hazard 
  • F = fire hazard
  • R = reactivity 
  • Special hazards (example, OX = oxidizing hazard).

CHEMICAL/SOLUTION NAME

ABBREVIATION

HAZARD WARNING

NFPA RATING

5-Bromo-4-Chloro-3-Indolyl Beta-D-Galactopyranoside

X-gal

Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract/digestive tract

H1 F1 R0

Acetic Acid

CH3COOH

Corrosive. Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H3 F2 R0

Amino Ethyl Carbazole

AEC

Carcinogen.  Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H2 F1 R0

Ammonium Acetate

NH4OAC

Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H1 F1 R1

Ammonium Bicarbonate

NH4HCO3

Irritation to eyes/skin

H1 F0 R0

Ammonium Chloride

NH4Cl

Irritation to eyes/skin

H2 F0 R0

Ammonium Hydroxide

NH4OH

Corrosive to eyes/skin

H3 F1 R0

Ampicillin

Amp

Antibiotic

----

Beta-Mercaptoethanol,

2-Mercaptoethanol

BME

Flammable.  Severe irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H3 F2 R1

Bleach (10% diluted solution)

10% bleach

Irritation to eyes/skin

H1 F0 R1

Bovine Serum Albumin

BSA

 

H0 F0 R0

Bromphenol Blue

BPB

No information available

H1 F1 R0

Calcium Chloride

CaCl2

Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H2 F0 R2

Carbenicillin

Carb

Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract.  Sensitization.

H2 F0 R2

Cesium Chloride

CsCl

Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H2 F0 R0

Chloroform

CHCl3

Carcinogen.  Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H2 F0 R0

Diaminobenzidine

DAB

Carcinogen.  Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H2 F0 R0

Dimethylformamide

DMF

Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H2 F2 R0

Dimethyl Sulfoxide

DMSO

Irritation to eyes/skin

H2 F1 R0

Dulbecco's Phosphate Buffer Saline

DPBS

No information available

H1 F0 R0

EBC Lysis Buffer

EBC

   

Ethanol

EtOH

Flammable.  Irritation to eyes/skin/respirators tract

H2 F3 R0

Ethidium Bromide

EtBr

Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H2 F1 R0

Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid

EDTA

Mild Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H2 F1 R0

Fetal Bovine Serum

FBS

Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract.

H0 F0 R0

Glucose-Tris-EDTA

GTE

Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract.

H2 F0 R0

Hydrochloric Acid

HCl

Corrosive.  Burns to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H3 F0 R1

Hydrofluoric Acid

HF

Corrosive.  Burns to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H4 F0 R0

Hydrogen Peroxide

H2O2

Oxidizer.  Burns to eyes/skin

H3 F0 R1  OX

Hygromycin

Hygro

Antibiotic

----

Isopropyl beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside

IPTG

No information available

H1 F1 R0

Kanamycin

Kan

Antibiotic

----

Luria-Bertani Medium

LB

 

H0 F0 R0

M9 Salts

M9Salts

 

H0 F0 R0

M9 Terrific Broth

M9TB

 

H0 F0 R0

M9Luria Broth

M9LB

 

H0 F0 R0

Magnesium Acetate

MgOAC

Mild Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H1 F1 R0

Magnesium Chloride

MgCl2

Irritation to eyes/skin

H2 F0 R0

Magnesium Sulfate

MgSO4

Irritation to respiratory tract

H1 F0 R0

Methanol

MeOH

Flammable.  Poison.  Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H2 F3 R0

N,N-Dimethyl Formamide

DMF

Flammable.  Strong Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H2 F2 R0

N-2-Hydroxyethylpiperazine-N'-2-ethanesulfonic acid

HEPES

No information available

H1 F1 R0

Neomycin

Neo

Antibiotic

----

Phenylmethylsofonyl Fluoride

PMSF

Severe Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H3 F1 R2

Phosphate Buffered Saline

PBS

No information available

H1 F0 R0

Phosphate Buffered Saline-Tween

PBST, PBS-Tween

Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H1 F0 R0

Piperazine-N, N'-bis[2-ethanesulfonic acid]

