Iodine

SECTION 2: Hazards identification

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW Appearance: dark red-brown liquid. Warning! May cause allergic skin reaction. Causes eye and skin irritation. Causes digestive and respiratory tract irritation. Eye contact may result in permanent eye damage. May cause fetal effects based upon animal studies. Target Organs: Thyroid.

Potential health effects

Eye: Causes eye irritation and possible injury. Skin: Causes skin irritation. May cause skin sensitization, an allergic reaction, which becomes evident upon re-exposure to this material. Ingestion: Causes gastrointestinal irritation with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Chronic ingestion of iodides during pregnancy has resulted in fetal death, severe goiter, and cretinoid appearance of the newborn. Inhalation: Causes respiratory tract irritation. Chronic: Chronic exposure can lead to iodism characterized by salivation, nasal discharge, sneezing, conjunctivitis, fever, laryngitis, bronchitis, stomatitis, and skin rashes. May interfere with iodine uptake of the thyroid gland and enlarge it. Chronic ingestion of iodides during pregnancy has resulted in fetal death, severe goiter, and cretinoid appearance of the newborn.. Prolonged exposure to iodides may produce iodism in sensitive individuals. Symptoms could include skin rash, running nose and headache.