Standard Operating Procedure
Settlement Class: Water Reactive Chemicals
Rubidium
NOTE: Water reactive material may also present additional hazards such as
corrosivity or
toxicity. These materials may also have pyrophoric properties.
This is an SOP template and is not complete until:
1) lab specific information is entered into the
box below
2) lab specific protocol/procedure is added to the protocol/procedure section and
3) SOP has been signed and dated by the PI and relevant lab personnel.
Print a copy and insert into your Laboratory Safety Manualand
Chemical Hygiene Plan
.
Department:
Chemistry
Date SOP was written:
11/21/2012
Date SOP was approved by PI/lab supervisor:
1/13/2013
Principal Investigator:
Richmond Sarpong
Internal Lab Safety Coordinator/Lab Manager:
Rebecca Murphy
Lab Phone:
510
643
2485
Office Phone:
510
643
2407
Emergency Contact:
Richmond Sarpong, 626
644
2407
Location(s) covered by this SOP:
Latimer Hall, 836, 837, 8
38, 839, 842, 844, 847, 849,
907
Type of SOP:
☐
Process
☒
Hazardous Chemical
☐
Hazardous Class
Purpose
Rubidium is a soft alkali metal with atomic number 37. It is extremely reactive and
pyrophoric. Contact with water release flammable gases which may ignite spontaneously. It
may be harmful if inhaled, ingested, and absorbed through the skin. It can cause severe
skin burns and severe, irreversible eye damage. Rubidium’s main use is in laser
manipulation on atoms. It also has a range of applications in electronics and chemistry.
Rubidium
2
Date: 1
2/20/2012
SOP Template developed by The UC Center for Laboratory Safety
Physical & Chemical Properties/Definition of Chemical Group
CAS#:
7440
17
7
Class:
Highly flammable, corrosive
Molecular Formula: Rb
Form (physical state): Solid
Color: Silver
white
Boiling point: 687
688 °C
Potential Hazards/Toxicity
Contact with water releases flammable gases possibly leading to a flash fire. Handle under
inert gas.
Protect from water. May be harmful if inhaled, ingested, or absorbed through skin.
Inhalation may result in inflammation, edema, and chemical pneumonitis. It is extremely
destructive to the mucous membranes and upper respiratory tract. May cause coughing,
wheezing, shortness of breath, headache, nausea, and vomiting. Causes severe skin burns
and eye damage. Eye contact may result in permanent damage and vision loss. Ingestion
leads to strong corrosive effects on mouth and throat. Perforation of esophagus and
stomach may occur.
Engineering Controls
Work under an inert atmosphere (e.g., argon, nitrogen) in a glove box
.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
NOTE:
Lab specific information on PPE
selection may be included in the Protocol/Procedure section.
Respiratory protection
NOTE
: Lab personnel intending to use/wear a respirator mask must be trained and fit-tested by
EH&S.
This is a regulatory requirement.
Respirators should be used only under any of the following circumstances:

As a last line of defense (i.e., after engineering and administrative controls have been
exhausted).

When Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) has exceeded or when there is a possibility that
PEL will be exceeded.

Regulations require the use of a respirator.An employer requires the use of a respirator.

