Journal of chemical health & safety最新文献

{"title":"Assessing and Enhancing Base Bath Safety Culture Through Student-Led Initiatives in an Academic Research Environment","authors":"Haley Wellman,&nbsp;Santiago Diaz-Arauzo,&nbsp;Gregory J. Moller,&nbsp;Ethan Fuller,&nbsp;Mark C. Hersam,&nbsp;Justin M. Notestein,&nbsp;Omar K. Farha,&nbsp;Michael Blayney","doi":"10.1021/acs.chas.6c00019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chas.6c00019","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Base baths, which typically employ strong bases dissolvedin alcohols,are frequently used to clean laboratory glassware but present significantfire, chemical, and handling hazards when improperly prepared or maintained.This work evaluates prior awareness, documentation practices, anddaily use of base baths within an academic research environment. Itseeks to improve safety education on users’ knowledge and behaviors.Initial surveys revealed knowledge gaps regarding base bath fire risks,the correct use of personal protective equipment (PPE), proper secondarycontainment measures, and improper labeling and documentation practices.In response, standardized training materials, safety briefings, anda formal standard operating procedure were developed and distributedthrough departmental seminars and interactive training sessions. Follow-upsurveys demonstrate improved recognition of proper base bath preparation,increased awareness of appropriate spill/splash response, more preciseidentification of associated fire hazards, and greater confidencein working with base baths. The reported use of labeling, lids, secondarycontainment, and appropriate PPE increased following these safetyinterventions. Collectively, these results indicate that structured,low-barrier safety programming combined with accessible written guidancemeasurably improved hazard recognition and risk mitigation duringhandling base baths. This framework provides a practical model forstrengthening the chemical safety culture through student-led initiativesfocused on high-risk cleaning practices, which are standard in researchlaboratories and may be adapted to other commonly overlooked laboratoryhazards.</p>","PeriodicalId":73648,"journal":{"name":"Journal of chemical health & safety","volume":"33 5","pages":"734–741"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149067500","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nanoplastics at the Science-Policy Interface: Strengthening the Evidence Base for Decision-Making","authors":"Fazel Abdolahpur Monikh,&nbsp;Mark R. Wiesner,&nbsp;Willie Peijnenburg,&nbsp;Jae-Seong Lee,&nbsp;Hans-Peter Grossart","doi":"10.1021/acs.chas.6c00014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chas.6c00014","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Despite a rapid expansion of research on nanoplastics,substantialscientific gaps continue to limit the reliability and policy relevanceof the available evidence on their hazards and exposure. Much of theexisting literature is constrained by inconsistent terminology, insufficientlyvalidated analytical methods, and uncertain biological relevance,reducing its utility for robust risk assessment and regulatory decision-making.While these challenges are increasingly recognized, current researchpractices and incentive structures often favor continued data generationover the resolution of foundational methodological and interpretativelimitations. As a result, scientific narratives surrounding nanoplasticshave, in some cases, advanced more rapidly than the supporting evidence,contributing to uncertainty in exposure characterization, toxicologicalinference, and health relevance. This Perspective critically examinesthe roots of these uncertainties, with particular attention to definitionalambiguity, analytical constraints, surrogate use, and the translationof emerging findings into policy-relevant claims. Rather than presentingnew empirical data, we assess how structural weaknesses in the currentevidence base affect scientific credibility, public trust, and regulatoryinterpretation. We highlight recent methodological progress in thefield while identifying the remaining barriers that prevent its effectiveconsolidation for risk assessment purposes. Finally, we outline pragmaticdirections for strengthening the science-policy interface, emphasizinguncertainty-aware regulatory approaches, operational definitions linkedto analytical capability, and transparent communication as prerequisitesfor proportionate and defensible policy action on nanoplastics, withthe aim of providing a critical yet constructive synthesis to helpmove the field forward and better support decision-makers.