The closest (and far superior) competitor to this book is Bretherick’s Handbook of Reactive Chemical Hazards which in less than twice as many pages describes the reactive chemical hazards of more than three times as many chemicals (1). Each of the more than 4800 discussions of reactive chemicals in Bretherick cites literature references as the basis for the information provided.

More than a few of the discussions in Patnaik’s Guide describe hazardous properties with no supporting citations. Some important hazardous reactions that are in Bretherick go unmentioned here. For example, there is no mention of the reaction of strong bases such as sodium hydroxide with reducing sugars to produce carbon monoxide, which has resulted in at least one fatality and is described in the peer-reviewed literature (2).

On the other hand, for some of the 1300 or so of the chemicals it does treat, this book goes farther than Bretherick. In addition to fire, explosion, and other similar dramatic hazards, this book discusses the physical properties, toxicity, uses, disposal, and analytical procedures for some of the chemicals it includes. But the coverage is spotty; there is no discernible relation between the nature of the particular chemical being discussed and whether or not the discussion also includes physical properties, toxicity, uses, disposal, and analytical procedures. Some of the entries include only one or two of these topics, and some include three or more, but not necessarily always the same three or five (or other number) topics.

The other important competitor, of course, is the well-known Sax’s Dangerous Properties of Industrial Materials, now in its 11th edition and available on CD-ROM (3). The toxicity information presented for many of the entries in Sax is taken uncritically from RTECS (Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances) (4) and may or may not be accurate.

My preferences for hazardous information are Bretherick for reactivity and incompatibility, the Merck Index (5) for a quick summary of toxicity, and Patty’s Toxicology (6) for a thorough discussion.

Literature Cited

1. Urben, P. G., Ed. Bretherick’s Handbook of Reactive Chemical Hazards; 7th ed.; Elsevier: Boston, 2007.
2. Nicloux, M. Bull. Soc. Chim. Biol. 1928, 10, 1135.
3. Lewis, R. J., Ed. Sax’s Dangerous Properties of Industrial Materials, 11th ed.; Wiley: New York, 2007.
4. The Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances (RTECS) (accessed Nov 2007).
5. The Merck Index: An Encyclopedia of Chemicals, Drugs, and Biologicals; Merck & Co.: Rahway, NJ, current edition.
6. Bingham, E., Cohrssen, B., Powell, C. H., Eds. Patty’s Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology; 5th ed.; Wiley-Interscience: New York, 2001.