MIT undergraduate lab chromic acid disposal practice

Autobiographical. Tom recalls John Wulff's lab — now the undergraduate lab — having an open vat of chromic acid for glassware cleaning, and contrasts mid-twentieth-century practice (no gloves, drain disposal) with present-day environmental and OSHA constraints. Used to motivate the choice of sodium hydroxide as the default aluminum cleaner today.

You don't remember it, but right down here, which is now the undergraduate lab, was John Wulff's lab when I was a student. They had a hood right there, and they had a sink, and a big vat of chromic oxide.