Section 1 - CHEMICAL PRODUCT AND COMPANY IDENTIFICATION

PRODUCT NAME

HYDRO-THIN

NFPA

PRODUCT USE

Dispersant & deflocculant.

SYNONYMS

"Low molecular weight polyacrylate - Powder"

Section 2 - HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION

CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW

RISK

Irritating to skin.

POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS

ACUTE HEALTH EFFECTS

SWALLOWED

  The material has NOT been classified as "harmful by ingestion". This is because of the lack of corroborating animal or human evidence. The material may still be damaging to the health of the individual, following ingestion, especially where pre-existing organ (e.g. liver, kidney) damage is evident. Present definitions of harmful or toxic substances are generally based on doses producing mortality (death) rather than those producing morbidity (disease, ill-health). Gastrointestinal tract discomfort may produce nausea and vomiting. In an occupational setting however, unintentional ingestion is not thought to be cause for concern.  High molecular weight material; on single acute exposure would be expected to pass through gastrointestinal tract with little change / absorption. Occasionally accumulation of the solid material within the alimentary tract may result in formation of a bezoar (concretion), producing discomfort.  

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.  The dust may produce eye discomfort and abrasive eye inflammation.  

SKIN

  This material can cause inflammation of the skin oncontact in some persons.  The material is not thought to produce adverse health effects or skin irritation following contact (as classified using animal models). Nevertheless, good hygiene practice requires that exposure be kept to a minimum and that suitable gloves be used in an occupational setting.  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

  The material is not thought to produce adverse health effects or irritation of the respiratory tract (as classified using animal models). Nevertheless, good hygiene practice requires that exposure be kept to a minimum and that suitable control measures be used in an occupational setting.  

CHRONIC HEALTH EFFECTS

  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.  There has been some concern that this material can cause cancer or mutations but there is not enough data to make an assessment.  Although polymers with a molecular weight above 10000 are normally considered to be PLCs (polymers of low concern) (because these are not expected to be absorbed by biological systems), this rule does NOT apply to water-absorbing polymers.A two year oncogenicity study with high molecular weight polyacrylate (1 million), with no reactive functional groups, showed a statistically significant induction of lung tumours in rats exposed at 0.8 mg/m3 respirable particles.Various lung effects such as inflammation, hyperplasia (abnormal increase in the number of cells composing a tissue or organ), scarring (fibrosis), changes in the air sac (alveolar) ducts of the lung, and tumours were noted in laboratory studies with rodents inhaling concentrations of water-absorbent sodium polyacrylate dusts greater than 0.05 mg/m3 (respirable particles) for the majority of their lives. Furthermore, some lung or lung cell effects were found in rodent laboratory studies of shorter duration.