
What are the optimum conditions for DMSO degradation?
This study used the Box-Behnken design (BBD) to investigate the optimum conditions of DMSO degradation. The highest DMSO removal was 98 % for pH 3, when the H2O2 to Fe (2+) molar ratio was 12. At pH 2 and 4, the highest DMSO removal was 82 %, when the H2O2 to Fe (2+) molar ratio was 6.5.
What happens to DMSO when it is recycled?
DMSO purged from a recovery unit to a waste disposal system will slowly be converted by microorganisms to dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and dimethyl sulfone (DMSO 2 ). The sulfone is stable and inert and degraded only slowly by microorganisms or physical factors.
What are the properties of DMSO?
This colorless liquid is an important polar aprotic solvent that dissolves both polar and nonpolar compounds and is miscible in a wide range of organic solvents as well as water. It has a relatively high boiling point. DMSO has the unusual property that many individuals perceive a garlic -like taste in the mouth after contact with the skin.
Does phosphoric acid decompose DMSO?
Phosphoric acid causes more rapid decomposition of DMSO than does sulfuric or hydrochloric acid. Detected decomposition products are dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide, and, in smaller quantity, formaldehyde.

Does DMSO degrade over time?
When stored as indicated, DMSO has a shelf-life of two years.
Is DMSO stable?
DMSO is stable up to 100 °C in alkaline, acidic and neutral conditions. At temperatures approaching its boiling point, DMSO is stable in neutral or alkaline conditions. To prepare a sterile filtered DMSO solution, it is recommended to use a teflon or nylon membrane.
How long is DMSO stable at room temperature?
The relationship between length of storage and the probability of observing the compound was described by a repeated-measures logistic regression model. The probability of observing the compound was 92% after 3 months of storage at room temperature, 83% after 6 months, and 52% after 1 year in DMSO.
Can you store DMSO in the fridge?
If there is no degradation while dissolving DMSO, you can store the solution in a refrigerator. Freezing might cause crystallizing your compound, and hence there could be a concentration gradient between top and bottom of the solution. and you may need to dissolve again by thawing the solution.
How long are the compounds stable in DMSO?
An accelerated study was conducted, and results demonstrate that most compounds are stable for 15 weeks at 40 degrees C.
Should you freeze DMSO?
Dissolved in water, DMSO has an incredibly high freezing point (just below room temperature), which makes it a good candidate for freeze drying.
Can I put DMSO in plastic?
DMSO is compatible with plastics like PETE, HDPE, LDPE ,PTFE and PP, however it is not compatible with other plastics such as , PVC, PS and poly carbonate due to its reactivity .
Does DMSO evaporate at room temperature?
Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is an organic solvent in which some secondary metabolites may be dissolved. Unlike most other organic solvents, DMSO does not evaporate rapidly at ambient temperature.
Does DMSO react with water?
DMSO reacts very rapidly and vigorously with a number of materials, particularly with those that also react rapidly with water. The reactions are highly exothermic, with rapid steam or gas evolution.
Are there different grades of DMSO?
DMSO is made in three different grades – industrial, veterinary and medical. Medical grade DMSO is the highest quality and should be free of all contaminants.
Can you thaw DMSO in water bath?
The most practical way to thaw material at this scale is using warm water. A warm water bath maintained at 50°C should thaw the material effectively in 1-2 hours.
Does DMSO crystallize?
All Answers (5) DMSO crystallizes at +18C. RT might not be enough to dissolve all crystals.
How long can cells stay in DMSO?
Cells are allowed to absorb DMSO into cell membranes for 15 minutes. The DMSO acts to prevent ice crystal formation during the slow freezing process, maintaining cell viability. Some cell types such as PBMC may be stored short term (less than one week) at -800 C or long term in a liquid nitrogen freezer.
Why is DMSO a good solvent?
