METHYL IODIDE

SECTION 2: Hazards identification

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW Appearance clear, colorless to pale yellow liquid. Light sensitive. May cause central nervous system effects. Danger May be fatal if inhaled. Causes eye, skin, and respiratory tract irritation. Harmful if swallowed or absorbed through the skin. Target Organs: Central nervous system, lungs, eyes, skin.

Potential health effects

Eye: Causes eye irritation. Vapors cause eye irritation. Skin: Causes skin irritation. Harmful if absorbed through the skin. A pad soaked in methyl iodide and held against the forearm for 10 minu tes produced stinging and reddening; swelling and blistering appeared several hours later. Similar effects, including delayed burning, have been reported. When methyl iodide was not held against the skin, but a llowed to evaporate, no effects were observed. Ingestion: Harmful if swallowed. May cause irritation of the digestive tract. May cause effects similar to those for inhalation exposure. Inhalation: Causes respiratory tract irritation. In humans, acute exposure to methyl iodide by inhalation may depress t he central nervous system (CNS), irritate the lungs and skin, and affe ct the kidneys. Massive acute inhalation exposure to methyl iodide has led to pulmonary edema. Acute inhalation exposure of humans to methyl iodide has resulted in nausea, vomiting, vertigo, ataxia (failure of muscular coordination), slurred speech, drowsiness, skin blistering, a nd eye irritation. Severe, prolonged and possibly permanent injury to the nervous system (mental dullness, hallucination) has been reported. Chronic: Chronic inhalation may cause effects similar to those of acute inhalation. Animal studies have reported the development of tumors. Chronic or long-term exposure of humans to methyl iodide by inhalation may affect the CNS and cause skin burns. (EPA Air Toxics Website)