SODIUM NITRATE

SECTION 2: Hazards identification

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW ------------------ DANGER! STRONG OXIDIZER. CONTACT WITH OTHER MATERIAL MAY CAUSE FIRE. HARMFUL IF SWALLOWED OR INHALED. MAY CAUSE IRRITATION TO SKIN, EYES, AND RESPIRATORY TRACT.

Potential health effects

INHALATION: INHALATION OF DUST IRRITATES THE RESPIRATORY TRACT. SYMPTOMS MAY INCLUDE COUGHING, SHORTNESS OF BREATH. INGESTION: MAY CAUSE GASTROENTERITIS AND ABDOMINAL PAINS. OTHER SYMPTOMS MAY INCLUDE DIZZINESS, BLOODY DIARRHEA, CONVULSIONS, AND COLLAPSE. PURGING AND DIURESIS CAN BE EXPECTED. SMALL REPEATED DOSES MAY CAUSE HEADACHE AND MENTAL IMPAIRMENT. RARE CASES OF NITRATES BEING CONVERTED TO THE MORE TOXIC NITRITES HAVE BEEN REPORTED, MOSTLY WITH INFANTS. SKIN CONTACT: MAY CAUSE IRRITATION, SYMPTOMS INCLUDING REDNESS, ITCHING, AND PAIN. EYE CONTACT: MAY CAUSE IRRITATION, SYMPTOMS INCLUDING REDNESS, ITCHING, AND PAIN. CHRONIC EXPOSURE: UNDER SOME CIRCUMSTANCES METHEMOGLOBINEMIA OCCURS IN INDIVIDUALS WHEN THE NITRATE IS CONVERTED BY BACTERIA IN THE STOMACH TO NITRITE. NAUSEA, VOMITING, DIZZINESS, RAPID HEART BEAT, IRREGULAR BREATHING, CONVULSIONS, COMA, AND DEATH CAN OCCUR SHOULD THIS CONVERSION TAKE PLACE. AGGRAVATION OF PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS: WORKERS WITH A HISTORY OF KIDNEY OR LUNG DISEASE MAY BE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE EFFECTS OF THIS SUBSTANCE. ==============================================================================