bfesser
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Triethanolamine
I've been thinking about purchasing 1 L of triethanolamine online for use as a solvent to prepare Eriochrome Black T and Calmagite indicator solutions
for water hardness titrations. However, I've noticed that it's listed as a Schedule 3 under Chemical Weapons. Would it be a bad idea to purchase
this solvent in this quantity? Thanks for any advice offered.
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MagicJigPipe
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I wouldn't worry about it. It's used extensively in consumer products.
But then again so are a lot of other things. Just don't buy it in bulk. What do you need a lot of it for?
Apparently it can be used in the production of nitrogen mustards. Not so bad 
"There must be no barriers to freedom of inquiry ... There is no place for dogma in science. The scientist is free, and must be free to ask any
question, to doubt any assertion, to seek for any evidence, to correct any errors. ... We know that the only way to avoid error is to detect it and
that the only way to detect it is to be free to inquire. And we know that as long as men are free to ask what they must, free to say what they think,
free to think what they will, freedom can never be lost, and science can never regress." -J. Robert Oppenheimer
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evil_lurker
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Honestly I think that triethanolamine is very low on the gov't priority schedules... why they even put it on the CW list is beyond me... its kinda
like toluene... everyone knows you can use it in meth production, but by itself its pretty benign... besides, how many people can you name that have
the capability to handle nitrogen mustards?
None that I know of. Those that do, I'm sure they can source it from somewhere.
Not all chemicals are bad. Without chemicals such as hydrogen and oxygen, for example, there would be no way to make water, a vital ingredient in
beer.
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bfesser
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I'd rather buy it in smaller quantities, as I only need a little to prepare the indicator, but 1 L is all I've been able to find.
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Sauron
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We have seen some folks confuse triethanolamine with triethylamine.
Triethylamine is not a CWC Scheduled compound.
Sic gorgeamus a los subjectatus nunc.
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bfesser
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I need trieth<strong>anol</strong>amine, as solutions of Eriochrome Black T are supposed to be much more stable with this solvent as
opposed to methanol which is only stable for a few days or weeks.
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pantone159
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My guess is that this is way below anyones radar, I wouldn't worry about it at all.
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Sauron
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Depends on where you are.
Sic gorgeamus a los subjectatus nunc.
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Polverone
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In the US you are fine. I have bought it myself. As others have mentioned it is widely used in cosmetic preparations, so it is sold by more (and more
varied) suppliers than comparable chemicals.
PGP Key and corresponding e-mail address
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bfesser
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Has anyone here purchased any triethanolamine from Chemsavers before?
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azo
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YOU WILL HAVE NO TROUBLE GETTING IT AS IT IS WIDELY USED IN LAUNDRY POWDERS AS IT REACTS WITH VARIOUS SULPHONIC ACIDS TO MAKE ALKYL BENZENE
SULPONATES WHICH IS THE ANIONIC DETERGENT USED.
YOU CAN DO THIS WITH OTHER BASES BUT TRIETHANOLAMINE IS THE CHEAPEST WAY.
REGARDS AZO
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