Chloroacetic acid

SECTION 2: Hazards identification

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW Appearance: colorless or white solid. Danger! Poison! May be fatal if absorbed through the skin. Causes burns by all exposure routes. Harmful if inhaled or swallowed. Corrosive to metal. Hygroscopic (absorbs moisture from the air). Before using this product, make sure that personal protective equipment and engineering controls are used and operating, and also that first aid treatments and procedures are available and understood. Target Organs: Kidneys, heart, central nervous system, liver, lungs, respiratory system, eyes, skin.

Potential health effects

Eye: Causes eye burns. Skin: May be fatal if absorbed through the skin. Causes skin burns. Substance is rapidly absorbed through the skin. Not expected to cause an allergic skin reaction. In an accident, about 10% of a 24-year-old employee's skin surface was exposed to warm, liquid MCAA. Prompt & thorough washing with water for about 1 hour seemed to remove the soluble salt. Skin burns were considered first degree. The victim's condition suddenly worsened while under observation at the plant dispensary, & he was transported to the hospital. On the journey there, he began to convulse; he died within 10-11 hours of the accident. The autopsy showed congestion, hemorrhage, & confluent petechia of the heart, lungs, & thymus. (Doc of TLV) Ingestion: Harmful if swallowed. Causes gastrointestinal tract burns. Inhalation: Harmful if inhaled. May cause severe irritation of the upper respiratory tract with pain, burns, and inflammation. Can produce delayed pulmonary edema. Chronic: May cause liver and kidney damage. Effects may be delayed. May cause lung damage.