Chemical Properties
Lead acetate is a white, flaky crystalline substance with a slight odor of acetic acid. Commercial grades
may be powdered granules, or brown or gray lumps.
Diacetate: Powder.
Definition
ChEBI: A lead coordination entity in which a central lead(2+) atom is coordinated to two acetate ions.
Uses
Mordant in cotton dyes; lead coating for metals; drier in paints, varnishes and pigment inks; colorant in hair dyes. Weighting silks; manufacture of lead salts, chrome-yellow; as analytical reagent for detection of sulfide, determination of CrO3, MoO3.
Potential Exposure
Lead acetate is used as a color additive in hair dyes; as a mordant in cotton dyes, in the lead
coating of metals; as a drier in paints; varnishes and pigment inks; and in medicinals, such as astringents.
Incompatibilities: A strong reducing agent. Reacts violently
with strong oxidizers, bromates, strong acids; chemically
active metals; phosphates, carbonates, phenols. Contact
with strong acids forms acetic acid. Incompatible with
strong bases: ammonia, amines, cresols, isocyanates, alkylene oxides; epichlorohydrin, sulfites, resorcinol, salicylic
acid, and chloral hydrat
First aid
Skin Contact: Flood all areas of body that
have contacted the substance with water. Do not wait to
remove contaminated clothing; do it under the water
stream. Use soap to help assure removal. Isolate contaminated clothing when removed to prevent contact by others.
Eye Contact: Remove any contact lenses at once.
Immediately flush eyes well with copious quantities of
water or normal saline for at least 2030 minutes. Seek
medical attention. Inhalation: Leave contaminated area
immediately; breathe fresh air. Proper respiratory protection
must be supplied to any rescuers. If coughing, difficult
breathing or any other symptoms develop, seek medical
attention at once, even if symptoms develop many hours
after exposure. Ingestion: Contact a physician, hospital or
poison center at once. If the victim is unconscious or convulsing, do not induce vomiting or give anything by mouth.
Assure that the patient’s airway is open and lay him on his
side with his head lower than his body and transport immediately to a medical facility. If conscious and not convulsing, give a glass of water to dilute the substance. Vomiting
should not be induced without a physician’s advice
Shipping
UN1616 Lead acetate, Hazard Class: 6.1;
Labels: 6.1-Poisonous materials
Incompatibilities
A strong reducing agent. Reacts violently
with strong oxidizers, bromates, strong acids; chemically
active metals; phosphates, carbonates, phenols. Contact
with strong acids forms acetic acid. Incompatible with
strong bases: ammonia, amines, cresols, isocyanates, alkylene oxides; epichlorohydrin, sulfites, resorcinol, salicylic
acid, and chloral hydrate
Waste Disposal
Convert to nitrate using nitric
acid; evaporate, then saturate with H2S; wash and dry
the sulfide and ship to the supplier. Consult with
environmental regulatory agencies for guidance on
acceptable disposal practices. Generators of waste containing this contaminant (≥100 kg/mo) must conform with
EPA regulations governing storage, transportation, treatment, and waste disposal
Production Methods
Lead acetate is made by dissolving lead monoxide (litharge) or lead carbonate in strong acetic acid. Several types of basic salts are formed when lead acetates are prepared from lead monoxide in dilute acetic acid or at high pH. The basic salts of lead acetate are white crystalline compounds, which are highly soluble in water and dissolve in ethyl alcohol.
Lead acetate can be made by boiling elemental lead in acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide.
Purification Methods
Crystallise it twice from anhydrous acetic acid and dry it under vacuum for 24hours at 100o. The solubility in H2O is 63% (at ~20o) and 200% (at boiling point). [Beilstein 2 IV 118.]
Flammability and Explosibility
Notclassified
storage
Color Code- Blue: Health Hazard/Poison: Storein a secure poison location. Prior to working with thischemical you should be trained on its proper handlingandstorage. Store in a cool, dry place and keep tightly coveredand avoid contact with oxidizers, strong acids, chemicallyactive metals. A regulated, marked area should be estab-lished where this chemical is handled, used, or stored incompliance with OSHA Standard 1910.1045.
Precautions
Lead (II) acetate, as with any other lead salts, causes lead poisoning.