Because it is aprotic, relatively inert, nontoxic, and stable at high temperatures, it is a frequently used solvent for chemical reactions. Its deuterated form is an ideal solvent for NMR spectroscopy.
Is DMSO a strong base?
The pKa's of H2O in H2O and in DMSO are known to be 16 and 31, respectively. This means that KOH in DMSO is a strong base, which can abstract the α proton of esters (pKa 18∼30 7,8), whereas KOH in protic solvents is not.
What temperature does DMSO Freeze At?
66.2°F (19°C)Dimethyl sulfoxide / Melting point
What substances can accelerate DMSO decomposition?
The discovery builds on decades of research showing that a wide range of substances, including acids, bases, oxidants, and reductants, can all accelerate DMSO decomposition. In 1985, for example, an explosion at a waste treatment plant that was distilling DMSO and 1-chloro-2,3-epoxypropane caused one injury and one death—just one of many such accidents catalogued in a recent review ( Org. Process Res. Dev. 2020, DOI: 10.1021/acs.oprd.0c00159 ).
What happens when DMSO is heated?
But when DMSO is heated close to its boiling point of 189 °C, for example during distillation to recover the solvent, it can rapidly decompose. This generates more heat along with gases such as hydrogen, methane, and carbon dioxide. The decomposition process is also autocatalytic—in other words, molecules formed during decomposition act as catalysts for even more decomposition, triggering a runaway reaction that poses an explosion hazard.
Why is DMSO used in the lab?
DMSO is widely used because it is so versatile: it can dissolve polar and nonpolar compounds alike and mixes well with water and organic solvents. It also has a low vapor pressure and low toxicity that make for easier use in the lab and in industrial processes.
Is decomposition an autocatalytic process?
The decomposition process is also autocatalytic —in other words, molecules formed during decomposition act as catalysts for even more decomposition, triggering a runaway reaction that poses an explosion hazard.
Should chemists consult ACS solvent selection tool?
Yang suggests that chemists should consult the ACS solvent selection tool to find suitable alternatives. “The bottom line is: stay away from DMSO,” he says.
Does DMSO accelerate decomposition?
Then the researchers spiked pure DMSO samples with traces of these acids before heating, and found that they significantly sped up decomposition. Bubbling air or CO 2 through the solvent had a similar effect. Deguchi’s team is now trying to work out the decomposition mechanism involved in forming these catalytic acids.
What temperature does DMSO decompose?
DMSO can decompose at the boiling temperature of 189 °C at normal pressure, possibly leading to an explosion.
What is the derivative of DMSO?
The sodium derivative of DMSO formed in this way is referred to as dimsyl sodium. It is a base, e.g., for the deprotonation of ketones to form sodium enolates, phosphonium salts to form Wittig reagents, and formamidinium salts to form diaminocarbenes.
What percentage of frozen cells will be inactive?
Without it, up to 90% of frozen cells will become inactive. It is particularly important in the freezing and long-term storage of embryonic stem cells and hematopoietic stem cells, which are often frozen in a mixture of 10% DMSO, a freezing medium, and 30% fetal bovine serum.
What is DMSO used for?
It is often mixed with CDCl 3 or CD 2 Cl 2 for lower viscosity and melting points. DMSO is used as a solvent in in vitro and in vivo drug testing. DMSO is also used to dissolve test compounds in in vi tro drug discovery and drug design screening programs (including high-throughput screening programs).
What is the freezing point of DMSO?
Reactions conducted in DMSO are often diluted with water to precipitate or phase-separate products. The relatively high freezing point of DMSO, 18.5 °C (65.3 °F), means that at, or just below, room temperature it is a solid, which can limit its utility in some chemical processes (e.g. crystallization with cooling).
Why is DMSO used in PCR?
DMSO is used in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to inhibit secondary structures in the DNA template or the DNA primers. It is added to the PCR mix before reacting, where it interferes with the self-complementarity of the DNA, minimizing interfering reactions.
What is the chemical name for DMSO?
