Boric Acid

SECTION 2: Hazards identification

OSHA OVERVIEW: Boric Acid is a white odorless, powdered substance that is not flammable, combustible, or explosive, and it presents no unusual hazard if involved in a fire. Boric Acid presents little or no hazard (to humans) and has low acute oral and dermal toxicities. Care should be taken to minimize the amount of Boric Acid released to the environment to avoid ecological effects. POTENTIAL ECOLOGICAL EFFECTS: Large amounts of Boric Acid can be harmful to boron- sensitive plants and other ecological systems.

Principle Routes of Exposure

Inhalation is the most significant in occupational and other settings Dermal exposure is not a concern because Boric Acid is not absorbed through intact skin. Inhalation: Occasional mild irritation effects to nose and throat may occur from inhalation of Boric Acid dusts at levels greater than 10 mg/m3• Eye Contact: Boric Acid is non-irritating to eyes in normal industrial use. Skin Contact: Boric Acid does not cause irritation to intact skin. Ingestion: Products containing Boric Acid are not intended for ingestion. Boric Acid has a relatively low acute toxicity. Small amounts (e.g. a teaspoonful) swallowed accidentally are not likely to cause effects; swallowing amounts larger than that may cause gastrointestinal symptoms. Cancer: Boric Acid did not cause cancer in long-term animal studies and is not considered a carcinogen. Reproductive: Long-term, high dose animal ingestion studies have demonstrated reproductive effects in male animals. A human study ofoccupational exposure to borate dust showed no adverse effect to reproduction. Developmental: High dose animal ingestion studies have demonstrated developmental effects in fetuses of pregnant animals, including fetal weight loss. Target Organs: No target has been identified in humans. High dose animal ingestion studies indicate the testes are the target organs in male animals, though human studies have not shown such results. Signs and Symptoms of Exposure: Symptoms of accidental over-exposure to Boric Acid have been associated with ingestion or by absorption through large areas ofdamaged skin. These include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea with delayed effects of skin redness and peeling. FIRST AID MEASURES Inhalation: No specific treatment is necessary since Boric Acid is not likely to be hazardous by inhalation. Prolonged exposure to dust levels in excess of regulatory limits should always be avoided. Eye Contact: Use eye wash fountain or fresh water to cleanse eye. If irritation persists for more than 30 minutes, seek medical attention. Skin Contact: Wash with soap and water. Ingestion: Swallowing less than one teaspoon will cause no harm to healthy adults. If larger amounts are swallowed, give two glasses of water to drink and seek medical attention. NOTE TO PHYSICIANS: Observation only is required for adult ingestion of less than 6 grams FIRE-FIGHTING MEASURES General Hazard: None, because Boric Acid is not flammable, combustible or explosive. The product is itself a flame retardant. Extinguishing Media: Any fire extinguishing media may be used on nearby fires. ACCIDENTAL RELEASE MEASURES General: Boric Acid is a water-soluble white powder that may cause damage to trees or vegetation by root absorption. Land Spill: Vacuum, shovel or sweep up Boric Acid and place in containers for disposal in accordance with applicable local regulations. Avoid contamination of water bodies during clean up and disposal. No personal protective equipment is needed to clean up land spills. Water Spills: Boric Acid will cause localized HANDLING AND STORAGE

Storage

Temperature Room Temperature (72°F) Pressure Atmospheric Special Sensitivity: Moisture (Caking) General: Though Boric Acid does not require any special precautions, it is sensitive to moisture massive acute ingestion or patients with renal failure. Boric Acid analyses of urine or blood are only useful for documenting exposure and should not be used to evaluate severity of poisoning or to guide treatment. (For further information: Litovitz T.L., Norman, S.A., Veltri, J.e. Annual Report ofthe American Association pf Poison Control Centers Data Collection System. Am. J. Emerg. Med. 1986; 4:427-458) Flammability Classification

TOXICOLOGICAL INFORMATION

Ingestion (Acute Oral Toxicity): Low acute oral toxicity; LDso in rats is 3500-4100 mglkg of body weight. Skin (Acute Dermal Toxicity): Low acute dermal toxicity; LDso in rabbits is greater than 2000 mg/kg of body weight. Boric Acid is not absorbed through intact skin. Primary Skin Irritation Index: 0 (zero) Boric Acid is non-corrosive. Eye: Draize test in rabbits produced mild eye irritation effects. Fifty years of occupational exposure history show no indication of human eye injury from exposure to Boric Acid. Inhalation: Human epidemiological studies show no increase in pulmonary disease in occupational populations with chronic exposure to Boric Acid dust. Acid in mice at feed doses of 2500 and 5000 ppm in the diet. No mutagenic activity was observed for Boric Acid in a recent battery of four short-term mutagenicity assays. Carcinogenicity: A Technical Report issued by the National Toxicology Program showed "no evidence of carcinogenicity" from a full 2 year bioassay on Boric Acid in mice at feed doses of 2500 and 5000 ppm in the diet. No mutagenic activity was observed for Boric listed/regulated by