There is potential for harmful exposure due to an atmospheric contaminant (in the absence
of PEL)
As PPE in the event of a chemical spill clean-up process
Hand Protection
Handle with gloves. Gloves must be inspected prior to use. Use proper glove removal
technique (without touching glove's outer surface) to avoid skin contact with this product.
Dispose of contaminated gloves after use in accordance with applicable laws and
good laboratory practices. Wash and dry hands
Rubidium
3
Date: 1
2
/
20
/2012
NOTE:Lab specific and chemical
specific information on glove selection may be included in the
Protocol/Procedure section. Refer to glove selection from the link below:
For glove selection, go to:
http://ehs.berkeley.edu/hs/63
laboratory
safety/94
glove
selection
and
usage.html
NOTE
: Nomex
and
leather flight gloves over chemically resistant gloves are recommended
in the UC
Berkeley Office of Environmental Health and Safety document “Safe Use of Pyrophoric and
Water
Reactive Reagents”.
http://www.ehs.berkeley.edu/hs/126
standardoperating
procedures
sop.html
Eye Protection
Tightly fitting safety goggles. Use face shield (8
inch minimum) when appropriate (not protected by fume
hood sash for example). Use equipment for eye protection tested and approved under
appropriate
governm
ent standards such as NIOSH (US) or EN 166(EU) or ANSI Z87.1.
Skin and Body Protection
Long pants, closed
toed and closed
heeled shoes, cotton
based clothing/attire, and flame resistant lab
coat must be worn for protecting against chemical hazards.
NOTE
:A
Nomex lab coat is recommended in the UC Berkeley Office of Environmental Health and
Safety
document “Safe Use of Pyrophoric and Water Reactive Reagents”.
http://www.e
hs.berkeley.edu/hs/126
standard
operating
procedures
sop.html
Hygiene Measures
Handle in accordance with good industrial hygiene and safety practice. Wash hands before
breaks and at
the end of workday
First Aid Procedures
Notify supervisor and EH&S imm
ediately. Follow up with a call to 510
642
9090 to report the incident.
If Inhaled
Move person into fresh air. If not breathing, give artificial respiration. Consult a physician.
In Case of Skin Contact
Take off contaminated clothing immediately. Wash of
f with soap and plenty of water for 15 minutes.
Take victim immediately to hospital. Consult a physician.
In Case of Eye Contact
Rinse thoroughly with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes, occasionally lifting the upper
and lower
eyelids. Get medical a
id immediately.
If Swallowed
Do not induce vomiting. Never give anything by mouth to an unconscious person. Rinse
mouth with
water. Consult a physician.
Rubidium
4
Date: 1
2/20/2012
SOP Template developed by The UC Center for Laboratory Safety
Special Handling and Storage Requirements
NOTE:
Lab
specific information on handling and storage may
be included in the Protocol/Procedure
section.
Working Alone
Certain extremely hazardous operations should not be performed if the PI or Lab Safety
Contact(s) are
not present. Never work alone with extremely hazardous materials/operations. See the
Protoc
ol/Procedure section below for specific prohibitions (if any) on working alone.
NOTE:
The
UC Berkeley Office of Environmental Health and Safety document “Safe Use of Pyrophoric
and Water Reactive Reagents” specifies not to work alone or during off hours,
when there are few people
around to help
.
http://www.ehs.berkeley.edu/hs/126
standard
operating
procedures
sop.html
Precautions For Safe Handling

Unless it is known otherwise, assume the material is pyrophoric.

To be handled always in a glove box or under inert atmosphere.

Design a quenching scheme for residual materials prior to using water reactive materials.

Never use water to quench the material itself or a reaction where a waterreactive reagent is used.

Begin quenching with a low reactivity quenching agent and slowly add more reactive
quenching
agents. For example, first quench residual sodium metal with isopropanol and then add
ethanol to the mixture.

Design
your experiment to use the least amount of material possible to achieve the desired result.

It is better to do multiple transfers of small volumes than attempt to handle larger quantities.
Before transferring, make sure that the material is at room tempe
rature.

Avoid formation of dusts and aerosols
.

Protect against electrostatic discharges.

Provide appropriate exhaust ventilation at places where dust is formed.

Take measures to prevent the build
up of electrostatic charge.

Keep away from sources of ign
ition
–
Open flames (e.g., Bunsen Burner)

Eliminate or substitute a less hazardous material when possible.

Verify your experimental set
up and procedure prior to use.

Inform colleagues that this material will be used and where. Label the work area with a sign
saying "Water Reactives Use Area".

Only use if the area is properly equipped with a certified eye wash/safety shower within ten
seconds
of travel.

Never use water to extinguish fires caused by water reactive materials.
NOTE:
See a more details on safe
handling in the UC Berkeley Office of Environmental Health and
Safety documents “Safe Use of Pyrophoric and Water Reactive Reagents” and “Quenching
of Pyrophoric
Substances”.
http://www.ehs.berkeley.edu/hs/126
standard
operating
procedures
sop.html
Conditions for Safe Storage

Never allow contact with water.

Always handle inside a
glove box
.

Over time, pressure may increase causing containers to burst. Keep container tightly closed
in a cool dry, well-ventilated place
.

Store and handle under inert gas (Noble gases such as Nitrogen, Argon etc.)

Keep in a dry place (such as a desiccator or a dry box or glove box)
absent of moisture/humidity
.

Store away from heat sources and in a flame proof area

Store in a location, separated from acids
, oxidizing
and
other incompatible materials.

