Arsenic Trioxide

SECTION 2: Hazards identification

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW DANGER! Poisonous, nonflammable, solid. Use only with adequate ventilation or respiratory protection. Contains inorganic arsenic. Cancer hazard. Harmful or fatal if inhaled or swallowed. Irritates the eyes, skin, and respiratory tract. May cause allergic skin reaction. Harmful if absorbed through the skin. May cause liver, kidney, blood cell, and nervous system damage. Self-contained breathing apparatus must be worn by rescue workers. Odor: None Copyright © 1997, 2000 Praxair Technology, Inc. THRESHOLD LIMIT VALUE: TLV-TWA = 0.01 mg/m3, inorganic compounds as arsenic (ACGIH, 1999). TLV-TWAs should be used as a guide in the control of health hazards and not as fine lines between safe and dangerous concentrations. EFFECTS OF A SINGLE (ACUTE) OVEREXPOSURE: INHALATION–Irritates the esophagus; causes headache, coughing, breathing difficulty, chest pains, and pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs). SKIN CONTACT–Irritates the skin and can be absorbed through it. SWALLOWING–Produces a metallic or garlic-like aftertaste. Causes nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and difficulty in swallowing. Profuse, watery, sometimes bloody diarrhea is accompanied by dehydration, intense thirst, fluid-electrolyte disturbances, severe hypotension (low blood pressure), metabolic acidosis, hemolysis (breakage of red blood cells), pancytopenia (sharply reduced blood count involving multiple cell types), anemia, Mees' lines (transverse, white lines in the nails), peripheral neuropathy with muscle wasting, tingling sensations, and widely distributed burning pain. Symptoms appear within 30 to 60 minutes with delays of up to several hours if the material is ingested with food. Brain damage may appear in 4 to 6 months. EYE CONTACT–Irritates the eyes and conjunctival tissue. EFFECTS OF REPEATED (CHRONIC) OVEREXPOSURE: Nose, eye, and skin irritation, tearing, photophobia (sensitivity to light), hair loss, perforation of the nasal septum (tissue between the nostrils), hoarseness, and painful ulceration of the wrists, scrotal skin, lips, and nostrils. Aplastic anemia, nausea and vomiting (infrequent), and cirrhosis of the liver (rare) may also occur. OTHER EFFECTS OF OVEREXPOSURE: Ingestion has caused premature birth with subsequent death of infant. See section 11, Toxicological Information.

Medical Conditions Generally Aggravated by Exposure

OVEREXPOSURE Blood or liver disorders SIGNIFICANT LABORATORY DATA WITH POSSIBLE RELEVANCE TO HUMAN HEALTH HAZARD EVALUATION: See section 11. CARCINOGENICITY: Arsenic Trioxide is listed by NTP, OSHA, and IARC.