2,5-Dinitrophenol

SECTION 2: Hazards identification

CHEMWATCH HAZARD RATINGS Min Max Flammability: 3 Toxicity: 4 Body Contact: 3 Min/Nil=0 Low=1 Reactivity: 2 Moderate=2 High=3 Chronic: 2 Extreme=4 CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS EMERGENCY OVERVIEW RISK Danger of cumulative effects. Toxic by inhalation, in contact with skin and if swallowed. Highly flammable. Toxic to aquatic organisms, may cause long-term adverse effects in the aquatic environment.

Potential Acute Health Effects

SWALLOWED Toxic effects may result from the accidental ingestion of the material; animal experiments indicate that ingestion of less than 40 gram may be fatal or may produce serious damage to the health of the individual. The substance and/or its metabolites may bind to hemoglobin inhibiting normal uptake of oxygen. This condition, known as "methemoglobinemia", is a form of oxygen starvation (anoxia). Symptoms of dinitrophenol poisoning include a rapid increase in body temperature, breathing rate and heart rate. Oxygen demand is raised even faster, causing oxygen deficiency and acid-base imbalance (acidosis) to occur. <\p>. EYE Although the material is not thought to be an irritant, direct contact with the eye may cause transient discomfort characterized by tearing or conjunctival redness (as with windburn). Slight abrasive damage may also result. <\p>. SKIN Skin contact with the material may produce toxic effects; systemic effectsmay result following absorption. The material is not thought to be a skin irritant (as classified using animal models). Abrasive damage however, may result from prolonged exposures. <\p>. 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. INHALED Inhalation of dusts, generated by the material, during the course of normal handling, may produce toxic effects. The material is not thought to produce respiratory irritation (as classified using animal models). Nevertheless inhalation of dusts, or fume, especially for prolonged periods, may produce respiratory discomfort and occasionally, distress.

Potential chronic health

Repeated or long-term occupational exposure is likely to produce cumulative health effects involving organs or biochemical systems. There is limited evidence that, skin contact with this product is more likely to cause a sensitization reaction in some persons compared to the general population. 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. <\p>. 2,4-dinitrophenol can cause skin eruption, peripheral nerve damage, liver and kidney damage, and rarely cataracts. Repeated or prolonged contact may produce an allergic or irritant inflammation of the skin. <\p>.