Carbon disulfide

Description

A clear, colorless liquid with a strong, disagreeable odor. Carbon disulfide was discovered in 1796. It was once used as a Fumigant for houses, wood objects, and books. However, it is no longer recommended because it can soften paints, varnishes, plastics, and rubbers as well as tarnish metals. It is also highly toxic to humans.

Synonyms and Related Terms

carbon sulfide; carbon bisulfide; carbon sulphide (Br.); carbon disulphide (Br.); carbon bisulphide (Br.)

Risks

• Toxic by inhalation, ingestion and skin absorption.
• Flammable. Dangerous fire and explosion risk. Flash point = -30C (-22F)
• Can be stored in iron, aluminum, glass, porcelain, Teflon.
• Airgas: SDS
• EPA lists carbon dioxide as hazardous waste due to its toxicity and ignitability; concentrations over 10% must be disposed of appropriately

Physical and Chemical Properties

• Soluble in ethanol, benzene, ether, chloroform, oils.
• Slightly soluble in water.
• Burns with blue flame.

Composition	CS2
CAS	75-15-0
Melting Point	-111.6 C
Density	1.2632 g/ml
Molecular Weight	mol.wt. = 76.1
Refractive Index	1.628
Boiling Point	46.3-46.5 C

Resources and Citations

• L. Goldberg, A History Of Pest Control Measures In The Anthropology Collections, National Museum Of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, JAIC (35):23-43, 1996

• R. J. Gettens, G.L. Stout, Painting Materials, A Short Encyclopaedia, Dover Publications, New York, 1966 Comment: Flash point = -20C

• G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971 Comment: p. 743

• Ralph Mayer, A Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques, Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 1969 (also 1945 printing)

• Richard S. Lewis, Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 10th ed., 1993

• Stephen R. Edwards, Bruce M. Bell, Mary Elizabeth King, Pest Control in Museums: a Status Report 1980, Association of Sytematics Collections, Washington DC, 1980

• Lynda A. Zycherman, J.Richard Schrock, A Guide to Museum Pest Control, FAIC and Association of Systematics Collections, Washington DC, 1988

• Michael McCann, Artist Beware, Watson-Guptill Publications, New York City, 1979 Comment: flash point = -30C (-22F)

• Matt Roberts, Don Etherington, Bookbinding and the Conservation of Books: a Dictionary of Descriptive Terminology, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington DC, 1982

• Random House, Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, Grammercy Book, New York, 1997

• The Merck Index, Martha Windholz (ed.), Merck Research Labs, Rahway NJ, 10th edition, 1983

• The American Heritage Dictionary or Encarta, via Microsoft Bookshelf 98, Microsoft Corp., 1998

• CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, Robert Weast (ed.), CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, v. 61, 1980 Comment: ref. index=1.628