Hydrogen Sulphide

SECTION 2: Hazards identification

OSHA Emergency Overview DANGER! Toxic, flammable, corrosive liquid and gas under pressure. May be fatal if inhaled. May form explosive mixtures with air. May cause respiratory tract and central nervous system damage. Can cause eye irritation. Gas deadens sense of smell. symptoms may be delayed. Self- contained breathing apparatus and protective clothing must be worn by rescue workers. Odour: Rotten Eggs.

Principle Routes of Exposure

Inhalation. Swallowing. Skin contact. Eye contact. EFFECTS OF A SINGLE (ACUTE) OVEREXPOSURE: INHALATION: May be fatal if inhaled; causes respiratory paralysis by depression of central nervous system activity. Effects of overexposure include headache, dizziness, vertigo, giddiness, confusion, chest pains, olfactory fatique, unconscoiusness and death. Rhinitis, pharyngitis, bronchitis, pneumonitis, pulmonary edema and cyanosis may occur. Lack of oxygen can cause death. SKIN CONTACT: Causes irritation seen as local redness and swelling. Liquid may be corrosive and cause frostbite. SKIN ABSORPTION: None known. SWALLOWING: An unlikely route of exposure, but frostbite of the lips and mouth may result from contact with the liquid. This product is a gas at normal temperature and pressure. EYE CONTACT: Causes irritation seen as excess redness of conjunctiva. Prolonged exposure to vapour at low concentrations may cause painful conjunctivitis, blurred vision, excess tearing, photophobia, and the perception of halos around lights. Severe overexposure can lead to conjunctivitis and corneal injury with vesiculation of the corneal epithelium. EFFECTS OF REPEATED (CHRONIC) OVEREXPOSURE: Repeated exposure may cause nausea, vomiting, weight loss, persistent low blood pressue, and loss of sense of smell. OTHER EFFECTS OF OVEREXPOSURE: Survivors sometimes exhibit neurologic sequelae such as amnesia, intention tremer, neurasthenia, disturbance of equilibrium, or more serious brain stem and cortical damage.

Medical Conditions Generally Aggravated by Exposure

OVEREXPOSURE Breathing of vapour (and/or mist) may aggravate asthma and inflammatory or fibrotic pulmonary disease. The skin irritating effects of the material may aggravate an existing dermatitis. SIGNIFICANT LABORATORY DATA WITH POSSIBLE RELEVANCE TO HUMAN HEALTH HAZARD EVALUATION: Although not demonstrated with hydrogen sulfide, repeated or prolonged maternal hypoxia induced by overexposure to other chemical asphyxiants has produced embryofetal toxicity in laboratory animals. CARCINOGENICITY: Not listed as carcinogen by OSHA, NTP or IARC.