Section 1 - CHEMICAL PRODUCT AND COMPANY IDENTIFICATION

PRODUCT NAME

HOLMIUM(III) PERCHLORATE

NFPA

PRODUCT USE

Reagent.

SYNONYMS

Cl-H-O4.1/3Ho, Cl3-Ho-O12, "perchloric acid, holmium(3+) salt", "holmium triperchlorate"

Section 2 - HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION

CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW

RISK

Contact with combustible material may cause fire.
Causes burns.
Risk of serious damage to eyes.

POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS

ACUTE HEALTH EFFECTS

SWALLOWED

  The material can produce chemical burns within the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract following ingestion.  Considered an unlikely route of entry in commercial/industrial environments.  Symptoms of exposure to perchlorates include shortness of breath, difficulty breathing and a bluish discoloration of the skin. The effects may be delayed for several hours following exposure. Nausea, vomiting, rashes, fever may occur; there may be anemia (which can be fatal), loss of platelets and white blood cells.  Nausea and vomiting are almost always apparent after chlorate poisonings usually with upper stomach pain. Diarrhea may also occur. Chlorates are poisonous to the kidney and this can cause death. Healing can be slow and kidney symptoms last weeks. Often there is severe blood cell damage.  

EYE

  The material can produce 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.  

SKIN

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

INHALED

  If inhaled, this material can irritate the throat andlungs of some persons.  

CHRONIC HEALTH EFFECTS

  Principal routes of exposure are by accidental skin and eye contact andinhalation of generated dusts.  Perchlorates may affect the use of iodine by the thyroid gland and chronic exposures may result in symptoms of thyroid dysfunction such as goiter.  Holmium is a rare earth metal - heavy type (yttrium family). There has been no reports of poisoning in workers, although the metal can cause chest X-ray abnormalities due to its high density. It can cause scarring of the lungs, anemia and changes in blood cell distribution, due to inhalation of their dusts.