# Vital Diagnostics — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 08-0105  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 2008-06-17

08-0105 response to Vital Diagnostics concerning 172.101, 173.22.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

U.S. Department
of Transportation
Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety
Administration
ju?! 1 7 2008
Ms. Sheila Hardy
VP, General Manager
Vital Diagnostics
1075 Larnbert Road, Unit D
Brea, CA 9282 1
1200 New Jersey Avenue. SE
Washington, D.C. 20590
Ref. No. 08-0 105
Dear Ms. Hardy:
This responds to your letter requesting verification of the classification of one of your
products under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180).
Specifically, you ask whether a solution containing 99.1% water and 0.9% picric acid would
be regulated under the HMR.
Under 9 173.22 of the HMR, it is a shipper's responsibility to properly classify a hazardous
material for transportation in commerce. This Office does not normally perform that function.
Although you did not provide any additional information relevant to your products 5 18-01 8
and 5533 1, it is the opinion of this Office that these solutions do not meet the definition of a
hazardous material and, thus, are not subject to the requirements of the HMR.
I trust this satisfies your inquiry. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.
Sincerely,
Hattie L. Mitchell
Chief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards

<<<PAGE 2>>>

D I A G N O S T I C S
Memorandum
Date: April 2, 2008
From: Sheila Hardy
VP, General Manager
Vital Diagnostics, Brea, CA
To: Ed Mazzullo, Director
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
Dear Sir,
I am writing you to request your assistance in verifying the classification of the
Picric Acid (Trinitropheno1)-containing solution in our products 518-01 8 and
55331. 1 understand that the PHMSA does not classify products. I am only
requesting verification of the classification of this solution as non-regulated.
The picric acid solution in question contains 99.1% water and 0.9% picric acid.
It contains no other constituents. In support of our classification, I have
attached a previous interpretation letter for a similar picric acid solution. It is
our opinion that the regulations regarding picric acid solutions have not
changed significantly since the interpretation letter of June 2000, even with
the entry of UN3644 in the Hazardous Material Table.
I appreciate your consideration and look forward to your response.
Providing Vital Solufions for Your ~aborafory ''

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2008/080105.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `69d1d8e1f358b68d813128e3e553c36ed9ec6207b199eaf58efac0563c05885d`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-23T23:36:44.110Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-08-0105`

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