Methanol

SECTION 2: Hazards identification

ChemWatch Hazard Ratings Flammability HMIS 3 2 Health Toxicity 1 0 Body Contact 3 Flammability — Reactivity Chronic 0 Reactivity 0 1 2 3 4 Fire Diamond Min Low Moderate High Extreme ANSI Signal Word Warning! Flammable ����� Emergency Overview ����� Colorless liquid; slight alcohol odor when pure or disagreeably pungent odor. Irritating to eyes/skin/respiratory tract. Other Acute Effects: headache, visual disturbance, blindness, respiratory failure. Chronic Effects: reproductive effects reported in animal testing. Flammable; moderate explosion hazard. Copyright © 2006 by Genium Group, Inc. Any commercial use or reproduction without the publisher’s permission is prohibited. Judgments as to the suitability of information herein for the purchaser’s purposes are necessarily the purchaser’s responsibility. Although reasonable care has been taken in the preparation of such information, Genium Group, Inc. extends no warranties, makes no representations, and assumes no responsibility as to the accuracy or suitability of such information for application to the purchaser’s intended purpose or for consequences of its use.

Potential health effects

Target Organs: Eyes, skin, central nervous system (CNS), gastrointestinal (GI) tract, respiratory system

Principle Routes of Exposure

Inhalation, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact/absorption Acute Effects Inhalation: Irritation, breathing difficulty, headache, drowsiness, vertigo, light-headedness, nausea, vomiting, acidosis (decreased blood alkalinity), visual disturbance, and at high concentrations, CNS damage, convulsions, circulatory collapse, respiratory failure, coma and blindness can result from inhalation of methanol vapor. Concentration >= 200 ppm may cause headache; 50,000 ppm can cause death within 1-2 hrs. Eye: Contact with liquid may result in irritation, inflamed lids, light sensitization, and superficial lesions. Skin: Contact may cause irritation, dermatitis, swelling, scaling, and systemic effects. Ingestion: GI irritation and systemic effects. Symptoms may be delayed 18-48 hours. Fatal dose - 2 to 8 ounces. Carcinogenicity: NTP - Not listed; IARC - Not listed; OSHA - Not listed; NIOSH - Not listed; ACGIH - Not listed; EPA - Not listed; MAK - Not listed.

Medical Conditions Generally Aggravated by Exposure

None reported

Potential chronic health

Exposure to methanol vapors has caused conjunctivitis, headache, giddiness, insomnia, GI disturbance, impaired vision. CNS damage is also likely. Methanol is slowly eliminated from the body; exposure is considered cumulative over the short term.