Section 1 - CHEMICAL PRODUCT AND COMPANY IDENTIFICATION

PRODUCT NAME

WATERWAY-250

NFPA

PRODUCT USE

Water treatment chemical.

Section 2 - HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION

CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW

RISK

Toxic if swallowed.
Very toxic by inhalation.
Causes severe burns.
Risk of serious damage to eyes.
May impair fertility.
May cause harm to the unborn child.
Very toxic to aquatic organisms.

POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS

ACUTE HEALTH EFFECTS

SWALLOWED

  The material can produce severe chemical burns within the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract following ingestion.  Toxic effects may result from the accidental ingestion of the material; animal experiments indicate that ingestion of less than 40 gram may be fatal or may produce serious damage to the health of the individual.  Ingestion of alkaline corrosives may produce burns around the mouth, ulcerations and swellings of the mucous membranes, profuse saliva production, with an inability to speak or swallow. Both the esophagus and stomach may experience burning pain; vomiting and diarrhea may follow. Epiglottal swelling may result in respiratory distress and asphyxia; shock can occur. Narrowing of the esophagus, stomach or stomach valve may occur immediately or after a long delay (weeks to years). Severe exposure can perforate the esophagus or stomach leading to infections of the chest or abdominal cavity, with low chest pain, abdominal stiffness and fever. All of the above can cause death.  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.  Borate poisoning causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and pain in the upper abdomen. Often persistent vomiting occurs, and there may be blood in the feces. There may also be weakness, lethargy, headache, restlessness, tremors and convulsions. All borates cause similar effects; the lethal dose is over 30 grams. Poisoning initially stimulates the central nervous system before causing depression, as well as disturbing the digestive system, causing skin eruptions, and damage to the liver and kidneys. Borate is mostly eliminated from the body via the kidneys.  

EYE

  The material can produce severe chemical burns to the eye following direct contact. Vapors or mists may be extremely irritating.  If applied to the eyes, this material causes severe eye damage.  Direct eye contact with corrosive bases can cause pain and burns. There may be swelling, epithelium destruction, clouding of the cornea and inflammation of the iris. Mild cases often resolve; severe cases can be prolonged with complications such as persistent swelling, scarring, permanent cloudiness, bulging of the eye, cataracts, eyelids glued to the eyeball and blindness.  The material may be irritating to the eye, with prolonged contact causing inflammation. Repeated or prolonged exposure to irritants may produce conjunctivitis.  

SKIN

  The material can produce severe chemical burns following direct contactwith the skin.  Skin contact is not thought to produce harmful health effects (as classified using animal models). Systemic harm, however, has been identified following exposure of animals by at least one other route and the material may still produce health damage following entry through wounds, lesions or abrasions. Good hygiene practice requires that exposure be kept to a minimum and that suitable gloves be used in an occupational setting.  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.  The material may cause skin irritation after prolonged or repeated exposure and may produce on contact skin redness, swelling, the production of vesicles, scaling and thickening of the skin.  

INHALED

  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.  The material can cause respiratory irritation in some persons. The body's response to such irritation can cause further lung damage.  Inhaling corrosive bases may irritate the respiratory tract. Symptoms include cough, choking, pain and damage to the mucous membrane. In severe cases, lung swelling may develop, sometimes after a delay of hours to days. There may be low blood pressure, a weak and rapid pulse, and crackling sounds.  Inhalation of quantities of liquid mist may be extremely hazardous, even lethal due to spasm, extreme irritation of larynx and bronchi, chemical pneumonitis and pulmonary edema.  Inhalation of small amounts of dust or fume over long periods may causepoisoning.  The material may produce respiratory tract irritation, and result in damage to the lung including reduced lung function.  

CHRONIC HEALTH EFFECTS

  Ample evidence exists from experimentation that reduced human fertility is directly caused by exposure to the material.  Ample evidence exists, from results in experimentation, that developmental disorders are directly caused by human exposure to the material.  

  Repeated or prolonged exposure to corrosives may result in the erosion of teeth, inflammatory and ulcerative changes in the mouth and necrosis (rarely) of the jaw. Bronchial irritation, with cough, and frequent attacks of bronchial pneumonia may ensue. Gastrointestinal disturbances may also occur. Chronic exposures may result in dermatitis and/or conjunctivitis.  Limited evidence suggests that repeated or long-term occupational exposure may produce cumulative health effects involving organs or biochemical systems.  Asthma-like symptoms may continue for months or even years after exposure to the material ceases. This may be due to a non-allergenic condition known as reactive airways dysfunction syndrome (RADS) which can occur following exposure to high levels of highly irritating compound. Key criteria for the diagnosis of RADS include the absence of preceding respiratory disease, in a non-atopic individual, with abrupt onset of persistent asthma-like symptoms within minutes to hours of a documented exposure to the irritant. A reversible airflow pattern, on spirometry, with the presence of moderate to severe bronchial hyperreactivity on methacholine challenge testing and the lack of minimal lymphocytic inflammation, without eosinophilia, have also been included in the criteria for diagnosis of RADS. RADS (or asthma) following an irritating inhalation is an infrequent disorder with rates related to the concentration of and duration of exposure to the irritating substance. Industrial bronchitis, on the other hand, is a disorder that occurs as result of exposure due to high concentrations of irritating substance (often particulate in nature) and is completely reversible after exposure ceases. The disorder is characterised by dyspnea, cough and mucus production.  There is limited evidence that, skin contact with this product is more likely to cause a sensitization reaction in some persons compared to the general population.  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.  Borate can accumulate in the testes and deplete germ cells and cause withering of the testicles, according to animal testing. Hair loss, skin inflammation, stomach ulcer and anemia can all occur. Repeated swallowing or inhalation irritates the stomach, causes a loss of appetite, disturbed digestion, nausea and vomiting, red rash, dry skin and mucous membranes, reddening of the tongue, cracking of the lips, inflamed conjunctiva, swelling of the eyelids and kidney injury. Prolonged ingestion causes effects to the reproductive system in both males and females.  Sensitization may result in allergic dermatitis responses includingrash, itching, hives or swelling of extremities.