Section 1 - CHEMICAL PRODUCT AND COMPANY IDENTIFICATION

PRODUCT NAME

JASOL EN-CLOR

NFPA

PRODUCT USE

Chlorine- based bleach powder.

SYNONYMS

"dry chlorine bleach powder"

Section 2 - HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION

CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW

RISK

Contact with combustible material may cause fire.
Contact with acids liberates toxic gas.
Danger of cumulative effects.
Harmful by inhalation and if swallowed.
Irritating to eyes, respiratory system and skin.
Very 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 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.  Ingestion of dichloroisocyanurates will give rise to corrosive attack on the mouth, oesophagus and internal organs and may result in weakness, lethargy, tremors, salivation, lachrymation and possible coma. Toxicity seems to be related to the corrosive effects of the substance (or its aqueous reaction product hypochlorous acid) on the stomach lining, rather than to systemic effects. The severity of these effects seem to be related more to concentration (ie. available chlorine) than to the amount ingested.  Single and repeated dose studies in animals by oral and skin routes of cyanuric acid and some cyanurates generally show a low degree of toxicity. At high doses several studies showed kidney damage.  Triazine derivatives have been shown to cause structural damage to theliver in animal studies.  

EYE

  There is evidence that material may produce eye irritation in some persons and produce eye damage 24 hours or more after instillation. Severe inflammation may be expected with pain. There may be damage to the cornea. Unless treatment is prompt and adequate there may be permanent loss of vision. Conjunctivitis can occur following repeated exposure.  Alkaline salts may be intensely irritating to the eyes and precautions should be taken to ensure direct eye contact is avoided.  

SKIN

  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.  The material may cause moderate inflammation of the skin either following direct contact or after a delay of some time. Repeated exposure can cause contact dermatitis which is characterized by redness, swelling and blistering.  

INHALED

  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.  Chlorine vapour is extremely irritating to the upper respiratory tract and lungs  Symptoms of exposure to chlorine include coughing, choking, breathing difficulty, chest pain, headache, vomiting, pulmonary oedema. Inhalation may cause lung congestion, bronchitis and loss of consciousness. Effects may be delayed. Delayed effects of exposure to chlorine vapour can include shortness of breath, violent headaches, pulmonary oedema and pneumonia.  Earlier reports suggested that concentrations around 5 ppm chlorine caused respiratory complaints, corrosion of the teeth, inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nose and increased susceptibility to tuberculosis in chronically-exposed workers. Recent studies have not confirmed these findings. Concentrations too low to effect the lower respiratory tract may however irritate the eyes, nose and throat.  Amongst 29 volunteers exposed at 0.5, 1 or 2 ppm chlorine for 4 to 8 hours the following responses were recorded: itching or burning of the nose, itching or burning of the throat,  production of tears, urge to cough, runny nose, nausea, headache, general discomfort, dizziness, drowsiness and shortness of breath.  Material is highly volatile and may quickly form a concentrated atmosphere in confined or unventilated areas. Vapor is heavier than air and may displace and replace air in breathing zone, acting as a simple asphyxiant. This may happen with little warning of overexposure.  Inhalation of dusts, generated by the material, during the course of normalhandling, may be harmful.  Inhalation of the vapor is hazardous and may even be fatal.  

CHRONIC HEALTH EFFECTS

  Repeated or long-term occupational exposure is likely to produce cumulative health effects involving organs or biochemical systems.  Long-term exposure to respiratory irritants may result in disease of the airways involving difficult breathing and related systemic problems.  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.  Reduced respiratory capacity may result from chronic low level exposure to chlorine gas. Chronic poisoning may result in coughing, severe chest pains, sore throat and haemoptysis (bloody sputum). Moderate to severe exposures over 3 years produced decreased lung capacity in a number of workers.  Delayed effects can include shortness of breath, violent headaches, pulmonary oedema and pneumonia.  Amongst chloralkali workers exposed to mean concentrations of 0.15 ppm for an average of 10.9 years a generalised pattern of fatigue (exposures of 0.5 ppm and above) and a modest increased incidence of anxiety and dizziness were recorded. Leukocytosis and a lower haematocrit showed some relation to exposure.  The chlorinated isocyanurates have low acute oral and dermal toxicity but are very irritating to the eyes, They are very mild skin irritants and are not considered to be skin sensitizers.  A subchronic toxicity study showed effects in the urinary bladders of male mice and rats. Chronic toxicity studies (2-year feeding studies) using rats and mice showed no oncogenic effects at any dose level. The chlorinated isocyanurates are not teratogenic or mutagenic. Metabolism studies show that they are rapidly absorbed, distributed and excreted unmetabolised.  Chronic inhalation toxicity: Rats were exposed to sodium dichloroisocyanurate dihydrate dust at 3, 10 and 30 mg/m3 for 6hrs/day, 5/days/week for 4 weeks and the 10 and 30 mg/m3 groups showed some signs of toxicity (eye and respiratory tract irritation, reduced growth and altered organ weights) [Monsanto, Kirk-Othmer]  Chronic ingestion toxicity: Signs of severe toxicity (increased deaths, difficult breathing, gastrointestinal bleeding and reduced activity and growth) were seen in rats fed on high doses of dichloroisocyanurate in drinking water (4000 and 8000 ppm) for 59 days. Rats fed high doses of dichloroisocyanurate (6000 and 12000 ppm) in th diet for 13 weeks showed some signs of toxicity (reduced growth and reduced liver end kidney weights. [Monsanto, Kirk-Othmer]  Delayed effects can include shortness of breath, violent headaches, pulmonary oedema and pneumonia. Experimental studies on laboratory animals indicate possible teratogenic and other reproductive effects. [BASF].  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. Prime symptom is breathlessness; lung shadows show on X-ray.  Repeated or prolonged exposure to corrosives may result in the erosion of teeth, inflammatory and ulcerative changes in the mouth and necrosis (rarely) of the jaw. Bronchial irritation, with cough, and frequent attacks of bronchial pneumonia may ensue. Gastrointestinal disturbances may also occur. Chronic exposures may result in dermatitis and/or conjunctivitis.