</p>","PeriodicalId":73648,"journal":{"name":"Journal of chemical health & safety","volume":"33 5","pages":"666–676"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149067568","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Lab Notebook Commentary: Transforming the Laboratory Notebook into a Framework for Risk Management","authors":"Eugene Oga,&nbsp;Jamea N. E. Yolandia","doi":"10.1021/acs.chas.5c00222","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chas.5c00222","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Laboratory notebooksremain central to chemical researchdocumentation,yet their use as primarily historical records no longer aligns withthe complexity and risk profile of modern laboratory practice. Toexamine how safety information is recorded and accessed during laboratorywork, an anonymous survey of 97 laboratory personnel from academic,industry, government, and clinical laboratories was conducted. Thesurvey evaluated notebook practices, accessibility of safety resources,and the extent to which hazard identification and risk managementare documented alongside experimental procedures. Survey results revealinconsistent integration of safety planning into laboratory notebookentries. Although notebooks are widely used for experimental documentation,fewer than one-third of respondents reported consistently recordingsafety-related information directly within experimental entries. Manyparticipants relied on external institutional systems or personnelto manage hazard information and Safety Data Sheets during experimentalwork. These findings suggest that safety information is frequentlyseparated from experimental documentation, potentially limiting itsaccessibility during active laboratory work. The results highlightan opportunity to strengthen laboratory safety practices by more effectivelyintegrating hazard awareness and risk management considerations withinlaboratory notebook documentation. Based on these findings, this workoutlines a framework for incorporating structured safety informationalongside experimental records to support continuity of risk communicationand safer laboratory practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":73648,"journal":{"name":"Journal of chemical health & safety","volume":"33 5","pages":"726–733"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149071077","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Neuro-Symbolic Hybrid Framework for Automated P&ID Auditing: Integrating Graph Neural Networks with Knowledge-Grounded RAG for Human-in-the-Loop Safety Verification","authors":"Rohit Shinde,&nbsp;Ankit Maheshbhai Chachad,&nbsp;Snehal Bhosale","doi":"10.1021/acs.chas.6c00094","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chas.6c00094","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&amp;IDs) representthe foundationalsafety records of chemical process facilities, yet their accuracyfrequently degrades in brownfield facilities due to undocumented processmodifications and Management of Change implementation. This documentationdecay introduces latent topological hazards that traditional manualreviews often fail to detect. The aim of this paper is to automatetopology-aware, standards-based safety auditing for P&amp;IDs usinga neuro-symbolic artificial intelligence framework. The architecturerepresents P&amp;IDs as labeled property graphs across five core layers:(1) Graph Neural Networks (GNN)-based topological anomaly detection,(2) a standards-populated Knowledge Graph, (3) Graph-Retrieval-AugmentedGeneration (RAG) retrieval for audit finding generation, (4) an engineerreview interface, and (5) human feedback-based calibration. The frameworkis examined conceptually across the three critical process safetyscenarios: reversed check valve, incorrect valve fail-state positions,and missing thermal relief in blocked liquid lines. The flagged findingis classified into three severities: Critical, Warning, or Informational,to support safety auditing. An adjacent benchmark synthesis of graph-learning,engineering-drawing analysis, and knowledge-grounded AI studies suggeststhat the hybrid architecture addresses two key limitations of standalonemethods: brittle rule coverage and insufficient audit traceability.Reported adjacent-domain benchmarks include evidence from previouslypublished studies in adjacent domains, indicating that knowledge-graph-enhancedgraph models can achieve high topological detection accuracy, thatphysics-informed graph architectures can attain strong classificationperformance, and that grounding retrieval-augmented generation instructured knowledge sources can substantially reduce unsupportedgeneration. This human-in-the-loop system supports safety audits bygrounding probabilistic AI anomaly detection in deterministic engineeringcodes.</p>","PeriodicalId":73648,"journal":{"name":"Journal of chemical health & safety","volume":"33 5","pages":"770–784"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149067498","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Designing against Thermal Runaway: A DFSS-RSM-FMEA Framework Linking Battery Electrochemical Failure Thresholds to EV Interior Fire-Safety Materials","authors":"Mai Sheta,&nbsp;Nahla A. Taha,&nbsp;Alaa El-Sharkawy,&nbsp;Mahmoud M. Elewa","doi":"10.1021/acs.chas.6c00072","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chas.6c00072","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Electric vehicle(EV) battery fires pose acute occupant safetyrisks, yet no systematic Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) framework existsto optimize interior fire-safety barrier materials under simultaneousthermal, mass, and toxicological constraints. This study applies afull DMADV methodology to develop and verify a flame-retardant compositephase-change material (FR-CPCM) multilayer barrier for EV interiorcompartments. Voice-of-Customer inputs from UNECE R100 Rev.3, FMVSS302, and automotive mass budgets were translated into five Critical-to-Qualitytargets: