Hexane(S)

SECTION 2: Hazards identification

Potential health effects

Eye: Eye irritant. Contact may cause stinging, watering, redness, and swelling. Skin: Skin irritant. Contact may cause redness, itching, burning, and skin damage. Prolonged or repeated contact can worsen irritation by causing drying and cracking of the skin, leading to dermatitis (inflammation). Contact may result in skin absorption but symptoms of toxicity are not anticipated by this route alone under normal conditions of use. Inhalation (Breathing): Low degree of toxicity by inhalation. Ingestion (Swallowing): Low degree of toxicity by ingestion. ASPIRATION HAZARD - This material can enter lungs during swallowing or vomiting and cause lung inflammation and damage. Signs and Symptoms: Effects of overexposure may include irritation of the nose and throat, irritation of the digestive tract, headaches, nausea and transient excitation followed by signs of nervous system depression (e.g., headache, drowsiness, dizziness, loss of coordination, disorientation and fatigue). Cancer: No data available. Target Organs: Overexposure may cause injury to the peripheral nerves (see Section 11). There is limited evidence from animal studies that overexposure may cause injury to the male reproductive system (see Section 11). Developmental: Inadequate data available for this material. Other Comments: Reports have associated repeated and prolonged occupational overexposure to solvents with permanent brain and nervous system damage (sometimes referred to as Solvent or Painters' Syndrome). Intentional misuse by deliberately concentrating and inhaling this material may be harmful or fatal. Pre-Existing Medical Conditions: Conditions aggravated by exposure may include skin disorders and respiratory (asthma-like) disorders. Exposure to high concentrations of this material may increase the sensitivity of the heart to certain drugs. Persons with pre-existing heart disorders may be more susceptible to this effect (see Section 4 - Note to Physicians).