Section 1 - CHEMICAL PRODUCT AND COMPANY IDENTIFICATION

PRODUCT NAME

HYDROBROMIC ACID

NFPA

PRODUCT USE

The concentrated acid is used principally in analytical chemistry and manufacture of
inorganic and some alkyl bromides; used as an alkylation catalyst. Solvent for ore
minerals.

SYNONYMS

HBr, "aqueous hydrogen bromide", "hydrogen bromide, aqueous", "hydrobromic acid 48%"

Section 2 - HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION

CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW

RISK

Causes severe burns.
Risk of serious damage to eyes.

POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS

ACUTE HEALTH EFFECTS

SWALLOWED

  The material can produce severe chemical burns within the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract following ingestion.  

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.  The vapor is highly discomforting.  The material may produce moderate eye irritation leading to inflammation. Repeated or prolonged exposure to irritants may produce conjunctivitis.  

SKIN

  The material can produce severe chemical burns following direct contactwith the skin.  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

  If inhaled, this material can irritate the throat andlungs of some persons.  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.  The material may produce respiratory tract irritation, and result in damage to the lung including reduced lung function.  

CHRONIC HEALTH EFFECTS

  Principal routes of exposure are by accidental skin and eye contact and by inhalation of vapors especially at higher temperatures.  Chronic intoxication with ionic bromides, historically, has resulted from medical use of bromides but not from environmental or occupational exposure; depression, hallucinosis, and schizophreniform psychosis can be seen in the absence of other signs of intoxication. Bromides may also induce sedation, irritability, agitation, delirium, memory loss, confusion, disorientation, forgetfulness (aphasias), dysarthria, weakness, fatigue, vertigo, stupor, coma, decreased appetite, nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea, hallucinations,  an acne like rash on the face, legs and trunk, known as bronchoderma (seen in 25-30% of case involving bromide ion), and a profuse discharge from the nostrils (coryza). Ataxia and generalised hyperreflexia have also been observed. Correlation of neurologic symptoms with blood levels of bromide is inexact. The use of substances such as brompheniramine, as antihistamines, largely reflect current day usage of bromides; ionic bromides have been largely withdrawn from therapeutic use due to their toxicity. Several cases of foetal abnormalities have been described in mothers who took large doses of bromides during pregnancy.