What Are Laboratory Grade Chemicals?

What Are Laboratory Grade Chemicals?

Laboratory Grade Chemicals Definition

Do you want to learn about laboratory grade chemicals? Before giving a definition, it will be helpful to understand the basics of chemical grades. In the chemical industry, there are 7 common chemical grades that exist to characterize chemicals based on purity. These chemical grades are as follows:

  1. ACS Grade
  2. Reagent Grade
    1. Also called Analytical Reagent/AR, Guaranteed Reagent/GR, Premium Reagent/PR, UNIVAR, and AnalaR
  3. USP Grade
  4. NF Grade
  5. Laboratory Grade
    1. Also called Laboratory Reagent/LR, UNILAB, and Chemically Pure/CP
  6. Purified Grade
  7. Technical Grade
    1. Also called Tech Grade/TG and Commercial Grade

As you can see, laboratory-grade chemicals are #5 on the list of chemical grades. This means that ACS grade, reagent grade, USP grade, and NF grade chemicals contain a smaller percentage of impurities than laboratory grade chemicals, but purified grade and technical grade chemicals contain a greater percentage of impurities.

What Can Laboratory Grade Chemicals be Used For?

Laboratory grade chemicals are inexpensive and possess a relatively low number of impurities. Thus, they are often used in high school and college laboratories. They can also be utilized for basic laboratory operations where an analytical reagent is not needed.

What Are Laboratory Grade Chemicals Unsuitable For?

Because laboratory-grade chemicals do include a small number of impurities, there are certain applications that they should not be used for. Primarily, they cannot be employed in the manufacturing of food products, pharmaceuticals, or medical instruments. ACS grade, reagent grade, USP grade, and NF grade chemicals would all be better choices for the production of these types of goods.

Furthermore, laboratory-grade chemicals are unsuitable for use in quality control laboratories and other settings where precise measurements are imperative. This is because the exact percentage of impurity that they possess is usually unknown, which hinders the collection of accurate data.

Where to Purchase Industrial Chemicals  

Are you looking for industrial chemicals? At BulkChemicals2Go, we offer a number of chemicals, such as surfactants and solvents, that are technical grade- perfect for commercial and industrial applications. Our products come in a range of bulk sizes and are formulated with eco-friendly ingredients. However, if your operations require higher-purity chemicals, such as laboratory-grade chemicals, our chemists can work with you to create a customized product to suit your needs.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more, please contact us today. We look forward to hearing from you!