Section 1 - CHEMICAL PRODUCT AND COMPANY IDENTIFICATION

PRODUCT NAME

OLIBANUM OIL

NFPA

PRODUCT USE

Essential oil from Boswellia Carterrii Birdw. The gum contains about 2- 8% volatile oil,
about 60% resins, 20% gum polysaccharide and - 8% of the bitter principal bassorin. The
frankincense of biblical fame produced in Ethiopia, Egypt, Arabia and Somaliland.
Antioxidant

SYNONYMS

"Oils, olibanum", "Gum olibanum", "Gum thus oil", "Incense oil", "Olibanum albarome",
"Olibanum Albarome SP", "Olibanum gum", "Olibanum hypersoluble", "Olibanum oil",
"Olibanum resin", "Olibanum resinoid", "Olibanum Resinoid A", "Olibanum Resinoid B",
"Olibanum SL", "Olibanum super", "Extractives and their physically modified derivatives.
Species boswellia, ", Burseraceae, "frankincense oil (Boswell spp)", "Somalia
frankincense resin (solid) (Boswellia spp.)", "Somal olibanium (frankincense)"

Section 2 - HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION

CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW

RISK

Explosive when dry.
Contact with combustible material may cause fire.
May form explosive peroxides.
Harmful if swallowed.
Can become highly flammable in use.
May cause SENSITIZATION by skin contact.
HARMFUL - May cause lung damage if swallowed.
Vapors may cause dizziness or suffocation.
Very toxic to aquatic organisms, may cause long- term adverse effects in the
aquatic environment.

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).  Terpenes and their oxygen-containing counterparts, the terpenoids, produce a variety of physiological effects. Pine oil monoterpenes, for example, produce a haemorrhagic gastritis characterised by stomach pain and bleeding and vomiting. Systemic effects of pine oils include weakness and central nervous depression, excitement, loss of balance, headache, with hypothermia and respiratory failure.  Central nervous system (CNS) depression may include general discomfort, symptoms of giddiness, headache, dizziness, nausea, anaesthetic effects, slowed reaction time, slurred speech and may progress to unconsciousness. Serious poisonings may result in respiratory depression and may be fatal.  Essential oils cause mild irritation of the mouth if taken orally, causing more saliva to be produced and a warm feeling. Large amounts affect the digestive system causing nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Sometimes urination may be affected, causing difficulty or pain in urinating, reduced urine output, blood in the urine, unconsciousness and shallow breathing. Lung swelling and inflammation are possible complications. Stupor, excitement and respiratory failure may result, as well as convulsions; the central nervous system may either be depressed or stimulated. The kidneys may be damaged, and swelling and severe clogging can occur in the lungs, skin and kidneys. Essential oils increase the rate of miscarriage, but in low doses do not usually cause an abortion.  Considered an unlikely route of entry in commercial/industrial environments. The liquid may produce gastrointestinal discomfort and may be harmful if swallowed. Ingestion may result in nausea, pain and vomiting. Vomit entering the lungs by aspiration may cause potentially lethal chemical pneumonitis.  

EYE

  There is some evidence to suggest that this material can causeeye irritation and damage in some persons.  This material can cause eye irritation and damage in some persons.  

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.  Skin contact with the material may damage the health of the individual; systemic effects may result following absorption.  Essential oils irritate the skin and redden it, causing at first warmth and smarting, followed by some local loss of sensation. They have been used to treat chronic inflammatory conditions and to relieve neuralgia and rheumatic pain. Care should be taken to avoid blistering; these oils may also produce sensitization.  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

  Inhalation may produce health damage*.  Inhalation of vapours may cause drowsiness and dizziness. This may be accompanied by narcosis, reduced alertness, loss of reflexes, lack of coordination and vertigo.  There is some evidence to suggest that the material can cause respiratory irritation in some persons. The body's response to such irritation can cause further lung damage.  Inhalation of high concentrations of gas/vapor causes lung irritation with coughing and nausea, central nervous depression with headache and dizziness, slowing of reflexes, fatigue and inco-ordination.  Central nervous system (CNS) depression may include general discomfort, symptoms of giddiness, headache, dizziness, nausea, anaesthetic effects, slowed reaction time, slurred speech and may progress to unconsciousness. Serious poisonings may result in respiratory depression and may be fatal.  Inhalation of essential oil volatiles may cause dizziness, rapid, shallow breathing, increased heart rate, respiratory irritation, loss of consciousness or convulsions. Urination may stop, and there may be swelling and inflammation of the lungs.  Inhalation of aerosols (mists, fumes), generated by the material during the course of normal handling, may be damaging to the health of the individual.  

CHRONIC HEALTH EFFECTS

  Skin contact with the material is more likely to cause a sensitization reaction in some persons compared to the general population.  There has been some concern that this material can cause cancer or mutations but there is not enough data to make an assessment.  d-Limonene may cause damage to and growths in the kidney.These growths can progress to cancer.  In the presence of air, a number of common flavour and fragrance chemicals can form peroxides surprisingly fast. Antioxidants can in most cases minimise the oxidation.   Fragrance terpenes are generally easily oxidised in air. Non-oxidised limonene, linalool and caryophyllene turned out to be very weak sensitizers, however after oxidation limonene hydroperoxide and linalool hydroperoxide are strong sensitizers. Of the patients tested 2.6% showed positive reaction to oxidised limonene, 1.3% to oxidised linalool, 1.1% to linalool hydroperoxide, 0.5% to oxidised caryophyllene, while testing with caryophyllene oxide and oxidised myrcene resulted in few positive patch tests. 2/3 of the patients reacting positive to oxidised terpenes had fragrance related contact allergy and/or positive history for adverse reactions to fragrances   As well as the hydroperoxides produced by linalol, limonene and delta-3-carene other oxidation and resinification effects progressively causes other fairly major changes in essential oil quality over time. Autoxidation of fragrance terpenes contributes greatly to fragrance allergy, which emphasizes the need of testing with compounds that patients are actually exposed to and not only with the ingredients originally applied in commercial formulations.  There is some evidence to suggest that this material can cause, if swallowed once, irreversible damage of organs.