Acetonitrile

SECTION 2: Hazards identification

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW Appearance clear, colorless liquid. Flash Point 2 deg C Warning! Flammable liquid and vapor. Causes eye irritation. May be harmful if swallowed, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin. May cause skin and respiratory tract irritation. Metabolized to cyanide in the body, which may cause headache, dizziness, weakness, unconsciousness, convulsions, coma and possible death. May cause liver and kidney damage. Target Organs: Kidneys, central nervous system, liver, respiratory system, cardiovascular system, eyes.

Potential health effects

Eye: Causes eye irritation. Lachrymator (substance which increases the flow of tears). May produce superficial reversible injury. Skin: Causes mild skin irritation. If absorbed, causes symptoms similar to those of inhalation. May be harmful if absorbed through the skin. May be metabolized to cyanide which in turn acts by inhibiting cytochrome oxidase impairing cellular respiration. A Skin notation is recommended based upon the case report of child poisoning from dermal contact. A LD50 >2000 mg/kg was obtained in a well-conducted acute dermal toxicity study in rabbits. Ingestion: May cause tissue anoxia, characterized by weakness, headache, dizziness, confusion, cyanosis (bluish skin due to deficient oxygenation of the blood), weak and irregular heart beat, collapse, unconsciousness, convulsions, coma and death. Metabolism may release cyanide, which may result in headache, dizziness, weakness, collapse, unconsciousness and possible death. Different animal species and individuals of the same species varied widely in susceptibility to acetonitrile in single-dose toxicity studies by various routes. The range of oral LD50 values for acetonitrile in mammals is between 140 - 6762 mg/kg body weight. Mouse and guinea pig seem to be the most sensitive species. In a well-conducted study in mice, the oral LD50 of acetonitrile was calculated to be 617 mg/kg. Inhalation: May cause respiratory tract irritation. May cause lung damage. May be harmful if inhaled. Acetonitrile breaks down slowly in the body to release the cyanide ion. Exposure to very high concentrations of acetonitrile can result in cyanide poisoning. Symptoms are usually delayed several hours after exposure. Early symptoms include weakness, headache, giddiness, dizziness, confusion, anxiety, nausea and vomiting. In severe cases, breathing is rapid, then becomes slow and gasping. The victim may feel an irregular heart beat and tightness in the chest. Chronic: May be metabolized to cyanide which in turn acts by inhibiting cytochrome oxidase impairing cellular respiration. Exposure to small amounts of cyanide compounds over long periods of time is reported to cause loss of appetite, headache, weakness, nausea, dizziness, and symptoms of irritation of the upper respiratory tract and eyes. Animal studies indicate that the product may affect the liver and kidneys. Animal evidence for acetonitrile and other cyanide compounds clearly indicates that toxic effects would be expected in the fetus at exposure levels which are toxic to the