---
title: "Amateur chemistry"
chunk: 4/4
source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amateur_chemistry"
category: "reference"
tags: "science, encyclopedia"
date_saved: "2026-05-05T04:13:47.043148+00:00"
instance: "kb-cron"
---

=== Norway ===
In September 2018, a 29-year-old physician and amateur chemist and his girlfriend were arrested at their home on in Nord-Jæren, two days after inquiring a local pharmacy about the availability of 35% hydrogen peroxide. He explained that he had an accident while camping, suffering a wound that he stitched himself. Being a physician and seeing the effect of flame-sterilizing on his surgical instruments, he was looking for a milder alternative that could also be used to disinfect wounds. However, his enquiry triggered the submission of an alert to KRIPOS, which sent a few police officers to the house. These officers would, in turn, find the chemicals from his lab, and arrest him.
One law in this country that regulates flammable chemicals, gas cylinders, and explosive substances is the Fire and Explosion Protection Act (Brann- og eksplosjonsvernloven).

=== United Kingdom ===
In the UK it is a criminal offence for members of the general public to purchase, and for business to sell, certain types of poisons or explosives precursors to those of the former group without a valid EPP license. Purchasing substances on this list is restricted since 26 May 2015, and its possession is also restricted since 3 March 2016. Since July 1st 2018, the acquisition of sulphuric acid in concentrations above 15% in weight by members of the general public also requires an EPP licence, which has impacted lead-acid battery sellers.
On 26 February 2022, three men, aged between 20 and 25, were arrested in Wigan on suspicions they had violated Section 4 of the Explosives Act. A search warrant had found several chemicals on their flat. Soon after, the eldest was released on bail, and the other two were also released under investigation. Two years later, in May 2024, the investigation concluded that they had just been doing amateur chemistry, and none of the three were charged.
Some regulations regarding restricted chemicals in this country include the Poison Act 1972, which was amended by the Deregulation Act 2015, and the Control of Poisons and Explosives Precursors Regulations 2015. On 1 October 2023, a new set of amendments to the Poisons Act 1972, known as the "Control of Poisons and Explosives Precursors Regulations 2023", came into force. According to these amendments, hexamine, hydrochloric acid in concentrations 10% w/w and higher, and ammonium nitrate with a nitrogen content of 16% or higher, and phosphoric acid in 30% w/w concentration or higher are now considered "regulated explosives precursors" instead of either "reportable explosives precursors" or "reportable poisons". The sulfides of aluminium, calcium, magnesium, sodium and zinc, as well as arsenic and its compounds are now considered "regulated poisons" rather than just "reportable poisons". Finally, sulfur, all metal phosphides, all metal sulfides, all metal polysulfides and sodium hypochlorite solutions above 6% available chlorine have been added to the "reportable poisons" list.
Directly related to the above is the Offensive Weapons Act 2019, which forbids the sale of corrosive chemicals to minors, as well as their shipment to residential addresses or lockers.

=== United States ===
In the United States, the Drug Enforcement Administration maintains lists regarding the classification of illicit drugs, which contain chemicals that are used to manufacture the controlled substances/illicit drugs. The lists are designated within The Controlled Substances Act, 21 U.S.C. § 802, paragraphs 34 (list I) and 35 (list II).
Additionally, some regions have stringent regulations concerning the ownership of chemicals and equipment. For example, Texas once required the registration of even the most basic laboratory glassware. However, this requirement was repealed on June 6, 2019. 
Several states define hazardous waste management laws, one example being the California Hazardous Waste Control Law (Cal. Health and Safety Code § 25100
-§ 25259
). Passed in 2017, California Assembly Bill (AB) 245 raised the maximum administrative and civil penalties for violations of said law from $25,000 per day of noncompliance to $70,000 per day.
United Nuclear, an amateur science supplier based in New Mexico was raided in June 2003 at the behest of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, and subsequently fined $7,500 for "Selling Illegal Fireworks Components".
In 2008, the home laboratory of Victor Deeb, a retired chemist, was raided and dismantled
Almost a year later, Jack Robison, then a 19-year-old chemistry student at the Holyoke Community College, received a visit from members of the Massachusetts State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the FBI. They asked him questions regarding several videos on small-scale experiments he had posted two years earlier on YouTube involving energetic materials, including PETN, potassium nitrate, and RDX, and wanted to check his mother's house basement. He was initially charged with three counts of malicious explosion and one count of possessing explosives with the intent to harm people or property, facing up to 60 years in prison, but was found not guilty after trial.

== In popular culture ==
Amateur chemistry has been depicted multiple times in mass media, through different formats. The protagonists or other characters of animated television series like Dexter's Laboratory, Tracey McBean and The Simpsons (e.g. on the Haw-Haw Land episode) are sometimes displayed performing chemistry experiments in their own laboratories.
On the other hand, there are several YouTube channels focused in chemical experiments. Most of them are run by amateurs, mostly by professional communicators and organizations, though there are a small sample of professional chemists.

== See also ==
Element collecting
Do-it-yourself biology

== Notes ==

== References ==

== Further reading ==
Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments; 1st Ed; Robert Thompson; 432 pages; 2008; ISBN 978-0596514921.
Chemistry in the Home; 1st Ed; Henry Weed; 385 pages; 1915.

== External links ==
Sciencemadness, an Internet community of amateur chemists
Versuchschemie, a now-defunct Internet forum for amateur chemistry discussion
Illumina Chemie, another Internet forum in German for chemistry discussion
Myttex Forum, an Internet forum in Italian focusing on chemistry
List of commonly available chemicals