Section 1 - CHEMICAL PRODUCT AND COMPANY IDENTIFICATION

PRODUCT NAME

QIAGEN BUFFER ERC

NFPA

PRODUCT USE

Used according to manufacturer' s directions.

Section 2 - HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION

CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW

RISK

May form explosive peroxides.
Harmful if swallowed.
HARMFUL - May cause lung damage if swallowed.
Irritating to eyes and skin.
Flammable.
Vapors may cause dizziness or suffocation.

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.  Swallowing of the liquid may cause aspiration into the lungs with the risk of chemical pneumonitis; serious consequences may result. (ICSC13733).  Following ingestion, a single exposure to isopropyl alcohol produced lethargy and non-  specific effects such as weight loss and irritation. Ingestion of near-lethal doses of isopropanol produces histopathological changes of the stomach, lungs and kidneys, incoordination, lethargy, gastrointestinal tract irritation, and inactivity or anaesthesia.  Swallowing 10 ml. of isopropanol may cause serious injury; 100 ml. may be fatal if not promptly treated. The adult single lethal doses is approximately 250 ml. The toxicity of isopropanol is twice that of ethanol and the symptoms of intoxication appear to be similar except for the absence of an initial euphoric effect; gastritis and vomiting are more prominent. Ingestion may cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea.  There is evidence that a slight tolerance to isopropanol may be acquired.  Overexposure to non-ring alcohols causes nervous system symptoms. These include headache, muscle weakness and inco-ordination, giddiness, confusion, delirium and coma. Digestive symptoms may include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Aspiration is much more dangerous than ingestion because lung damage can occur and the substance is absorbed into the body. Alcohols with ring structures and secondary and tertiary alcohols cause more severe symptoms, as do heavier alcohols.  

EYE

  This material may produce eye irritation in some persons and produce eye damage 24 hours or more after instillation. Moderate inflammation may be expected with redness; conjunctivitis may occur with prolonged exposure.  Isopropanol vapour may cause mild eye irritation at 400 ppm. Splashes may cause severe eye irritation, possible corneal burns and eye damage. Eye contact may cause tearing or blurring of vision.  

SKIN

  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.  Most liquid alcohols appear to act as primary skin irritants in humans. Significant percutaneous absorption occurs in rabbits but not apparently in man.  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 is not thought to produce respiratory irritation (as classified using animal models). Nevertheless inhalation of vapors, fumes or aerosols, especially for prolonged periods, may produce respiratory discomfort and occasionally, distress.  Inhalation of vapours may cause drowsiness and dizziness. This may be accompanied by narcosis, reduced alertness, loss of reflexes, lack of coordination and vertigo.  Inhalation of vapors or aerosols (mists, fumes), generated by the material during the course of normal handling, may be damaging to the health of the individual.  Aliphatic alcohols with more than 3-carbons cause headache, dizziness, drowsiness, muscle weakness and delirium, central depression, coma, seizures and behavioral changes. Secondary respiratory depression and failure, as well as low blood pressure and irregular heart rhythms, may follow. Nausea and vomiting are seen, and liver and kidney damage is possible as well following massive exposures. Symptoms are more acute the more carbons there are in the alcohol.  If exposure to highly concentrated solvent atmosphere is prolonged this may lead to narcosis, unconsciousness, even coma and possible death.  The odour of isopropanol may give some warning of exposure, but odour fatigue may occur. Inhalation of isopropanol may produce irritation of the nose and throat with sneezing, sore throat and runny nose. The effects in animals subject to a single exposure, by inhalation, included inactivity or anaesthesia and histopathological changes in the nasal canal and auditory canal.  

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.  Limited evidence suggests that repeated or long-term occupational exposure may produce cumulative health effects involving organs or biochemical systems.  Long term or repeated ingestion exposure of isopropanol may produce incoordination, lethargy and reduced weight gain.  Repeated inhalation exposure to isopropanol may produce narcosis, incoordination and liver degeneration. Animal data show developmental effects only at exposure levels that produce toxic effects in the adult animals. Isopropanol does not cause genetic damage in bacterial or mammalian cell cultures or in animals.  There are inconclusive reports of human sensitisation from skin contact with isopropanol. Chronic alcoholics are more tolerant of systemic isopropanol than are persons who do not consume alcohol; alcoholics have survived as much as 500 ml. of 70% isopropanol.  Continued voluntary drinking of a 2.5% aqueous solution through two successive generations of rats produced no reproductive effects.  NOTE: Commercial isopropanol doers not contain "isopropyl oil". An excess incidence of sinus and laryngeal cancers in isopropanol production workers has been shown to be caused by the byproduct "isopropyl oil". Changes in the production processes now ensure that no byproduct is formed. Production changes include use of dilute sulfuric acid at higher temperatures.  Guanidine hydrochloride causes decrease in bone marrow activity usually shown as gastrointestinal disturbance and "pins and needles" in the lips, face and extremities. Irritability, tremor, inco-ordination and seizures can occur, rarely, there is low blood pressure, skin reactions, low blood glucose and increased levels of creatinine. Asians may be more susceptible. Chronic exposure may cause kidney damage.