Sodium Azide, 0.5% w/v

SECTION 2: Hazards identification

Emergency Overview Appearance: Clear, colorless liquid Caution! May be fatal if inhaled, absorbed through the skin or swallowed. Contact with acids liberates very toxic and explosive gas, hydrazoic acid vapor. Reacts with many heavy metals to form explosive compounds. Aqueous solutions contain hydrazoic acid which volatilizes readily at 99°F. Hydrazoic acid is a colorless, volatile, highly toxic and highly explosive liquid with a characteristic odor, which has been described as sickening. Heating may cause an explosion. Causes eye, skin, and respiratory tract irritation. May cause cardiac disturbances. Heat sensitive. Dangerous for the environment. Target Organs: Central nervous system, lungs, cardiovascular system, eyes, skin

Potential health effects

Eye: Causes eye irritation. Contact with liquid or vapor may cause systemic toxic effects. Skin: Causes skin irritation. May be fatal if absorbed through the skin. If absorbed, causes symptoms similar to those of ingestion. - 1 - Ingestion: May be fatal if swallowed. Causes gastrointestinal irritation with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Sodium azide may cause hypotension (abnormally low blood pressure), tachycardia (rapid heart rate), tachypnea (quick, shallow breathing), hypothermia (low body temperature), convulsions and severe headache. Inhalation: May be fatal if inhaled. May cause effects similar to those described for ingestion. Rapidly absorbed. The vapor of hydrazoic acid may be present where sodium azide is handled. Symptoms of acute exposure to hydrazoic acid include eye irritation, headache, dramatic decrease in blood pressure, weakness, pulmonary edema, and collapse. Chronic: Chronic inhalation and ingestion may cause effects similar to those of acute inhalation and ingestion.