2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin solution

SECTION 2: Hazards identification

CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS EMERGENCY OVERVIEW RISK May cause CANCER. Very toxic in contact with skin and if swallowed. May cause long-term adverse effects in the environment.

Potential Acute Health Effects

SWALLOWED ■ Severely toxic effects may result from the accidental ingestion of the material; animal experiments indicate that ingestion of less than 5 gram may be fatal or may produce serious damage to the health of the individual. ■ Dioxin TCDD has been associated with a range of toxic effects. These include loss of body fat, inflammation of the eyelids, kidney damage, depression, loss of hair and nails, anemia, decreased cholesterol and increased triglycerides, and degeneration of the thymus glands. The substance does have fetal toxic effects; the kidneys of fetuses were affected. EYE ■ There is some evidence that material may produce eye irritation in some persons and produce eye damage 24 hours or more after instillation. Moderate inflammation may be expected with redness; conjunctivitis may occur with prolonged exposure. ■ Application of dioxins to the eye may produce irritation, inflammation of eyelids and conjunctiva, and irritation of other mucous membranes. SKIN ■ Skin contact with the material may produce severely toxic effects; systemic effects may result following absorption and these may be fatal. ■ There is some evidence to suggest that this material can cause inflammation of the skin on contact in some persons. ■ Open cuts, abraded or irritated skin should not be exposed to this material. ■ Entry into the blood-stream, through, for example, cuts, abrasions or lesions, may produce systemic injury with harmful effects. Examine the skin prior to the use of the material and ensure that any external damage is suitably protected. ■ Skin absorption of TCDD may result in redness and swelling,followed by acne. ■ Exposure to the material may result in a skin inflammation called chloracne. This is characterized by white- and blackheads, keratin cysts, spots, excessive discoloration. These mainly involve the skin under the eyes and behind the ears. The reaction may be delayed. There may also be excess hair growth, degeneration of elastic tissue as a result of sunlight, and scarring of the membrane of the penis. INHALED ■ Inhalation of dusts, generated by the material during the course of normal handling, may produce severe damage to the health of the individual. Relatively small amounts absorbed from the lungs may prove fatal. ■ There is some evidence to suggest that the material can cause respiratory irritation in some persons. The body's response to such irritation can cause further lung damage. ■ Persons with impaired respiratory function, airway diseases and conditions such as emphysema or chronic bronchitis, may incur further disability if excessive concentrations of particulate are inhaled. ■ The inhalation of dioxins may produce respiratory tract irritation, headache, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, fatigue, sleep difficulties, sexual dysfunction, and intolerance to cold. Muscular pains and weakness may be present as well as behavioral disturbances. Redness and swelling of skin may occur, followed by acne. The central nervous system and liver may also be affected.

Potential chronic health

There is sufficient evidence to suggest that this materialdirectly causes cancer in humans. Limited evidence suggests that repeated or long-term occupational exposure may produce cumulative health effects involving organs or biochemical systems. Exposure to the material may cause concerns for human fertility, on the basis that similar materials provide some evidence of impaired fertility in the absence of toxic effects, or evidence of impaired fertility occurring at around the same dose levels as other toxic effects, but which are not a secondary non-specific consequence of other toxic effects. . Based on experience with animal studies, there is a possibility that exposure to the material may result in toxic effects to the development of the fetus, at levels which do not cause significant toxic effects to the mother. Long term exposure to high dust concentrations may cause changes in lung function i.e. pneumoconiosis; caused by particles less than 0.5 micron penetrating and remaining in the lung. Prime symptom is breathlessness; lung shadows show on X-ray. Exposure to PHAHs, including TCDD, can result in acne, fatigue, decreased libido, sleep trouble, loss of appetite and weight and sensory dysfunction. Skin changes are also possible including pigmentation disorders and excess hair growth. Cardiac function and function of the liver, which can be enlarged, may be impaired. Thyroid function and the efficiency of the immune system is also affected leading to more frequent infections. The substance is associated with fetal toxicity, miscarriage, and reduced fertility in males; it is also associated with cancers of the liver, thyroid and skin.