Do not leave the container near a lab sink, emergency eyewash or safety shower.
.
Rubidium
5
Date: 1
2
/
20
/2012
SOP Template developed by The UC Center for Laboratory Safety

Keep away from incompatible materials and conditions.

Use/purchase only amount that is needed in a reasonable amount of time. Use small
quantities whenever possible.

Store in a separate secondary container and label the material clearly.

Minimize dust generation and accumulation.

Haz
ard communication label on the container must read ‘
Water Reactive’
.W

Never allow product to get in contact with water or water based compounds during storage.

Do not leave the container on the bench top even momentarily.

Follow any substance
specific
storage guidance provided in Safety Data Sheet documentation.

Monitor your inventory closely to assure that you have tight control over your material.

Wash hands and arms with soap and water after handling.

Minimize dust generation and accumulation.

At the end of each project, thoroughly inspect the area for residual reactive material.

Store locked-up.
Spill and Accident Procedure
Fire
fighting & Extinguishing media
Suitable extinguishing media
Carbon dioxide (CO
2
), Dry powder, and
Class D fire extinguis
her
DO NOT use water
Special Protective Equipment For Fire
Fighters
Wear Self
Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) for fire
fighting if necessary.
Personal precautions

Avoid dust formation.

Ensure adequate ventilation.

Remove all sources of ignition.

E
vacuate personnel to safe areas.
Environmental precautions
Do not let product enter drains.
Methods and materials for containment and cleaning up

Pick
up and dispose of as hazardous waste without creating dust.

Do not flush with water or bring in contact
with moisture.

Keep in suitable, tightly closed containers for disposal.
Required parameters are missing or incorrect.
Rubidium
6
Date: 1
2/20/2012
SOP Template devel
oped by The UC Center for Laboratory Safety
Chemical Spill
Dial
911
Spill
–
Assess the extent of danger. Help contaminated or injured persons.
area.
Avoid breathing vapors. If possible, confine the
spill to a small area using a spill kit or absorbent
Evacuate the spill
material. Keep others from entering contaminated area (e.g., use caution tape, barriers,
etc.).
Small (<1 L)
–
If you have training, you may assist in the clean
up effort. Use appropriate personal
pro
tective equipment and clean
up material for chemical spilled. Double bag spill waste in clear plastic
bags, label and take to the next chemical waste pick
up.
Large (>1 L)
–
Dial
911
and 510
642
9090 for assistance.
Chemical Spill on Body or Clothes
–
Remove clothing and rinse body thoroughly in emergency shower
for at least 15 minutes. Seek medical attention.
Notify supervisor and EH&S immediately. Follow up with
a call to 510
642
9090 to report the incident.
Chemical Splash Into Eyes
–
Immediately r
inse eyeball and inner surface of eyelid with water from the
emergency eyewash station for 15 minutes by forcibly holding the eye open. Seek
medical attention.
Notify supervisor and EH&S immediately. Follow up with a call to 510
642
9090 to report the inc
ident.
Medical Emergency Dial
911
Life Threatening Emergency, After Hours, Weekends And Holidays
–
Dial
911
or go to the nearest
emergency room.
Note
: All serious injuries
must
be reported to EH&S within 8 hours. Follow up with a
call to 510
642
9090 to
report the incident.
Non
Life Threatening Emergency
–
Go to the Occupational Health Facility (Tang Health Center). After
hours go to the nearest emergency room.
Note
: All serious injuries
must
be reported to EH&S within 8
hours. Follow up with a call to
510
642
9090 to report the incident.
Needle stick/puncture
exposure
(as applicable to chemical handling procedure)
–
Wash the affected
area with antiseptic soap and warm water for 15 minutes.
For mucous membrane exposure
, flush the
affected area for 15 min
utes using an eyewash station. Go to the Occupational Health Facility (Tang
Health Center). After hours go to the nearest emergency room.
Note
: All needle stick/puncture exposures
must
be reported to EH&S within 8 hours. Follow up with a call to 510
642
-
9
090 to report the incident.
Decontamination/Waste Disposal Procedure
NOTE:
Lab
specific information on decontamination/waste disposal may be included in the
Protocol/Procedure section.
Wearing proper PPE, please decontaminate equipment and bench tops using
procedures made in
cooperation with site EHS&S. Please dispose of the water reactive and disposables
contaminated with
water reactives as hazardous waste.
General hazardous waste disposal guidelines:
Required parameters are missing or incorrect.
Rubidium
7
Date: 1
2
/
20
/2012
SOP Template developed by The UC Center for Laboratory Safety
Label Waste
Label all
containers with the label provided at
http://ehs.berkeley.edu/hm/279
new
hazardous
waste
program
hwp.html
.
See the
EH&S
F
act
Sheet,
“
H
azardous
W
a
s
t
e
Management
”
for
general
inst
r
uctions
on
pro
c
edures for
disposing
of
hazardous
w
a
s
t
e.
Store Waste

