This thread is the place for information on chemicals for extractions.
The botanical product to extract from goes in the suppliers thread, not here.
Hopefully we will be able to identify the purest/safest chemicals to protect members' health, so we all live as long as Albert (102), rather than Terrence (53).
And streamline the process of gathering supplies so they'll be less frustrated-noob threads started.
Then maybe one day all this info could be incorporated into the Wiki!
To add a chemical, please include in this format:

Product:
Chemical:
AKA:
Where available: (where to buy it, including country)
Legitimate uses: (what to say when buying it)
Safe to use?: (unless it's food, only put 'yes' if you're a chemist, otherwise 'assumed safe', 'told safe by others' etc)
MSDS: (web address if available, please write without the 'www.' so that people have to cut and paste- then manufacturers & authorities won't notice linking from this site)

Product:
Chemical:
AKA:
Where available:
Legitimate uses:
Safe to use?:
MSDS:

Please read the posts and post corrections and additions if necessary.

Protect SWIY's identity by not stating the exact supplier, unless the supplier is sufficiently large for SWIY to retain relative anonymity. 'Where available: online', or 'health food shop' is enough. One can assume that 'Sainsburys' or 'Wal-mart' etc is fine too. Always buy in person- with cash not credit- whenever possible. If forced to buy off Ebay, don't leave feedback then hopefully no feedback wil be left in return- be aware that previous purchases are viewable by anyone, could end up looking like a how-to-extract shopping list and come up in Google searches. Governments probably have the right to get your name and address from Ebay upon request.
Always check for residue by performing an evaporation test with any solvent. If any residue is left, don't use that product.

A few from SWIM:

Product: 'Bartoline Low Odour White Spirit'
Chemical: ?
AKA: heavy naphtha
Where available: B&Q, UK
Legitimate uses: cleaning paint brushes, removing stickers etc
Safe to use?: only presumed so, evap test seemed ok
MSDS:

Product: Swan Lighter fuel
Chemical: ?
AKA: naphtha
Where available: Sainsburys supermarket, UK
Legitimate uses: lighter fuel for smoking
Safe to use?: only presumed so, evap test seemed ok
MSDS: ?

Product: Jeyes Kleen Off Caustic Soda
Chemical: Sodium Hydroxide NaOH
AKA: Caustic Soda, Lye
Where available: cornershop stores, UK
Legitimate uses: drain cleaner
Safe to use?: only presumed so...
WARNING: can burn & blind- pour lye into water, never pour water into lye. Neutralise spills with vinegar immediately. Wear eye & skin protection.
MSDS: ?

Product: chuna lime
Chemical: calcium hydroxide
AKA: pickling lime, E526, chuna lime, hydrated lime
Where available: Indian supermarkets & groceries, UK
Legitimate uses: pickling vegetables? (
Safe to use?: yes, food grade
MSDS: n/a- food grade

Product: bicarbonate of soda
Chemical: sodium bicarbonate
AKA:
Where available: small independent chemists, UK
Legitimate uses: Stomach upsets? Baking bread. General cleaning.
Safe to use?: yes, food grade
MSDS: n/a- food grade

Product: epsom salts
Chemical: magnesium sulphate
AKA:
Where available: small independent chemists, UK
Legitimate uses: relief of constipation
Safe to use?: yes, food grade
MSDS: n/a- food grade

For safety's sake, isn't the rule to pour an acid or base into the more neutral substance? Pouring a base (or acid) into water, any splashes will be diluted with more water than base. Pouring water into your base (or acid), your splashes will be concentrated base.

i have always poured base into water... but to each his own what i do seems safer to me

Pour your lye into your water, not your water onto your lye.

Cool thread swim thinks it should be stickied, should be handy for some folks. Does anyone know whre to get ethanol from? Swims yet to try his local polish shop as hes heard they sell high proof alcohol, he cant see it anywhere apart from dodgy looking vendors in India and china

SWIM's bad! Edited.

SWIM is wary of Ebay so personally thinks it should be used sparingly as a last resort. Your purchases can become a telling how-to-extract-substances shopping list, and your account is linked to your credit card. SWIM might be overly careful though, who knows.


