Section 1 - CHEMICAL PRODUCT AND COMPANY IDENTIFICATION

PRODUCT NAME

HEDP HEXAPOSTASSIUM SALT

NFPA

PRODUCT USE

Phosphonates are a class of chelating agents and scale inhibitors. Three acids,
aminotris(methylene phosphonic acid) (ATMP), 1- hydroxyethylidene diphosphonic acid
(HEDP), ethylenediaminetris(methylene phosphonic acid (EDTMP) and diethylenetriamine
penta(methylene phosphonic acid (DTPMP), are representative of the parent compound. They
are used in household cleaning products, personal care products, institutional cleaners
and industrial cleaning processes, and as water treatment additives in various
applications.Phosphonates are multifunctional acids, which structurally have the
phosphonic acid group 鈥揚O₃H₂ in common. The phosphonate groups are placed on
different backbones, often bound through a methylene group to amines (amine
methylenephosphonates), or directly onto a carbon atom. Being multifunctional acids,
phosphonates will form salts or complexes of different composition, depending on the
chemical composition and the pH of the environment.These substances are used primarily as
acids and as salts. Phosphonates ligands demonstrate a very high affinity for alkali metal
ions. They form crystals with some difficulty and are usually distributed commercially as
25 to 60% aqueous solutions of acids or sodium salts with technical grade purity.
Organophosphonate chelating compounds are widely used in a broad variety of applications.
Their ability to prevent precipitation of calcium salts at stoichiometric concentrations
finds wide application in water treatment for scale inhibition and in corrosion
inhibition. Other uses include peroxy bleach stabilization, span applications in flame-
resistant polymers, photographic processing, ore flotation (aminophosphonic surfactants),
actinide separation processes and analytical chemistry. The high biological activity of
carboxyalkylphosphonates, aminoalkylphosphonates, and alkylenediphosphonates, make them
useful as agents in microfertilizers and pesticides, in agriculture, as well as drugs and
diagnostic reagents in biology and medicine. Impurities including H3PO4, H3PO3 and ligands
of lower denticity, are quite common for phosphonates. Component of detergent
formulations.

SYNONYMS

C10-H28-N2-O12-P4.xK, "[1, 6-hexanediylbis(nitrilobis(methylene))]tetrakisphosphonic acid,
", "potassium salt", "phosphonic acid, [1, 6-
hexanediylbis(nitrilobis(methylene))]tetrakis-, ", "[hexane-1, 6-
diylbis(nitrilo(methylene))]tetrakisphosphonic acid, ", "[hexane-1, 6-
diylbis(nitrilo(methylene))]tetrakisphosphonic acid, ", "N, N', N'-
tetrakis(phosphonomethyl)hexamethylenediamine potassium salt", "N, N', N'-
tetrakis(phosphonomethyl)hexamethylenediamine potassium salt", "hexapotassium
hexamethylene diamine tetra(methylenephosphonate)", "hexapotassium salt of
hexamethylenediamine tetra(methylene phosphonic acid)", "hexamethylenediamine
tetra(methylenephosphonic acid).6K"

Section 2 - HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION

CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW

RISK

May cause long- term adverse effects in the aquatic environment.

POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS

ACUTE HEALTH EFFECTS

SWALLOWED

  Although ingestion is not thought to produce harmful effects, the material may still be damaging to the health of the individual following ingestion, especially where pre-  existing organ (e.g. liver, kidney) damage is evident. Present definitions of harmful or toxic substances are generally based on doses producing mortality (death) rather than those producing morbidity (disease, ill-health). Gastrointestinal tract discomfort may produce nausea and vomiting. In an occupational setting however, ingestion of insignificant quantities is not thought to be cause for concern.  

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

  The material is not thought to produce adverse health effects or skin irritation following contact (as classified using animal models). Nevertheless, good hygiene practice requires that exposure be kept to a minimum and that suitable gloves be used in an occupational setting.  Open cuts, abraded or irritated skin should not be exposed to this material.  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 dusts, or fume, especially for prolonged periods, may produce respiratory discomfort and occasionally, distress.  Inhalation of dusts, generated by the material during the course of normal handling, may be damaging to the health of the individual.  

CHRONIC HEALTH EFFECTS

  Limited evidence suggests that repeated or long-term occupational exposure may produce cumulative health effects involving organs or biochemical systems.  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.  Long term exposure to organophosphonate chelating agents may cause adverse effects.  Rats fed on aminotri(methylenephosphonic acid) (ATMP), for up to 24 months, exhibited reduced body weight and changes in liver, spleen and kidney weights. No adverse histologic. haematologic, biochemical or urinological effects were seen. The "no-effect" level was 150 mg/kg/day. No significant teratogenic or foetotoxic effects were observed in the off-spring of rats and mice exposed to the neutral sodium salt, by gavage. No maternal toxicity was observed at any level. No adverse treatment related effects or reproductive parameters and no pathological or histopathological lesions were observed in either parental animals or pups following dietary exposure of the solid active acid at various times in the mating and birth cycle for three generations.  Rats fed on ethylenediamine(methylenephosphonic acid (EDTMP) (300 mg/kg daily for 10 weeks) before mating and up to the end of the mating period, showed reduced body weights, defects in dental enamel on the incisors and significantly reduced liver weights. In an ongoing study, several rats treated with EDTMP (50-333 mg/kg/day) died during the first twelve months and were seen to have osteosarcomas with metastases. Other adverse effects of EDTMP treatment included increased white blood cell counts in mice, anaemia and reduction in erythrocytes, haemoglobin, haematocrit, serum cholesterol, total serum protein and globulin, in rats.  In a one-generation reproductive study the off-spring of rats, fed up to 3000 ppm DTPMPA (diethylenetriaminepentakis(methylenephosphonic acid)), showed no adverse effects although there was a slight decrease in birth weights.