Call EH&S for proper procedure to dispose of waste

Store hazardous waste in closed containers, in secondary containment and in a designated
location

Double
bag dry waste using transparent bags

Waste must be under the control of the person generating & disposing of it
Dispose of Waste

Dispose of regularly generated chemical waste within 6 months

Call EH&S for questions

Empty Containers
o
Disp
ose as hazardous waste if it once held extremely hazardous waste (irrespective of
the container size)
o
Consult waste pick
-
up schedule
Prepare for transport to pick
up location

Check on
line waste tag

Write date of pick
up on the waste tag

Use secondary co
ntainment

Dispose of regularly generated chemical waste within 6 months

Call EH&S for questions
Safety Data Sheet (SDS) Location
SDS can be accessed online at
http://ucmsds.com
Protocol/Procedure for Rubidium
CAS#:
7
440
17
7
Preparation
List any other particular preparation requirements needs for this procedure (e.g.,
location of spill kit or keep water or
ignition sources away from procedure area).
Know the location of the nearest fire extinguisher, eyewash, and saf
ety shower before beginning work.
Lab
specific
Information
Add lab
specific information not included above if needed (e.g., all work for this procedure
is to take place in the
designated fume hood.)

Procedure/Use
Scale
Engineering
Controls/Equipment
PPE (eye, face, gloves, clothing)
Procedure Steps and Special
Precautions for this Procedure
Up to 1g
Rubidium should only be used in a sealed glove box flushed with inert gas.
Eye protection
: Wear tight-fitting safety goggles or safety glasses with side shields.
Gloves: Handle with reusable
neoprene or nitrile gloves. If
potential for skin contact, also use
leather fighter gloves. Gloves
must be inspected prior to use.
Use proper glove removal
technique (without touching
glove's outer surface) to a
void
skin contact with this product.
Dispose of contaminated gloves
after use in accordance with
applicable laws and good
laboratory practices. Wash and
dry hands after use.
Larger quantities of rubidium can be
disposed of through EH&S. Make sure
to specifically alert the EH&S personnel
to the highly pyrophoric nature of
rubidium.
Rubidium m
ay be sold as solutions, or
dispersions in mineral oil or are covered
with hydrocarbon solvents to facilitate
use, so to weigh rubidium: cut desired
piece of alkali metal under packing oil
using a knife. Using tweezers, transfer
to adjacent flask containin
g toluene or
heptane to rinse off oil. Use tweezers
again to transfer to a weighed flask of
toluene and measure weight to
determine mass of metal. Use tweezers
again to transfer to desired reaction
Clothing
: Wear fire/flame
resistant lab coat (100% cotton
based); cotton based
c
lothing/attire; full length pants or
equivalent; and close
toed, close
heeled shoes.
flask.
Store rubidium under an inert
atmosphere, such as i
nside an inert dry
glove box, and avoid storage areas with
heat/flames, oxidizers, and water
sources.
Small amounts of unused or unwanted
pyrophoric materials must be destroyed
by careful quenching of the residue.
Transfer the materials to an appropriate
r
eaction flask for hydrolysis and/or
neutralization. Dilute significantly with
an unreactive solvent such as heptane
or toluene and place the flask in an ice
water cooling bath. Slowly add
isopropanol to quench pyrophoric
materials. Upon completion, add
met
hanol as a more reactive quenching
agent to ensure completion. Finally, add
water dropwise to make sure there are
no pockets of reactive materials.
Dispose of as hazardous waste. An
alternative quenching method is to
slowly add a dilute solution of rubidiu
m
in heptanes or toluene to dry ice, then
adding a mildly reactive quenching
agent such as methanol.
Notes
Any deviation from this SOP requires approval from PI.
Initials of
individuals using
this procedure