PIPES

Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H1 F1 R0

Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis Running Buffer

PAGE Running Buffer

Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H1 F0 R0

Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis Transfer Buffer

Page Transfer Buffer

Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H1 F0 R0

Polyethylene Glycol

PEG

No information available

H1 F1 R0

Polyvinyl Alcohol

PVA, PVOH

Irritation to skin

H0 F2 R0

Potassium Acetate

KOAc

Mild Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H0 F1 R0

Potassium Chloride

KCl

Mild Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H0 F0 R0

Potassium Hydroxide

KOH

Corrosive.  Burns to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H3 F0 R1

Potassium Iodide

KI

Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H1 F0 R0  OX

Potassium Phosphate, Dibasic

K2HPO4

Mild Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H1 F0 R0

Potassium Phosphate, Monobasic

KH2PO4

Mild Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H1 F0 R0

SOB Medium

SOB

No known hazard

H0 F0 R0

SOC Medium

SOC

No known hazard

H0 F0 R0

Sodium Acetate

NaOAc

Mild irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H0 F1 R0

Sodium Azide

NaN3

Poison.  Irritation to eyes

H3 F1 R0

Sodium Bicarbonate

NaHCO3

Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H1 F0 R1

Sodium Carbonate

Na2CO3

Corrosive.  Burns to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H3 F0 R1

Sodium Chloride

NaCl, Saline

Irritation to respiratory tract

H1 F0 R0

Sodium Citrate

NaCitrate

Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H1 F1 R0

Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate

SDS

Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H2 F1 R0

Sodium Fluoride

NaF

Toxic.  Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H3 F0 R0

Sodium Hydroxide

NaOH

Corrosive.  Burns to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H3 F0 R1

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

SLS

Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H1 F1 R0

Sodium Phosphate, Monobasic

NaH2PO4

Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H2 F0 R0

Sodium Phosphate, Dibasic

Na2HPO4, DSP

Mild Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H1 F0 R0

Saline Sodium Citrate

SSC

Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H2 F1 R0

Sulfuric Acid

H2SO4

Corrosive.  Burns to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H3 F0 R2

Terrific Broth

TB

Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H1 F0 R0

Tetracycline

TET

Antibiotic

----

Tris Base [Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane)]

Tris Base

Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H2 F0 R0

Tris Buffered Saline

TBS

Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H2 F0 R0

Tris Buffered Saline-Tween

TBST, TBS-Tween

Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H2 F0 R0

Tris Ethylenediamine-Tetraacetic Acid

TE, Tris EDTA

Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H2 F0 R0

Tris HCL/Acetic Acid/EDTA Buffer

TAE

Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H2 F0 R0

Tris HCL/Boric Acid/EDTA Buffer

TBE

Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H2 F1 R0

Tris Hydrochloride

Tris-HCl, Tris-Cl

Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H1 F0 R0

Tris, Trizma Hydrochloride,

Tris

Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H1 F0 R0

Tris-Acetate-EDTA Buffer

TAE

Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H2 F1 R0

Tris-Borate-EDTA Buffer

TBE

Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H2 F1 R0

Triton (x-100 and x-114)

TX

No harmful effects listed

H1 F1 R0

Vesphene IISE (working solution)

Vesphene

Irritation to eyes/skin

H1 F0 R0

Water

H2O

None

H0 F0 R0

Water, Distilled

d H2O

None

H0 F0 R0

Water, Double Distilled

dd H2O

None

H0 F0 R0

Zeocin

Zeo

Irritation to eyes/skin/respiratory tract

H2 F0 R0

       
       
       
       
       
       
       


QUESTIONS? Contact EH&S at (585) 275-3241 or e-mail EH&S Questions.

This page last updated 2/17/2006. Disclaimer