Lately, reports have surfaced that groups of terrorists and vandals have favored butyric acid for attacking medical facilities that perform abortions.

http://abortion.ws/category/butyric-acid/

Butyric acid clean ups have thus become more common because of these criminal activities. This comes under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. University and industrial labs should be aware of the "popularity" of butyric acid and keep it and similar chemicals securely stored.

Be that as it may --

In its free form, butyric acid has a foul odor and its vapors are moderately to very toxic. Also, the free form of butyric acid is insoluble in water. Wearing an efficient respirator (organic acid specific) and protective rubber gloves, one should first cover a butyric acid spill with powdered sodium bicarbonate (which will foam up due to release of carbon dioxide). Then wash up the spill mixture with a 2% sodium bicarbonate + 2% sodium carbonate solution (more foaming). The waste materials and washings should be transferred to a licensed hazardous waste disposal facilityand/or contact your local EPA and/or state environmental protection agency for advice on legal disposal.

If a butyric acid spill occurs in a university, its federally and state mandated Office of Environmental Health & Safety should be immediately notified, and that office will dispatch trained technicians to deal with the emergency. Industrial plants have similar response teams. [No doubt ALL SUNY campuses have such an office] Otherwise, private purchase and possession of butyric acid is controlled, requiring a licensed facility for its use and disposal.

N.B.: See: Sittig's Handbook of Toxic and Hazardous Chemicals and Carcinogens By Richard P. Pohanish. **Online**: Page 496-7

Thank you both for your information. It is very useful. I have used this in a teaching lab where we make esters and this one really illustrates the point of strong odor to pleasant smell. I am preparing a response for when people ask about the toxicity of this using material. Thanks again.