3,4-Difluorobenzonitrile

SECTION 2: Hazards identification

CHEMWATCH HAZARD RATINGS Min Max Flammability: 3 Toxicity: 3 Body Contact: 2 Min/Nil=0 Low=1 Reactivity: 1 Moderate=2 High=3 Chronic: 2 Extreme=4 CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS EMERGENCY OVERVIEW RISK Toxic if swallowed. Harmful by inhalation and in contact with skin. Irritating to eyes, respiratory system and skin. Highly flammable. Harmful 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. Aromatic nitriles, unlike aliphatic nitriles, do not appear to liberatecyanide within the body. EYE This material can cause eye irritation and damage in some persons. SKIN Skin contact with the material may be harmful; systemic effects may resultfollowing absorption. This material can cause inflammation of the skin oncontact in some persons. The material may accentuate any pre-existing dermatitis condition. 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 vapors, aerosols (mists, fumes) or dusts, generated by the material during the course of normal handling, may be harmful. 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.

Potential chronic health

Long-term exposure to respiratory irritants may result in disease of the airways involving difficult breathing and related systemic problems. Limited evidence suggests that repeated or long-term occupational exposure may produce cumulative health effects involving organs or biochemical systems. 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. Chronic exposure to cyanides and certain nitriles may result in interference to iodine uptake by thyroid gland and its consequent enlargement. This occurs following metabolic conversion of the cyanide moiety to thiocyanate.