Chemical compound. Dimethyl sulfoxide ( DMSO) is an organosulfur compound with the formula ( CH 3) 2 S O. This colorless liquid is an important polar aprotic solvent that dissolves both polar and nonpolar compounds and is miscible in a wide range of organic solvents as well as water.
How stable is DMSO?
DMSO is highly stable at temperatures below 150°C. For example, holding DMSO at 150°C for 24 hours, one could expect a loss of between 0.1 and 1.0%. Retention times even in batch stills are usually considerably less than this, and therefore, losses would be correspondingly less.
How long does it take for DMSO to decompose?
Thus, about 5% DMSO decomposes at reflux after 24 hours. Al- most half of the weight of the volatile materials is paraformaldehyde. Dimethyl sulfide, di- methyl disulfide, bis- (methylthio)methane and water are other volatile products. A small amount of dimethyl sulfone can also be found.
Is DMSO a water miscible liquid?
Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) is a highly polar and water miscible organic liquid. It is essentially odorless, and has a low level of toxicity. DMSO is a dipolar aprotic solvent, and has a relatively high boiling point. Further below is a compilation of Physical Properties data for this useful solvent.
Is DMSO stable in the presence of salts?
DMSO is remarkably stable in the presence of most neutral or basic salts and bases. When samples of DMSO (300g) are refluxed for 24 hours with 100g each of sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, sodium chloride, sodium cyanide, sodium acetate and sodium sulfate, little or no decomposition takes place in most cases.
What is DMSO used for?
Scientists discovered that they could use DMSO as a transportation device to pass small molecules through skin. Since then, scientists have researched the potential benefits and risks of using DMSO to treat a variety of conditions.
Why do doctors use DMSO?
Some doctors began to use DMSO to treat cases of skin inflammation and diseases such as scleroderma because of its ability to penetrate skin. Scleroderma is a rare disorder that causes your skin to harden.
How long does it take for DMSO to flush into bladder?
To treat it, your doctor may flush DMSO into your bladder using a catheter over several of weeks. It’s also available in pill form and as a topical lotion, but these formulations are not approved for use by the FDA.
How long does DMSO last in your mouth?
Your skin may also give off a garlic-like odor for up to 72 hours after being treated. Doctors agree that you should be cautious when it comes to applying DMSO topically.
What happens if you take chemotherapy and it's left untreated?
burning. pain. swelling. redness at your chemotherapy injection site. If left untreated, it can lead to blistering, ulcers, and tissue death.
Can you use DMSO for interstitial cystitis?
To date, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has officially approved the use of DMSO in humans for only one purpose: to treat interstitial cystitis. This is a chronic condition that causes inflammation in your bladder. To treat it, your doctor may flush DMSO into your bladder using a catheter over several of weeks.
Does DMSO help with chemotherapy?
Some studies have found that DMSO may also be useful for treating certain side effects of chemotherapy, reports the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC). Specifically, DMSO may help treat chemotherapy extravasations. This condition occurs when the drugs used to treat cancer leak and become trapped in surrounding tissues.
What is the final concentration of DMSO in cells?
Particularly, it says that the substances are dissolved in DMSO and diluted in culture medium. The final concentration of DMSO in cells is 0.1%.
Is DMSO compatible with PETE?
Hello Vanessa, DMSO is compatible with plastics like PETE, HDPE, LDPE ,PTFE and PP, however it is not compatible with other plastics such as , PVC, PS and poly carbonate due to its reactivity .Also reacts with many acid chlorides,
Can you aliquot DMSO into a eppendorf tube?
We can simply aliquote DMSO into 1.5 ml or 2 ml eppendorf tube and keep in 4C. It does not matter. Since the tube is small, it will not take much time to thaw again. It is safe. I have been using such way for 15 years. No issue at all.
Is DMSO hygropic?
