What is dichloromethane used for?
A dense, non-flammible colourless liquid at room temperature (b.p. 40℃, d = 1.33) which is immiscible with water, it is widely used as a solvent, a paint stripper, and for the removal of caffeine from coffee and tea. It has a role as a polar aprotic solvent, a carcinogenic agent and a refrigerant.
What precautions should you take when working with dichloromethane?
When handling dichloromethane in the workplace, use the following safety precautions:
- Wear protective clothing. Footwear should cover the entire foot.
- Always wear PPE such as chemical splash goggles and safety gloves.
- Work in a well-ventilated area (preferably in an environment with a fume extraction system).
What is the melting point of dichloromethane?
-142.1°F (-96.7°C)Dichloromethane / Melting point
What is the boiling point of dichloromethane?
103.3°F (39.6°C)Dichloromethane / Boiling point
How is DCM used in lab?
Methylene chloride or dichloromethane (DCM) is commonly used as a solvent, for example for thin-layer chromatography in isolating organic compounds.
Is dichloromethane the same as chloroform?
The key difference between chloroform and dichloromethane is that chloroform contains three chlorine atoms per molecule, whereas dichloromethane contains two chlorine atoms per molecule. Chloroform and dichloromethane are organochlorine molecules containing similar atomicity and a similar geometry or molecular shape.
How carcinogenic is DCM?
Based on this, DCM has been classified as a cat. 2 carcinogen. Dose-dependent toxicokinetics of DCM suggest that DCM is a threshold carcinogen in mice, initiating carcinogenicity via the low affinity/high capacity GSTT1 pathway; a biotransformation pathway that becomes relevant only at high exposure concentrations.
Can DCM go through gloves?
WARNING: Methylene chloride/dichloromethane readily penetrates standard nitrile laboratory gloves (and many other types of gloves). Wear two pairs of standard nitrile gloves and work so that gloves do not contact the chemical. Remove outer gloves immediately if splashed.
Is dichloromethane corrosive to metals?
May form explosive mixtures in atmospheres having high oxygen content. Conditions to Avoid: Excess heat, attacks some plastics, rubber, and coatings, confined spaces, When no water is present, dichloromethane is not corrosive to metals.
Why does dichloromethane not mix with water?
Immiscibility. Organic solvents like dichloromethane are immiscible in water because water is, by contrast, a very polar solvent. When non-polar substances enter an aqueous solution, they exhibit hydrophobic behaviour by aggregating together and excluding the water molecules.
What DCM means?
Dilated cardiomyopathy, or DCM, is when the heart chambers enlarge and lose their ability to contract. It often starts in the left ventricle (bottom chamber). As the disease gets worse, it may spread to the right ventricle and to the atria (top chambers).
Is hydrogen peroxide a carcinogen?
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has determined that hydrogen peroxide is not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans.