Section 1 - CHEMICAL PRODUCT AND COMPANY IDENTIFICATION

PRODUCT NAME

VINYL BROMIDE

NFPA

PRODUCT USE

Manufacture of flame retarding agent for modacrylic fibres used in carpet- backing
material; copolymers, polymers, pharmaceuticals, fumigants.

SYNONYMS

C2-H3-Br, "ethylene, bromo-", bromoethene, bromoethylene, "ethene, bromo-", NCI-C50373

Section 2 - HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION

CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW

RISK

May form explosive peroxides.
Harmful if swallowed.
May cause CANCER.
Extremely flammable.
Risk of explosion if heated under confinement.

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.  Not normally a hazard due to physical form of product.  

EYE

  Although the material is not thought to be an irritant, direct contact with the eye may produce transient discomfort characterized by tearing or conjunctival redness (as with windburn).  

SKIN

  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.  Vaporizing liquid causes rapid cooling and contact may cause cold burns,frostbite.  Toxic effects may result from skin absorption.  

INHALED

  Inhalation may produce health damage*.  The material is not thought to produce respiratory irritation (as classified using animal models). Nevertheless inhalation of the material, especially for prolonged periods, may produce respiratory discomfort and occasionally, distress.  Acute intoxication by halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbons appears to take place over two stages. Signs of a reversible narcosis are evident in the first stage and in the second stage signs of injury to organs may become evident, a single organ alone is (almost) never involved.  Depression of the central nervous system is the most outstanding effect of most halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbons. Inebriation and excitation, passing into narcosis, is a typical reaction. In severe acute exposures there is always a danger of death from respiratory failure or cardiac arrest due to a tendency to make the heart more susceptible to catecholamines (adrenalin).  In the case of iodised and brominated compounds, exposure effects cannot be described by simple central nervous system depression produced by other halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbons. Headache, nausea, ataxia (loss of muscle co-ordination), tremors, speech difficulties, visual disturbances, convulsions, paralysis, delirium, mania and apathy are all evidence of additional effects.  

CHRONIC HEALTH EFFECTS

  There is ample evidence that this material can be regarded as being able to cause cancer in humans based on experiments and other information.  

  Primary route of exposure is usually by.  inhalation of the gas.  Angiosarcomas, primarily of the liver were induced in male and female rats  exposed by inhalation to vinyl bromide. Primary angiosarcomas of the lung,  spleen, nasal cavity and mesentary, and an increase in the number of Zymbal  gland neoplasms were found in rats of both sexes exposed to 50-12500 ppm.  An increased incidence of primary hepatocellular neoplasms was seen in  male rats exposed to 250 ppm and in females exposed at levels as low as  10 ppm.