DMSO is highly hygrocopic and stored in air tight bottles.Since it is highly hygroscopic it always proffered to use fresh solvents .. I would always choose glass to avoid possible migration of plastic and stabilisers to your solvents. I'm agree with answers proposed for the preservation of DMSO.
Why do DMSO recovery operations vary?
Effluent handling from a DMSO recovery operation will, of course, vary with each installation due to differences in operating conditions and the amount and type of contaminants present. To assist the process designer, the following general information on environmental aspects is presented.
What temperature is DMSO water?
Final fractionation of the water overhead from the DMSO is usually done under vacuum so as to maintain a bottoms temperature in the range of 120 to 150°C. This again minimizes decomposition and allows the use of low pressure steam in the reboiler.
What metals are used in DMSO?
Therefore, if color and purity are prime considerations, 304 or 316 stainless steel or aluminum are recommended metals of construction. Plant experience has shown that more than a 10-year life can be expected with stainless steel equipment under continuous exposure to DMSO-water solutions. Corrosion data on DMSO-water systems are shown in the following table.
What are the two methods of removing salts from a water system?
However, if large quantities of salts are fed to the system, other methods of removal should be studied. The two common methods used are centrifugation and thin-film evaporation. Normally, the salts will accumulate and crystallize from solution in the evaporator bottoms.
What is the pH of permanganate scrubbing liquor?
The scrub liquor should be a strength of 2 wt % KMnO4. Sodium bicarbonate – about 2 wt % – should be added to buffer the solution to a pH of about 8.4. Carus Chemical Company’s literature (www.caruschem.com) describes the makeup of permanganate scrubbing liquids.
Can DMSO be recovered from aqueous solution?
DMSO can be efficiently recovered from aqueous solutions, even though originally contaminated with volatile and/or nonvolatile impurities. Commercial users of DMSO employ a variety of processing schemes in their DMSO recovery system. All of these are based on evaporation or fractional distillation because of simplicity of design and operation.
Which recovery system is the most advantageous in terms of control and minimizing decomposition of DMSO?
A typical recovery system is shown in the adjacent diagram (Figure 3). The continuous system shown is the most advantageous in terms of control and minimizing decomposition of DMSO.

Overview
Safety
DMSO is a non-toxic solvent with a median lethal dose higher than ethanol (DMSO: LD50, oral, rat, 14,500 mg/kg; ethanol: LD50, oral, rat, 7,060 mg/kg ).
Early clinical trials with DMSO were stopped because of questions about its safety, especially its ability to harm the eye. The most commonly reported side effects include headaches and burning and itching on contact with the skin. Strong allergic reactions have been reported. DMSO can ca…
Synthesis and production
Dimethyl sulfoxide was first synthesized in 1866 by the Russian scientist Alexander Zaytsev, who reported his findings in 1867. Dimethyl sulfoxide is produced industrially from dimethyl sulfide, a by-product of the Kraft process, by oxidation with oxygen or nitrogen dioxide.
Reactions
The sulfur center in DMSO is nucleophilic toward soft electrophiles and the oxygen is nucleophilic toward hard electrophiles. With methyl iodide it forms trimethylsulfoxonium iodide, [(CH3)3SO]I:
(CH3)2SO + CH3I → [(CH3)3SO]I
This salt can be deprotonated with sodium hydride to form the sulfur ylide:
[(CH3)3SO]I + NaH → (CH3)2S(CH2)O + NaI + H2
Applications
DMSO is a polar aprotic solvent and is less toxic than other members of this class, such as dimethylformamide, dimethylacetamide, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, and hexamethylphosphoramide (HMPA). DMSO is frequently used as a solvent for chemical reactions involving salts, most notably Finkelstein reactions and other nucleophilic substitutions. It is also extensively used as an extractant in …
See also
• Varying oxidation of sulfur
• Related compounds with methyl on oxygen
• Gloria Ramirez, also known as the "Toxic Woman"
External links
• International Chemical Safety Card 0459
• Dimethyl Sulfoxide Information Center