fire resistance duration <em>t</em>_FR ≥18 min, areal density ρ_A ≤ 2.0 kg·m^–2, thermal conductivity <em>k</em> = 0.50–0.65W·m^–1·K^–1, hydrogenfluoride (HF) cabin concentration &lt; 30 ppm, and recyclability ≥3/5.Twelve candidate material systems were screened using weighted compositescoring, and an aerogel–PCM–intumescent architecturewith a halogen-free APP/EG/MDH flame-retardant system was selected.A three-factor, face-centered Central Composite Design (20 runs) wascombined with Response Surface Methodology to model three performanceresponses simultaneously. Composite desirability optimization (<em>D</em> = 0.72) identified the optimal formulation: 32 wt % PCM,20 wt % FR loading, and 12 mm barrier thickness. Verification confirmed <em>t</em>_FR = 18 min (3.6× UNECE compliance margin),ρ_A = 1.80 kg·m^–2, and <em>k</em> = 0.58 W·m^–1·K^–1. Failure Mode and Effects Analysis reduced the system risk prioritynumber by 56% (400 → 176 across 12 failure modes). HF toxicologicalmodeling identified a peak exposure of 240× the NIOSH-recommendedexposure limit, establishing residual risk quantification as the primaryfuture research priority, alongside full-scale UNECE validation andAI-assisted DFSS integration.</p>","PeriodicalId":73648,"journal":{"name":"Journal of chemical health & safety","volume":"33 5","pages":"677–725"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149067508","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Systematic Approach to Hazardous Waste Management for Very Small Quantity Generators","authors":"Moises M. Gutierrez","doi":"10.1021/acs.chas.6c00070","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chas.6c00070","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Hazardous waste (HW) management remains a significantenvironmentaland regulatory challenge, particularly for very small quantity generators(VSQGs), which often lack the technical resources and institutionalinfrastructure available to larger facilities. Despite generatingrelatively small volumes of hazardous waste, VSQGs contribute disproportionatelyto regulatory violations. Recent enforcement data indicate that approximately46% of hazardous waste violations are associated with small generators(VSQGs and SQGs). When normalized by waste volume, violation ratesare markedly higher for VSQGs (∼18.7 violations per thousandmetric tons) compared to ∼2.2 for SQGs and ∼0.1 forlarge quantity generators (LQGs). These data indicate that most violationsamong VSQGs arise from fundamental compliance deficiencies, particularlyin waste identification, container management, and labeling, highlightingsystemic gaps in training and program implementation. This work presentsa systematic framework integrating waste identification, on-site handling,transportation, disposal, and minimization, with emphasis on regulatorythresholds, including acute hazardous waste and universal waste requirements,to support improved compliance and reduced environmental risk.</p>","PeriodicalId":73648,"journal":{"name":"Journal of chemical health & safety","volume":"33 5","pages":"756–769"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149067569","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Experimental Evaluation of a Low-Hazard Source-Level Mitigation Strategy for Indoor Formalin Spill Response in Educational Facilities","authors":"Chul-Hee Cho,&nbsp;Jong-Chul Kim,&nbsp;Su-Hyun Eom,&nbsp;Dooyoung Kim,&nbsp;Hong-Sik Kim,&nbsp;Sohee Jeong,&nbsp;Dong-Hun Han","doi":"10.1021/acs.chas.6c00097","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chas.6c00097","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Formalin is widely used in educational facilities forspecimenpreservation and laboratory experiments; however, its primary component,formaldehyde, is a volatile, toxic, and carcinogenic substance thatmay pose significant health risks when released indoors. This studyexperimentally evaluated sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃), urea(H₂NCONH₂), and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) as candidatematerials for a low-hazard source-control strategy for formalin spillincidents in educational facilities. Qualitative bromothymol blue(BTB) indicator assessments and GC–MS analyses showed thatsodium bicarbonate and sodium hydroxide substantially reduced formaldehyde-associatedresponses, whereas urea exhibited little observable effect under theconditions tested. In sealed-chamber experiments simulating indoorformalin spill scenarios, airborne formaldehyde concentrations increasedrapidly and exceeded 800 ppm under untreated conditions. In contrast,sodium bicarbonate treatment maintained concentrations below 20 ppmthroughout the experimental period and effectively suppressed concentrationbuildup over time. These findings suggest that sodium bicarbonatemay reduce airborne formaldehyde release by altering physicochemicalconditions that influence formaldehyde volatilization. Owing to itslow hazard profile, favorable handling characteristics, wide availability,and operational practicality, sodium bicarbonate demonstrated considerablepotential as a low-hazard source-control material capable of complementingconventional ventilation- and dilution-based Hazmat response strategiesfor indoor formalin spill incidents.