Storing acetic acid

I've searched the forums and found good information, but not everything I want.
Also, yes, I know how to NOT do something stupid with chemicals (though knowing is only half the battle, lol).

I recently acquired some glacial acetic acid; 1 litre in a plastic bottle. I would like to keep it in the attached but unheated garage due to odor and to minimize accidents (no children in the household - just being extra careful against spilling). We have no basement. Currently it is in a spare bedroom (where I keep photography materials and other things). When I opened the box it was shipped in, the odor was strong, though there was no leakage. The smell has dissipated since unpacking.

It has a low flash-point, but high auto-ignition - so this part is relatively safe so long as I keep it away from flames (and sealed). From what I've read, it freezes around 62^F, and apparently this does not harm the chemical, correct?

However, our winters can dip below 0, and summers often get into the 90s. Will these extremes harm acetic acid? I'm not worried about the garage - I can put the bottle in a large vessel to contain a breach. Perhaps I'm being overly cautious and the spare room will be fine.

If you are smelling the acetic acid, it is not contained correctly. I have a 25+ year-old bottle of Kodak glacial acetic acid and there is no smell at all. Do check the container for leaks, check the lid for seal, etc.

I don't like to store chemicals in below-freezing temperatures. I'm not sure if acetic acid would be damaged by exposure to such temperatures, but I'm fairly sure the plastic bottle will become more brittle and more subject to breakage at such a low temp.

After you get the acid in a sealed container (Do be careful when handling glacial acetic acid!), you can store it somewhere warmer and protect against spillage by placing the bottle inside another sturdy container (I'm thinking small bucket, etc., ) just in case there are any leaks.

FWIW, my bottle of Kodak glacial acetic acid is stored inside another larger bottle with the top cut off and then inside a cardboard box with other chemicals.

Best,

Doremus

As long as it is glacial acetic acid, then freezing will not do any harm. GAA does not expand like water when it freezes, and cooling down further once frozen will make no difference. It is not very volatile either, so 90-100 deg F should not be a problem. There should be very little trouble finding an MSDS for GAA on the internet, and in any event your supplier must be able to provide one. All the info you are looking for will be in the MSDS.

Glacial acetic acid freezes at 62F hence the name. This can be a bother if you wish to use it as it must be heated to melt it. Remember that the glacial form is flammable and it will burn when exposed to flame producing very acrid vapors.

Truzi said:

However, our winters can dip below 0, and summers often get into the 90s. Will these extremes harm acetic acid? I'm not worried about the garage - I can put the bottle in a large vessel to contain a breach. Perhaps I'm being overly cautious and the spare room will be fine.

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I'd keep it in the garage, and warn all your family not to address any spillage or leak, handle with lab coat, wellington boots, safety googles, face mask & nitrile gloves. It is not like vinegar. Heat by immersion in bucket of warm water in garage or out doors. Read the Haz chem details.

I use the white vinegar we put on our fish and chips, diluted, but only if I get stains on test prints.

I had checked and the bottle is sealed well. I think transit in the mail, and being in a small sealed box, could have contributed to the smell. There is no smell after a couple days, but I will revisit the bottle.
I actually keep all my liquid chemical bottles in buckets or basins just in case they leak.

Gerald C Koch said:

Glacial acetic acid freezes at 62F hence the name. This can be a bother if you wish to use it as it must be heated to melt it. Remember that the glacial form is flammable and it will burn when exposed to flame producing very acrid vapors.

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You, sir, are evil, lol. I knew it has a low flash point, but had not thought about trying to ignite a frozen piece until now.
I'll do that right after I wash an old dirty piece of sodium I have

Doremus Scudder said:

If you are smelling the acetic acid, it is not contained correctly.

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The containeer was described as being of plastic.
PE has the characteristic of letting gases/vapours and odours pass to some extent.

I recall when I was young having a chat with the clerk in the local camera store. Thye had just received a shipment from Kodak and since it included professional film it was shipped by refrigerated truck, and the shipment included some (glass at the time) bottles of Glacial Acetic Acid.

The guy was trying to get to the acid and set the bottles on the side, as he was afraid that when they melted, the solid part would fall to the bottom and break the bottle.

Regular concentrated acetic acid stop bath is so cheap (and already pretty concentrated) that I always wonder why anyone bothers with something as problematic as GAA.

Thank you all for your input. The only thing the MSDS said relating to my question was it may expand and break a container when freezing.
It did not speak to whether temperature extremes will affect it's usefulness. I believe this thread, on the other hand, has spoken to that.

The reason I bought it is because I get bored easily, lol. I like to play around and do things myself sometimes, even if it is easier to have it done for me. It is mostly for fun and the experience of it.

AgX... I don't know that PE would appreciate you saying that of him