Determination of the expiration date of chemical solutions

Abstract

Thirty-five chemical solutions, acids, bases, complexing, argentometric, reducing, oxidising, salts and eluent mixtures, were studied continuously over a 7.5-month period. Twenty-seven remained reasonably stable and had acceptable expiration dates, which were equal to or more than 2 months longer than the established average deviation of ±2% relative to the initial value. Exceptions were made for potassium permanganate (0.1 M), perchloric acid (0.1 M) and disodium hydrogen phosphate (10%) solutions, as well as for HPLC eluent mixtures, which showed stability with expiration dates equal to stated values or shorter by 1 month. The eight chemical solutions presenting expiration dating higher than 6 months were hydrochloric acid (0.1 and 1 M), sulphuric acid (0.5 and 1.5 M), ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) (0.1 M), silver nitrate (0.1 M), ammonium thiocyanate (0.1 M) and iodine (0.1 M). The present data is a suitable guideline for the date of several chemical solutions routinely used in the analytical laboratories.