SWIM's bad! Edited.

Product: isopropyl alcohol
Chemical:
AKA: rubbing alcohol?
Where available: some small independent chemists, UK
Legitimate uses: rubbing alcohol?
Safe to use?: only if fully evaporated?
MSDS: ?

Product: Newport Lighter Fluid
Chemical: ?[non polar solvent]
AKA: naphtha
Where available: online, supermarkets, corner shops, tobacconists [UK]
Legitimate uses: lighter fuel for smoking
Safe to use?: only presumed so, evaporates clean
MSDS: totallyentertainment.co.uk
Price: £1.10 / 100ml

Product: Xylene paint thinner
Chemical: Xylene [non-polar solvent]
AKA:
Where available: online, hardware/DIY shops? [uk]
Legitimate uses: paint thinner [esp. for Protecta-Kote]
Safe to use?: only presumed so, haven't tested personally
MSDS: anti-slip-paint.co.uk
Price: £7.78 / 1000ml

Product: Tartaric acid
Chemical: "
AKA:
Where available: online, beer and wine-making shops [uk]
Legitimate uses:
Safe to use?: Yes
MSDS: the-home-brew-shop.co.uk
Price: £19.57 / 1000g | £2.55 / 100g | £1.95 / 50g

Product: Citric acid
Chemical: Ascorbic acid
AKA:
Where available: online, beer and wine making stores, health food shops [uk]
Legitimate uses: vitamin c, flavouring drinks, cooking
Safe to use?: Yes
MSDS: the-home-brew-shop.co.uk
Price: £5.98 / 1000g | £3.91 / 500g | £0.92 / 100g

Thanks for contributing

AKA: T10009 thinners
Please could a public-spirited chemist tell us if T10009 thinner contains any nasty trace contaminants?


AKA: E330
Where available: Indian supermarkets, UK
Price: £1 for 100g

Be wary of buying citric acid online: SWIM has seen a site that stated that citric acid is remowned for 'substance abuse' so purchases may be treated with suspicion by the vendor.

Chemical: calcium carbonate
AKA: E170, precipitated chalk
Where available: homebrewing stores, UK
Legitimate uses: reducing acidity in wines
Safe to use?: yes, food grade
MSDS: n/a?

Chemical: malic acid
AKA:
Where available: homebrewing stores, UK
Legitimate uses: acidity (?) in beer/wine making
Safe to use?: food grade (but apparently harmful alone)
MSDS: n/a?

Am I right to assume that MSDS is unnecessary when a product is food grade?

substance abuse heh? oh that would be me...I inject citric acid all the time...bastards.

I have another one - this mortar stain remover seems to be hydrochloric acid at 10-30%...and is available in large quantities from building supply places in the uk... but is it just hydrochloric acid? It says thats the only hazardous ingredient, so wouldn't any other hazardous things have to be included on the MSDS?

I might get some just to check the ingredients, could finally be a source for hcl in the uk
tbsmerchants.co.uk/pages/coshh/HF10046B.pdf

unless anyone else has a source for hcl theyre keeping secret?

Well I'm no chemist but as it's mortar stain remover one would imagine that when they say hazardous ingredients they mean stuff that may be a hazard during its normal use (as opposed to drinking it etc!)

yeah, I thought that too, but then anything can be accidentally ingested, and part of the point of a msds is to inform in case of medical emergency... in this case the HCL is noted as dangerous to ingest or inhale, and first aid measures are given for ingestion and inhalation.

How about betaine hcl then? sounds a lot friendlier, and its all over the place as a health food supplement. Comes in capsules, just add water type job maybe... Its cheap enough [though not as cheap a other pure acids], so swim's gonna try it and report back

Product: Jeyes Kleen Off Ammonia Multi-Purpose Household Cleaner
Chemical: Ammonium Hydroxide
AKA: household ammonia (as opposed to anhydrous ammonia)
Where available: small independent cornershops, UK
Legitimate uses: cleaning- stain remover, laundry aid
Safe to use?: evap.test left a little white residue in bottom of glass, but this could be just from the water?
MSDS: theaquariumwiki.com/Kleen_Off