B727 ACFT DURING PREDEP; FLC NOTED LOADING OF LARGE CYLINDERS LABELED NITRIC OXIDE. RESEARCH WITH LCL SUPVR AND ACR HEADQUARTERS HAZMAT CTL CONCLUDED THE MATERIAL WAS LEGAL TO TAKE. LATER; RESEARCH BY THE FLC FOUND NITRIC OXIDE A FORBIDDEN MATERIAL.

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ON WALKAROUND; SAW 10 LARGE CYLINDERS BEING LOADED IN THE FORWARD COMPARTMENT. WHEN THE DOCUMENTATION ARRIVED IN THE COCKPIT; WE STARTED A DISCUSSION ON WHETHER THIS MATERIAL WAS APPROPRIATE. THE CREW CHIEF AND ANOTHER SUPVR WERE THERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. THEIR REPLY WAS THAT THEY HAD CALLED HEADQUARTERS AND THEY WERE TOLD THE MATERIAL WAS OK TO TAKE. I WENT DOWN AND EXAMINED THE LABELING ON THE CYLINDERS. THE DOCUMENTATION WAS THE SAME AS THE BOTTLES BUT THERE WERE SOME ADDITIONAL WARNINGS AND CAUTIONS ON THE BOTTLE. THE CAPT THEN CALLED THE HAZMAT HOTLINE AND MENTIONED THE SUBSTANCE -- NITRIC OXIDE -- AND ASKED IF IT WAS OK TO TAKE. THE CAPT CAME BACK FROM THE PHONE SAYING IT WAS OK TO TAKE. AFTER THE FLT; I RECORDED THE CAUTIONS AND WARNING ON THE DOCUMENTATION WHICH THE CAPT KEPT. THE NEXT DAY PRIOR TO DEP; THE CAPT AND FO LOOKED THROUGH THE HAZMAT BOOKS AT ST CROIX AND SAW THAT NITRIC OXIDE IS A FORBIDDEN MATERIAL. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 399171: PAPERS ON FE DESK INDICATED A SHIPMENT OF NITRIC OXIDE; COMPRESSED NOS; 10 BOTTLES. IT WAS CARRIED ON 2 PALLETS AND A WARNING MESSAGE ON THE BOTTLE INDICATED SUFFOCATION HAZARD. AFTER DISCUSSING THIS WITH US; WE DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE IT SINCE ALL OF OUR GND SUPPORT INDICATED IT WAS OK. THE NEXT DAY IN OPS; WE ASKED TO SEE THE HAZMAT MANUAL AND IN ABOUT 20 SECONDS OF SEARCHING; FOUND OUT THAT NITRIC OXIDE; COMPRESSED; IS NOT AUTH UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE ON PAX OR CARGO ACFT.