Triethylene Glycol (All Grades)

SECTION 2: Hazards identification

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW: Low hazard for usual industrial or commercial handling. Vapours from warmed or heated material may be a mild respiratory irritant. See "Other Health Effects" Section. Can decompose at high temperatures forming toxic gases. Contents may develop pressure on prolonged exposure to heat. The product is occasionally heated to a maximum temperature of 60 °C. Burns (thermal) can occur if not promptly removed.

Potential health effects

Inhalation: This product has a low vapour pressure and is not expected to present an inhalation hazard at ambient conditions. Caution should be taken to prevent aerosolization or misting of this product. (3) Vapours from warmed or heated material may be a mild respiratory irritant. See "Other Health Effects" Section. Skin Contact: At ambient temperatures: This product is non-irritating upon contact. Prolonged, confined (especially under the finger nails, under rings or watch bands) or repeated exposure may cause skin irritation. May cause defatting, drying and cracking of the skin. At elevated temperatures: Burns (thermal) can occur if not promptly removed. Skin Absorption: At ambient temperatures: A single, prolonged skin exposure is not likely to result in the absorption of toxic amounts of the material. At elevated temperatures: May cause more severe response if skin is abraded (scratched, scraped or cut). Eye Contact: At ambient temperatures: This product may cause mild, transient irritation. Splashes to the eye may cause irritation, redness and pain. May cause lachrymation (excessive tears). At elevated temperatures: Vapours from this product are irritating to the eyes. Burns (thermal) can occur if not promptly removed. Ingestion: Ingestion of large amounts may cause nausea, gastrointestinal upset and abdominal pain.

Other Health Effects

Prolonged and repeated exposure may cause central nervous system (CNS) depression, liver damage, acidosis and kidney damage. CNS depression is characterized by headache, dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting and incoordination. Severe overexposures may lead to coma and possible death due to respiratory failure. Liver damage is characterized by the loss of appetite, jaundice (yellowish skin colour), and occasional pain in the upper left-hand side of the abdomen. Metabolic acidosis is a condition that describes a decreased pH and bicarbonate concentration in the body fluids. Signs and symptoms of kidney damage generally progress from oliguria, to blood in the urine, to total renal failure. Metabolic abnormalities can occur following ingestion and include ethanol-like inebriation. (3)