Chemical Name

Percent

Value

Test Method

Sodium hydroxide(NaOH),min.

%

48-55

STAS3068

Sodium carbonate (Na2CO3), max

%

0.7

STAS3068

Water

%

45-52 

Poison! Danger! Corrosive. May Be Fatal If Swallowed. Harmful If Inhaled. Causes Burns To Any Area Of Contact . Reacts With Water, Acids And Other Materials.

Potential Health Effects:-

Inhalation

Severe irritant. Effects from inhalation of dust or mist vary from mild irritation to serious damage of the upper respiratory tract, depending on severity of exposure. Symptoms may include sneezing, sore throat or runny nose. Severe pneumonitis may occur.

Ingestion

Corrosive! Swallowing may cause severe burns of mouth, throat, and stomach .Severe scarring of tissue and death may result. Symptoms may include bleeding, vomiting diarrhea, fall in blood pressure. Damage may appears days after exposure.

Skin Contact

Corrosive! Contact with skin can cause irritation or severe burns and scarring with greater exposures.

Eye  Contact

Corrosive! Causes irritation of eyes, and with greater exposures it can cause burns that may result in permanent impairment of vision, even blindness.

Chronic Exposure

Prolonged contact with dilute solutions or dust has a destructive effect upon tissue. Aggravation of Pre-existing Conditions: Persons with pre-existing skin disorders or eye problems or impaired respiratory function may be more susceptible to the effects of the substance.

Inhalation

Remove to fresh air. If not breathing, give artificial respiration. If breathing is difficult, give oxygen. Call a physician.

Ingestion

Do Not Induce Vomiting! Give large quantities of water or milk if available. Never give anything by mouth to an unconscious person. Get medical attention immediately.

Skin Contact

Immediately flush skin with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes while removing contaminated clothing and shoes. Call a physician, immediately. Wash clothing before reuse.

Eye Contact

Immediately flush eyes with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes, lifting lower and upper eyelids occasionally. Get medical attention immediately.

Fire

Not considered to be a fire hazard. Hot or molten material can react violently with water. Can react with certain metals, such as aluminum, to generate flammable hydrogen gas.

Explosion

Not considered to be an explosion hazard.

Fire Extinguishing Media

Use any means suitable for extinguishing surrounding fire. Adding water to caustic solution generates large amounts of heat.

Airborne Exposure Limits

OSHA

OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)

2 mg/m3 Ceiling – ACGIH

Threshold Limit Value (TLV)

2 mg/m3 Ceiling

Ventilation System

A system of local and/or general exhaust is recommended to keep employee exposures below the Airborne Exposure Limits. Local exhaust ventilation is generally preferred because it can control the emissions of the contaminant at its source, preventing dispersion of it into the general work area. Please refer to the ACGIH document, Industrial Ventilation, A Manual of Recomm-ended Practices, most recent edition, for details.

Personal Respirators

If the exposure limit is exceeded, a half-face dust/mist respirator may be worn for up to ten times the exposure limit or the maximum use concentration specified by the appropriate regulatory agency or respirator supplier, whichever is lowest. A full-face piece dust/mist respirator may be worn up to 50 times the exposure limit, or the maximum use concentration specified by the appropriate regulatory agency, or respirator supplier, whichever is lowest. For emergencies or instances where the exposure levels are not known, use a full-face piece positive-pressure, air-supplied respirator.

WARNING

Air-purifying respirators do not protect workers in oxygen-deficient atmospheres.

Skin Protection                     

Wear impervious protective clothing, including boots, gloves, lab coat, apron or coveralls, as appropriate, to prevent skin contact.

Eye Protection

Use chemical safety goggles and/or a full face shield where splashing is possible. Maintain eye wash fountain and quick-drench facilities in work area.

Appearance

Clear to opeque

Odor

Odorless

Solubility

100%

pH

3 - 14 (0.5% soln.)

Specific Gravity

1.2 – 1.53

% Volatiles by volume @ 21C (70F)

0

Boiling Point

1390C(2534F)

Melting Point

318C(604 F)

Vapor Pressure (mm Hg)

Negligible

Evoporation Rate (BuAc = 1)

No information found

Stability

Stable under ordinary conditions of use and storage. Very hygroscopic. Can slowly pick up moisture from air and react with carbon dioxide from air to form sodium carbonate.

Hazardous Decomposition Products

Sodium Hydroxide. Decomposition by reaction with certain metals releases flammable and explosive hydrogen gas.Hazardous

Hazardous  Polymerization

Will not occur.

Incompatibilities

Contact with water, acids, flammable liquids, and organic halogen compounds, especially trichloroethylene, may cause fire or explosion. Contact with nitromethane and other similar nitro compounds causes formation of shock-sensitive salts. Contact with metals such as aluminum, tin, and zinc causes formation of flammable hydrogen gas.

Conditions to Avoid

Moisture, dusting and incompatibles.

Skin Irritation 

irritant wash with soap water

Eye Irritat 

Moderate irritant , flush with copious amounts of water

Sensitization

Not Sensitizing .

Comment

Not applicable

Ecotoxicity 

Not applicable , Readily biodegradable

Water hazard class 2 (self-assessment)

Hazardous for water.

Do not allow product to reach ground water, water bodies or sewage system. Danger to drinking water if even small quantities leak into soil.