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IX. Liquid Nitrogen Safety Addendum
Reference: http://engineering.dartmouth.edu/microengineering/ln2.html
Properties of Liquid Nitrogen (LN2)
1. It is extremely cold: 77.3K = -196C = -320F at atmospheric pressure. This can cause severe
frost bite.
2. On vaporization, it expands by a factor of 700; one liter of liquid nitrogen becomes 24.6 cubic
feet of nitrogen gas. This can cause explosion of a sealed container, or it can displace oxygen
in the room and cause suffocation without warning.
3. It can become oxygen enriched and cause ordinarily noncombustible materials to burn rapidly.
Precautions when handling liquid nitrogen
1. Treat liquid nitrogen and any object cooled with liquid nitrogen with respect.
2. Take care not to allow liquid nitrogen to be trapped in clothing near the skin.
3. Wear safety glasses or a face shield when transferring liquid nitrogen.
4. Wear gloves when touching any object cooled by liquid nitrogen. Gloves should be loose
fitting, so they could be thrown off if liquid were to pour inside them
5. Use only approved unsealed containers. Never pour it into a coffee thermos. Never seal it in
any container (it will explode).
6. Never dip a hollow tube into liquid nitrogen; it may spurt liquid.
7. Never use in a small poorly ventilated room, and never dispose of liquid nitrogen by pouring it
on the floor. It could displace enough oxygen to cause suffocation. Nitrogen gas is colorless
and odorless--the cloud that forms when you pour liquid nitrogen is condensed water vapor
from the air, not nitrogen gas.
8. Do not store liquid nitrogen for long periods in an uncovered container (on the other hand,
never totally seal a container). Because the boiling point of oxygen, 90.1K, is above that of
nitrogen, oxygen can condense from the air into the liquid nitrogen. If the air over the nitrogen
circulates, this liquid oxygen can build up to levels which may cause violent reactions with
organic materials; even materials which are ordinarily nonflammable. For example, a severe
clothing fire could result from ignition in the presence of liquid oxygen.
First Aid
• Suffocation: If person seems to become dizzy or loses consciousness while working with liquid
nitrogen, move to a well-ventilated area immediately. If breathing has stopped, apply artificial
respiration. If breathing is difficult, give oxygen. Call a physician. Keep warm and at rest.
• Frost bite: If exposed to liquid or cold gas, restore tissue to normal body temperature, 98.6F
(37C), followed by protection of the injured tissue from further damage and infection. Remove
or loosen clothing that may constrict blood circulation to the frozen area. Call a physician.
Rapid warming of the affected part is best achieved by using water at 106F (42C). Under no
circumstances should the water be over 112F (44C), nor should the frozen part be rubbed
either before or after rewarming. The patient should neither smoke, nor drink alcohol.
The above is first aid information is from the publication "Handle With Care", C 1996 Harsco
Corporation, Factory code 7950-8052.