Thank you so much.  I do not know if it the Zn I use would qualify as pieces or 
powder or both but does it's form even make a difference if the autoignition 
tempertaure of zinc (powder or pieces) is between 860F to 1255F? Doesn't 
this seem to be very high temperature to have possibility of a fire hazard. I 
use less than a gram and want to ensure that it is not flammable at any time 
when dry or wet or when it starts to dry after it has been wet. Are there any 
references to share with my boss besides MSDS
=========================================================

On Mon, 23 Feb 2009 02:19:19 -0800, Brian C. Lee, PhD DABT 
<<a href="/cgi-bin/wa?LOGON=A3%3Dind0902D%26L%3DSAFETY%26E%3Dquoted-printable%26P%3D35510%26B%3D--%26T%3Dtext%252Fplain%3B%2520charset%3Dutf-8" target="_parent" >[log in to unmask]</a>> wrote:

>Norma,
>
>What kind of reaction are you catalyzing with metallic zinc?  I've not
>known metallic Zn pieces to become flammable at room temperature whether
>wet or dry.  However, if you have a fine metal powder or dust, that's
>different.
>
>
>from   http://www.austincc.edu/biolabs/msds/files/zinc.pdf
>
>5. Fire Fighting Measures
>Fire:
>Autoignition temperature: ca. 460C (ca. 860F)
>The listed autoignition temperature is for Zinc powder (layer); dust
>cloud is ca. 680C (1255F). Zinc powder is not
>pyrophoric but will burn in air at elevated temperatures. Bulk dust in
>damp state may heat spontaneously and ignite on
>exposure to air. Releases flammable hydrogen gas upon contact with acids
>or alkali hydroxides. Contact with strong
>oxidizers may cause fire.
>Explosion:
>Fine dust dispersed in air in sufficient concentrations, and in the
>presence of an ignition source is a potential dust
>explosion hazard.  ...
>
>10. Stability and Reactivity
>Stability:
>Stable under ordinary conditions of use and storage. Moist zinc dust can
>react exothermically and ignite spontaneously
>in air.
>Hazardous Decomposition Products:
>Hydrogen in moist air, zinc oxide with oxygen at high temperature. Zinc
>metal, when melted, produces zinc vapor
>which oxidizes and condenses in air to form zinc fume. ...
>
>
>Brian
>
>Good Afternoon Toxicology Consulting, LLC
>Corvallis OR
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Norma Gonzales" <<a href="/cgi-bin/wa?LOGON=A3%3Dind0902D%26L%3DSAFETY%26E%3Dquoted-printable%26P%3D35510%26B%3D--%26T%3Dtext%252Fplain%3B%2520charset%3Dutf-8" target="_parent" >[log in to unmask]</a>>
>Sent: Sunday, 22 February, 2009 06:26 AM
>Subject: Zinc
>
>
>I use zinc in a small plastic tube (0.2 to 0.9 gram of zinc). Once done,
>I
>usually dispose this tube in garbage with its cap closed. The zinc is
>wet when
>I dispose (it is used to catalyze a reaction).
>
>---
>This e-mail is from the <a href="/cgi-bin/wa?LOGON=A3%3Dind0902D%26L%3DSAFETY%26E%3Dquoted-printable%26P%3D35510%26B%3D--%26T%3Dtext%252Fplain%3B%2520charset%3Dutf-8" target="_parent" >[log in to unmask]</a> list.
>Archives of list discussions can be found at 
http://list.uvm.edu/archives/safety.html
>For help with the list, contact Ralph Stuart at <a href="/cgi-bin/wa?LOGON=A3%3Dind0902D%26L%3DSAFETY%26E%3Dquoted-printable%26P%3D35510%26B%3D--%26T%3Dtext%252Fplain%3B%2520charset%3Dutf-8" target="_parent" >[log in to unmask]</a>

---
This e-mail is from the <a href="/cgi-bin/wa?LOGON=A3%3Dind0902D%26L%3DSAFETY%26E%3Dquoted-printable%26P%3D35510%26B%3D--%26T%3Dtext%252Fplain%3B%2520charset%3Dutf-8" target="_parent" >[log in to unmask]</a> list.
Archives of list discussions can be found at http://list.uvm.edu/archives/safety.html
For help with the list, contact Ralph Stuart at <a href="/cgi-bin/wa?LOGON=A3%3Dind0902D%26L%3DSAFETY%26E%3Dquoted-printable%26P%3D35510%26B%3D--%26T%3Dtext%252Fplain%3B%2520charset%3Dutf-8" target="_parent" >[log in to unmask]</a>