Section 1 - CHEMICAL PRODUCT AND COMPANY IDENTIFICATION

PRODUCT NAME

HEXABROMODIPHENYL ETHER

NFPA

PRODUCT USE

Fire retardant for high impact polystyrene, ABS polymers, adhesives, polyethylene,
thermoset applications of epoxy resins and unsaturated polymers and synthetic fibers.
Industry has advised that hexabromodiphenyl ether (HBDPE) is not produced commercially for
use as a flame retardant. HBDPE congeners may be present in the commercial
octabromodiphenyl ether (OBDPE) (~6%) and pentabromodiphenyl ether (PeBDPE) (~4- 8%)
products.

SYNONYMS

C12-H4-Br6-O, "benzene, 1, 1'-oxybis-, hexabromo-", "benzene, 1, 1'-oxybis-,
hexabromo-", "1, 1'-oxybishexabromobenzene", "1, 1'-oxybishexabromobenzene",
"hexabromophenyl ether", "hexabromobiphenyl oxide", "BR 33-N", "BR 33-N", "HB 60-P", "HB
60-P", fire-retardant

Section 2 - HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION

CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW

RISK

May cause long- term adverse effects in the environment.
Toxic to aquatic organisms, may cause long- term adverse effects in the aquatic
environment.

POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS

ACUTE HEALTH EFFECTS

SWALLOWED

  Accidental ingestion of the material may be damaging to the health of the individual.  Digestion of PCBs and related substances can lead to nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, jaundice, liver damage, coma and death. Headache, dizziness, lethargy, depression, nervousness, loss of libido and muscle and joint pain may also occur. Symptoms and death may be delayed for months; the substance occurs in the breastmilk of women and is toxic to babies.  

EYE

  There is some evidence to suggest that this material can causeeye irritation and damage in some persons.  Vapors of PCBs may be irritating and may be absorbed by the eye.  

SKIN

  Skin contact with the material may damage the health of the individual; systemic effects may result following absorption.  There is some evidence to suggest that this material can cause inflammation of the skin on contact in some persons.  Direct contact of the skin with liquid PCBs may result in irritation and defatting leading to dermatitis. PCBs may be absorbed by skin and as a result may be retained in body tissues.  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.  Chlorinated diphenyl ethers may produced skin irritation; systemic toxicitymay occur following absorption.  

INHALED

  Inhalation may produce health damage*.  Inhalation of dusts, generated by the material during the course of normal handling, may be damaging to the health of the individual.  There is some evidence to suggest that 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.  Inhalation of vapors containing PCBs may cause respiratoryirritation, eczema and skin burns.  

CHRONIC HEALTH EFFECTS

  Limited evidence suggests that repeated or long-term occupational exposure may produce cumulative health effects involving organs or biochemical systems.  There has been some concern that this material can cause cancer or mutations but there is not enough data to make an assessment.  There is some evidence that human exposure to the material may result in developmental toxicity. This evidence is based on animal studies where effects have been observed in the absence of marked maternal toxicity, or at around the same dose levels as other toxic effects but which are not secondary non-specific consequences of the other toxic effects.  Exposure to the material may cause concerns for human fertility, on the basis that similar materials provide some evidence of impaired fertility in the absence of toxic effects, or evidence of impaired fertility occurring at around the same dose levels as other toxic effects, but which are not a secondary non-specific consequence of other toxic effects..  Prolonged contact with chlorinated diphenyl ethers may cause skin irritation, weight loss and liver injury. Repeated absorption has produced liver damage in animals.  The congener, decabromodiphenyl oxide, showed some evidence of carcinogenicity in a lifelong feeding study in male and female rats based on an increased incidence of benign-  tumour like changes in the liver produced at high dose rates.  Limited kinetic details are available for HBDPE. The half-life for two HBDPE congeners in rats was reported to range between 45 to 55 and 90 to 119 days depending on the sex of the animal and the chemical isomer tested.