Ammonia and polycarbonate reaction

[likeachild]

I accidentally stored some 2M NH3 in polycarbonate bottles , and now they're toast. It produced some white crystals and a brown suspension. I've done a little Googling and haven't found what the possible products are. Do you know what they could be? I am mostly concerned about disposal, and of course, any time I see crystals precipitate from ammonia solutions I'm a little worried.

 

[GCT]

Polycarbonates have carbonyl groups , ammonia may have nucleophilically attached itself and thus cut the polymer chain and produce some type of a red amine conjugated compound. The white precipitate may be ammonium carbonate

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammonium_carbonate

The following is an MSDS for Ammonium Carbonate

http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/a5688.htm

I would dispose of it in a HMIS labeled container and have it picked up by chemical waste services although this can be expensive. Are you asking this question as applied to an industrial setting?

 

[likeachild]

not industry..just a couple bottles from the lab.

thanks for the information. I'm going to try calling the chemical supply company too

 

[Moonbear]

not industry..just a couple bottles from the lab.

thanks for the information. I'm going to try calling the chemical supply company too

On a practical point, just call your safety officer, or whoever is in charge of chemical waste disposal, and explain the situation to them and that you need assistance in determining how to dispose of the resultant product. Most of the time, these people are so bored with their jobs that they just live for challenges like this.