</p>","PeriodicalId":73648,"journal":{"name":"Journal of chemical health & safety","volume":"33 5","pages":"785–794"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149067559","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Classifying Chemical Accidents Using Explainable Artificial Intelligence Methods","authors":"Ha Jin Noh,&nbsp;Yasser Vasseghian,&nbsp;Ho-Hyun Kim,&nbsp;Sang-Woo Joo","doi":"10.1021/acs.chas.6c00057","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chas.6c00057","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Five machine learningmodels were trained using accident reportsfrom the National Institute of Chemical Safety (NICS) that occurredin the Republic of Korea from 2014 to 2025 to classify the accidents’causes. Even though some causes were difficult to distinguish becausethey were described using similar language in the accident reports,the models performed reasonably well with <em>F</em>1 scoresof 0.7608, 0.8086, 0.7687, 0.8070, and 0.8215 and Area Under the Precision-RecallCurve (AUPRC) scores of 0.8284, 0.8354, 0.8548, 0.8434, and 0.8807,respectively, for Logistic Regression (LR), Random Forest (RF), SupportingVector Machine (SVM), XGBoost, and Korean Bidirectional Encoder Representationsfrom Transformers (KoBERT). A Local Interpretable Model-agnostic Explanations(LIME) XAI (explainable artificial intelligence) method was appliedto analyze the decision-making process, which revealed symmetricalkeyword reliance that reflects the inherent conceptual overlap betweenthe two primary causes as defined by the NICS: “facility defect”and “noncompliance with safety standards”. Our resultsprovide recommendations to overcome the inherent limitations of theNICS data set and highlight the necessity of a fine-grained classificationframework using XAI approaches.</p>","PeriodicalId":73648,"journal":{"name":"Journal of chemical health & safety","volume":"33 5","pages":"742–755"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149067475","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Grignard Reaction Laboratory Reaction Safety Summary (LRSS): A Practical Resource for Chemists","authors":"Tilak Chandra,&nbsp;Randall L. Heald,&nbsp;Samuella B. Sigmann","doi":"10.1021/acs.chas.5c00216","DOIUrl":"10.1021/acs.chas.5c00216","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The concept of laboratory reaction safety summaries (LRSSs)wasintroduced by members of the American Chemical Society’s (ACS)Committee on Chemical Safety (CCS) at a Safety Advisory Panel (SAP)subcommittee meeting at ACS headquarters in Washington, DC (2022).Using the Grignard reaction as an example, this paper demonstrateshow LRSSs are developed and how they can proactively strengthen laboratorysafety. LRSSs are created in a collaboration between researchers andsafety professionals using the RAMP (Recognize hazards, Assess risks,Minimize risks, and Prepare for emergencies) framework and a what-ifanalysis to determine risk. LRSSs inform standard operating procedures,guidance documents, research training tools, and risk assessments.Integrating LRSSs into research and training fosters proactive riskmanagement, increases accountability, and improves the laboratorysafety culture through clear, well-designed documentation.</p>","PeriodicalId":73648,"journal":{"name":"Journal of chemical health & safety","volume":"33 4","pages":"600–606"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148624643","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Case Report: Spontaneous Ignition of Reduced Titania, Obtained by Thermal Reduction with NaBH4 at Laboratory Scale","authors":"Lore Van den Bergh,&nbsp;Sabine Van Doorslaer,&nbsp;Vera Meynen","doi":"10.1021/acs.chas.6c00018","DOIUrl":"10.1021/acs.chas.6c00018","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This case reportbrings the hazards of spontaneous ignition ofblack TiO₂, produced by thermal reduction of titania withsodium borohydride (NaBH₄) at laboratory scale, to attention.Although the reduction method is widely cited in the literature withoutindicating any hazards and despite following these published protocols,in several syntheses spontaneous ignition of the reduced samples wasobserved only seconds after the reduced titania samples were exposedto ambient air at room temperature. Although the exact reduction mechanismand reason for ignition are not yet fully understood, the formationof (complex) metal hydrides of sodium and/or titania could be thecause. These frequent incidents stress the need for thorough riskassessment beyond literature procedures, detailed reporting of experimentalconditions, and open reporting of laboratory-scale incidents and nearmisses to better protect researchers working with highly reactivereducing agents. Furthermore, TGA-MS analysis was performed to unravelthe reduction mechanism, revealing that the plastic tubing of theanalytical instrument allowed an O₂/H₂O influxinto the system. This highlights a potential additional problem withrespect to the quality of analysis of samples that can be easily oxidizedand also points to potentially hazardous situations when the oxidationis highly exothermic.</p>","PeriodicalId":73648,"journal":{"name":"Journal of chemical health & safety","volume":"33 4","pages":"560–567"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148624670","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}