Section 1 - CHEMICAL PRODUCT AND COMPANY IDENTIFICATION

PRODUCT NAME

HACH COPPER REAGENT

NFPA

PRODUCT USE

Laboratory reagent.

Section 2 - HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION

CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW

RISK

Harmful if swallowed.
Risk of serious damage to eyes.
Irritating to respiratory system and skin.
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.  As absorption of phosphates from the bowel is poor, poisoning this way is less likely. Effects can include vomiting, tiredness, fever, diarrhea, low blood pressure, slow pulse, cyanosis, spasms of the wrist, coma and severe body spasms.  

EYE

  If applied to the eyes, this material causes severe eye damage.  Alkaline salts may be intensely irritating to the eyes and precautions should be taken to ensure direct eye contact is avoided.  

SKIN

  The material may cause mild but significant 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.  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

  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.  

CHRONIC HEALTH EFFECTS

  Limited evidence suggests that repeated or long-term occupational exposure may produce cumulative health effects involving organs or biochemical systems.  Chelates are occasionally used in therapies for various forms of poisoning. A systemic reaction known as the "excessive chelation syndrome" consists mainly of general unwellness, fatigue, thirst, followed by chills and fever. Muscle ache, headache, loss of appetite, nausea and occasionally increased urinary urgency and frequency may occur, as may cold-like symptoms.  Sodium phosphate dibasic can cause stones in the kidney, loss of mineral from the bones and loss of thyroid gland function.  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.  Injection of EDTA and it salts can cause severe kidney damage with tissue death and internal bleeding, bone marrow depression and critically low levels of calcium.