Everpure Brominating Cartridges, Types I and II

Appearance/Odor

Small (<1 mm), hard, dry, red-orange beads with halogen odor (like chlorine bleach). The Brominating Cartridge canisters have translucent walls so the color of the resin can be seen. (cont.) ************************************************************************ Emergency Overview: Polybromide resin, contained in Everpure Brominating Cartridges, is not very hazardous when dry, as supplied: it can be held in the bare hands for several minutes without causing a chemical burn, although a bead lodged under a fingernail will become painful after an hour. When wet, the resin produces a bromine solution of about 500 mg/L at pH 3 and irritating, corrosive fumes of bromine and hydrobromic acid. There should be no hazard under normal operating conditions, but if the cartridge is damaged and resin beads are spilled, use protective gloves, goggles, and acid/gas respirator, and protect metals from corrosion. Resin beads are also a “falling hazard,” behaving like tiny ball bearings on the floor. The resin will not burn or support combustion, but it is a powerful oxidizer capable of starting a fire if mixed with liquid mercury, oils, alcohols or ketones, or powdered aluminum. Fire & Explosion Hazards: Will not burn or support combustion (bromine is a flame retardant), but high temperatures can cause the material to oxidize itself, leading to charring and loss of utility. Fire can produce toxic fumes of bromine, hydrobromic acid, carbon monoxide, and cyanide.

Principle Routes of Exposure

Under normal operating conditions it is possible to have skin and eye contact with very small amounts (drips and spatters) of the mild bromine- water that may drip from an exhausted cartridge when it is being replaced. Bromine fumes may also be present at detectable levels at those times, as well as in the place where exhausted cartridges are stored. Inhalation – Acute Effects: None, under normal conditions. Persons trapped or unconscious in a space with high levels of bromine fumes may suffer irritation and coughing, asthma, pulmonary edema, and death. Skin Contact – Acute Effects: None, under normal conditions. If a cartridge is ruptured and resin is spilled, long term skin contact with the material will eventually produce a chemical burn—one that heals slowly. Skin contact with the bromine-water concentrate will have no significant effect, even if from a fresh cartridge (worst case). Eye Contact – Acute Effects: Bromine-water spattered into the eye will cause immediate irritation but no lasting corrosive effect. A resin bead in the eye will be painful until removed and will produce a transient corrosive effect on the cornea. Ingestion – Acute Effects: Ingestion of the resin beads is unlikely, but consumption of the material from a fresh cartridge would eventually cause severe tissue corrosion. Ingestion of the brominated water is safe and approved up to 1.0 mg/L.