N,N"-(1,2-Dihydroxyethylene)bis-acrylamide

SECTION 2: Hazards identification

CHEMWATCH HAZARD RATINGS Min Max Flammability: 1 Toxicity: 2 Body Contact: 2 Min/Nil=0 Low=1 Reactivity: 1 Moderate=2 High=3 Chronic: 3 Extreme=4 CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS EMERGENCY OVERVIEW RISK May cause CANCER. May cause heritable genetic damage. Harmful by inhalation, in contact with skin and if swallowed. Irritating to eyes, respiratory system and skin.

Potential Acute Health Effects

SWALLOWED Accidental ingestion of the material may be harmful; animal experiments indicate that ingestion of less than 150 gram may be fatal or may produce serious damage to the health of the individual. Acrylamides can cause numbness and paralysis of the extremities, "pins and needles", weakness (especially in the lower limbs), over days to weeks. There can be cold sweating, skin redness and peeling, difficulty speaking, tremor, gait disturbance, color-blindness and trouble with the eye. 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 dusts, generated by the material, during the course of normalhandling, 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. There is ample evidence that this material can be regarded as being able to cause cancer in humans based on experiments and other information. Based on experiments and other information, there is ample evidence to presume that exposure to this material can cause genetic defects that can be inherited. 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. <\p>. Repeated or prolonged exposure to acrylamides can result in multiple nervous disorders which are insidious. Inco-ordination, difficulty speaking and tremor suggests involvement of the midbrain. <\p>.