Section 1 - CHEMICAL PRODUCT AND COMPANY IDENTIFICATION

PRODUCT NAME

ZINC AMMONIUM NITRITE

NFPA

PRODUCT USE

Oxidising reagent.

SYNONYMS

H4-N3-O6-Zn, ZnNH4(NO2)3

Section 2 - HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION

CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW

RISK

Contact with combustible material may cause fire.
Irritating to eyes.
Harmful to aquatic organisms.

POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS

ACUTE HEALTH EFFECTS

SWALLOWED

  Accidental ingestion of the material may be damaging to the health of the individual.  Soluble zinc salts produces irritation and corrosion of the alimentary tract with pain, and vomiting. Death can occur due to insufficiency of food intake due to severe narrowing of the esophagus and pylorus.  The substance and/or its metabolites may bind to hemoglobin inhibiting normal uptake of oxygen. This condition, known as "methemoglobinemia", is a form of oxygen starvation (anoxia).  Symptoms include cyanosis (a bluish discoloration skin and mucous membranes) and breathing difficulties. Symptoms may not be evident until several hours after exposure.  At about 15% concentration of blood methemoglobin there is observable cyanosis of the lips, nose and earlobes. Symptoms may be absent although euphoria, flushed face and headache are commonly experienced. At 25-40%, cyanosis is marked but little disability occurs other than that produced on physical exertion. At 40-60%, symptoms include weakness, dizziness, lightheadedness, increasingly severe headache, ataxia, rapid shallow respiration, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, confusion, lethargy and stupor. Above 60% symptoms include dyspnea, respiratory depression, tachycardia or bradycardia, and convulsions. Levels exceeding 70% may be fatal.  In humans, inorganic nitrites produce smooth muscle relaxation, methaemoglobinaemia (MHG) and cyanosis. Fatal poisonings in infants, resulting from ingestion of nitrates in water or spinach, have been reported. The primary effect of nitrite intoxication in animals is MHG whilst secondary effects include vasodilation, relaxation of smooth muscle and lowering of blood pressure. Other nitrite-induced toxic effects include abdominal pain, diarrhoea, atrophied intestinal villi and apoptopic cell death in the intestinal crypts. When sodium nitrite was administered in drinking water for 6 weeks (0.06-1%), mice showed a slight degeneration and spotty necrosis of hepatocytes and haemosiderin deposition in the liver, spleen and lymph nodes, indicating haemolysis. At 2%, mice died within 3 weeks. In rats, subject to the same treatment regime, abnormal blood and spleen colours, due to MHG, were seen in 0.5% and 1.0% treatment groups. Hepatic microsomal lipoperoxidation (as measured by malondialdehyde formation) was increased in male rats given 0.2% sodium nitrite in drinking water. Liver lysosomal enzymes (acid phosphatase aaand cathepsin) and superoxide dismutase activities were also increased. This data suggests that the nitrite stimulates generation of superoxide radicals in the liver causing damage to cellular and subcellular membranes. Decreased plasma vitamin E and greater reduced glutathione-per erythrocyte were also reported in male rats receiving sodium nitrite in drinking water.  Large doses of ammonia or injected ammonium salts may produce diarrhea and may be sufficiently absorbed to produce increased production of urine and systemic poisoning. Symptoms include weakening of facial muscle, tremor, anxiety, reduced muscle and limb control.  

EYE

  This material can cause eye irritation and damage in some persons.  

SKIN

  Skin contact is not thought to have harmful health effects, however the material may still produce health damage following entry through wounds, lesions or abrasions.  There is some evidence to suggest that this material can cause inflammation of the skin on contact in some persons.  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.  

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 freshly formed zinc oxide particles sized below 1.5 microns and generally between 0.02 to 0.05 microns may result in "metal fume fever", with symptoms resembling influenza. Symptoms may be delayed for up to 12 hours and begin with the sudden onset of thirst, and a sweet, metallic or foul taste in the mouth. Other symptoms include upper respiratory tract irritation accompanied by coughing and a dryness of the mucous membranes, lassitude and a generalised feeling of malaise. Mild to severe headache, nausea, occasional vomiting, fever or chills, exaggerated mental activity, profuse sweating, diarrhoea, excessive urination and prostration may also occur. Tolerance to the fumes develops rapidly, but is quickly lost. All symptoms usually subside within 24-36 hours following removal from exposure. Leucocytosis, a transient increase in white blood cell counts, is reported as a common finding in metal fume fever but is not known to be common amongst welders. Severe over-exposure to zinc oxide, following inhalation of fumes or finely divided dusts may result in bronchitis or pneumonia; a bluish skin tint may be present.  

CHRONIC HEALTH EFFECTS

  There has been some concern that this material can cause cancer or mutations but there is not enough data to make an assessment.  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.  Exposure to sodium nitrite in drinking water resulted in an increased incidence of epithelial hyperplasia in the forestomach of male and female rats and in the glandular stomach of male mice.There was equivocal evidence of carcinogenic activity of sodium nitrite in female B6C3F1 mice based on the positive trend in the incidences of squamous cell papillomas or carcinomas (combined) of the forestomach. There was no evidence of carcinogenic activity in male and female F344/N rats or B6C3F1 male mice exposed to 750, 1500 or 3000 ppm.  NTP Technical Report Series No. 495, May 2001Under certain conditions, nitrites can react with secondary amines, either alone or in biological systems, to form carcinogenic nitrosamines.Sodium nitrite (60 mg/kg) administered in drinking water to pregnant guinea pigs produced maternal anaemia and increased the incidences of abortion and foetal mortality. Administration of 2000-3000 mg/l sodium nitrite in drinking water, to pregnant rats, produced 30-53% foetal mortality. In rat dams given 0.025-0.5% in feed, sodium nitrite caused an increase in foetal and pup mortality and decreases in pre-weanling body weights.  Welding or flame cutting of metals with zinc or zinc dust coatings may result in inhalation of zinc oxide fume; high concentrations of zinc oxide fume may result in "metal fume fever"; also known as "brass chills", an industrial disease of short duration. [I.L.O] Symptoms include malaise, fever, weakness, nausea and may appear quickly if operations occur in enclosed or poorly ventilated areas.