Section 1 - CHEMICAL PRODUCT AND COMPANY IDENTIFICATION

PRODUCT NAME

UNIVAR THIOUREA 99%

NFPA

PRODUCT USE

Used according to manufacturer' s directions.

Section 2 - HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION

CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW

RISK

Harmful if swallowed.
Limited evidence of a carcinogenic effect.
Possible risk of harm to the unborn child.
Toxic to aquatic organisms, may cause long- term adverse effects in the aquatic
environment.

POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS

ACUTE HEALTH EFFECTS

SWALLOWED

  Harmful if 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.  The thioureas, which are antithyroid drugs, can cause headache,anxiety, fever, rash and stomach upset.  

EYE

  Although the material is not thought to be an irritant, direct contact with the eye may cause transient discomfort characterized by tearing or conjunctival redness (as with windburn). Slight abrasive damage may also result. The material may produce foreign body irritation in certain individuals.  

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.  Skin sensitivity to thiourea derivatives has been demonstrated in several studies. Allergic contact dermatitis and photocontact dermatitis have been described. A Russian study published in 1970 reported that workers handling thiourea products showed ready penetration through the skin which lead to clinical evidence of destructive changes in the thyroid gland.  

INHALED

  Inhalation may produce health damage*.  The material is not thought to produce respiratory irritation (as classified using animal models). Nevertheless inhalation of dusts, or fume, especially for prolonged periods, may produce respiratory discomfort and occasionally, distress.  

CHRONIC HEALTH EFFECTS

  There has been concern that this material can cause cancer or mutations, but there is not enough data to make an assessment.  

  Limited evidence of a carcinogenic effect.  Limited evidence of a carcinogenic effect.  Exposure to thiourea can result in reduced thyroid function. Prolonged exposure to high doses causes enlargement of the thyroid and reduced levels of circulating thyroid hormone. Thiourea derivatives are thought to be capable of changing cellular genetic material and they may cause birth defects.  Results in experiments suggest that this material may cause disorders in the development of the embryo or fetus, even when no signs of poisoning show in the mother.