0086 Date: June 2008 Revision: December 2016 DOT Number: UN 1546
Right to Know
Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet
Common Name: AMMONIUM ARSENATE
Synonyms: Diammonium Arsenate CAS Number: 7784-44-3 Chemical Name: Arsenic Acid, Diammonium Salt RTK Substance Number: 0086 Date: June 2008 Revision: December 2016 DOT Number: UN 1546
Description and Use EMERGENCY RESPONDERS >>>> SEE BACK PAGE Ammonium Arsenate is a white powder, or colorless, Hazard Summary crystalline solid with a characteristic Ammonia odor. It is used Hazard Rating NJDHSS NFPA as a pesticide and herbicide. HEALTH 4 - FLAMMABILITY 0 - REACTIVITY 0 - CARCINOGEN POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE DOES NOT BURN
Reasons for Citation Hazard Rating Key: 0=minimal; 1=slight; 2=moderate; 3=serious; Ammonium Arsenate is on the Right to Know Hazardous 4=severe Substance List because it is cited by OSHA, ACGIH, DOT, NIOSH, NTP, DEP and EPA. Ammonium Arsenate can affect you when inhaled and may This chemical is on the Special Health Hazard Substance be absorbed through the skin. List. Ammonium Arsenate is a CARCINOGEN. HANDLE WITH EXTREME CAUTION. Skin contact can cause irritation, burns, rash, darkening and/or loss of pigment. Eye contact can cause irritation and burns. Inhaling Ammonium Arsenate can irritate the nose and throat and can cause an ulcer or hole in the “bone” (septum) SEE GLOSSARY ON PAGE 5. dividing the inner nose. Exposure to Ammonium Arsenate can cause weakness, FIRST AID poor appetite, nausea, vomiting, headache, and even death. Eye Contact Ammonium Arsenate may damage the nervous system Immediately flush with large amounts of water for at least 15 and the liver. minutes, lifting upper and lower lids. Remove contact lenses, if worn, while rinsing. Seek medical attention.
Skin Contact Workplace Exposure Limits Quickly remove contaminated clothing. Immediately wash The following exposure limits are for inorganic Arsenic contaminated skin with large amounts of water. compounds (measured as Arsenic):
Inhalation OSHA: The legal airborne permissible exposure limit (PEL) is Remove the person from exposure. 0.01 mg/m3 averaged over an 8-hour workshift. Begin rescue breathing (using universal precautions) if
breathing has stopped and CPR if heart action has stopped. Transfer promptly to a medical facility. NIOSH: The recommended airborne exposure limit (REL) is 3 0.002 mg/m , which should not be exceeded at any time. EMERGENCY NUMBERS Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222 ACGIH: The threshold limit value (TLV) is 0.01 mg/m3 CHEMTREC: 1-800-424-9300 averaged over an 8-hour workshift.
NJDEP Hotline: 1-877-927-6337 Ammonium Arsenate is a CARCINOGEN in humans. National Response Center: 1-800-424-8802 There may be no safe level of exposure to a carcinogen, so all contact should be reduced to the lowest possible level. The above exposure limits are for air levels only. When skin contact also occurs, you may be overexposed, even though air levels are less than the limits listed above.
AMMONIUM ARSENATE Page 2 of 6
Determining Your Exposure Reproductive Hazard Read the product manufacturer’s Material Safety Data While Ammonium Arsenate has not been identified as a Sheet (MSDS) and the label to determine product teratogen or a reproductive hazard, Arsenic and certain ingredients and important safety and health information Arsenic compounds are teratogens and may also cause about the product mixture. reproductive damage, such as reduced fertility and interference with menstrual cycles. Ammonium Arsenate For each individual hazardous ingredient, read the New should be handled WITH EXTREME CAUTION. Jersey Department of Health Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet, available on the RTK Program website Other Effects (http://nj.gov/health/workplacehealthandsafety/right-to- Repeated skin contact can cause thickened skin and/or know/) or in your facility’s RTK Central File or Hazard patchy areas of darkening and/or loss of pigment. Some Communication Standard file. persons may develop white lines on the nails. Long-term exposure can cause an ulcer or hole in the “bone” You have a right to this information under the New Jersey (septum) dividing the inner nose, hoarseness and sore eyes. Worker and Community Right to Know Act, the Public Ammonium Arsenate may damage the nervous system Employees Occupational Safety and Health (PEOSH) Act causing numbness, “pins and needles,” and/or weakness in if you are a public worker in New Jersey, and under the the hands and feet. Ammonium Arsenate may damage the liver. federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) if you
are a private worker.
The New Jersey Right to Know Act and the PEOSH Medical Hazard Communication Standard (N.J.A.C. 12:100-7) requires most employers to label chemicals in the Medical Testing workplace and requires public employers to provide their Before first exposure and every 12 months thereafter, OSHA requires your employer to provide (for persons exposed to employees with information concerning chemical hazards greater than 0.005 mg/m3 of Arsenic) a work and medical and controls. The federal OSHA Hazard Communication history and exam which shall include: Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200) requires private employers to provide similar information and training to their Chest x-ray employees. Exam of the nose, skin and nails Test for urine Arsenic. This is most accurate at the end of This Fact Sheet is a summary of available information the workday. Eating shellfish or fish may elevate Arsenic regarding the health hazards that may result from exposure. levels for up to two days. At NIOSH recommended Duration of exposure, concentration of the substance and other exposure levels, urine Arsenic should not be greater than factors will affect your susceptibility to any of the potential 100 micrograms per liter of urine. effects described below. After suspected overexposure, repeat these tests and consider an exam of the nervous system and liver function tests. Also examine your skin periodically for abnormal growth. Skin Health Hazard Information cancer from Arsenic can be easily cured when detected early. Acute Health Effects The following acute (short-term) health effects may occur OSHA requires your employer to provide you and your doctor immediately or shortly after exposure to Ammonium with a copy of the OSHA Inorganic Arsenic Standard (29 CFR Arsenate: 1910.1018).
Skin contact can cause irritation, burns, rash and loss of Any evaluation should include a careful history of past and pigment. present symptoms with an exam. Medical tests that look for Eye contact can cause irritation, burns and red, watery eyes. damage already done are not a substitute for controlling Inhaling Ammonium Arsenate can irritate the nose and exposure. throat causing coughing and wheezing. Exposure to Ammonium Arsenate can cause weakness, Request copies of your medical testing. You have a legal right poor appetite, nausea, vomiting, headache, muscle cramps to this information under the OSHA Access to Employee and even death. Exposure and Medical Records Standard (29 CFR 1910.1020).
Chronic Health Effects Mixed Exposures The following chronic (long-term) health effects can occur at More than light alcohol consumption can cause liver some time after exposure to Ammonium Arsenate and can damage. Drinking alcohol may increase the liver damage last for months or years: caused by Ammonium Arsenate.
Cancer Hazard Conditions Made Worse By Exposure Ammonium Arsenate is a CARCINOGEN in humans. May scientists believe that skin changes such as thickening There is evidence that inorganic Arsenic compounds cause and pigment changes make those skin areas more likely to skin, lung, and liver cancer in humans. develop skin cancer. Many scientists believe there is no safe level of exposure to a carcinogen. AMMONIUM ARSENATE Page 3 of 6
All protective clothing (suits, gloves, footwear, headgear) Workplace Controls and Practices should be clean, available each day, and put on before work.
Very toxic chemicals, or those that are reproductive hazards or sensitizers, require expert advice on control measures if a less Eye Protection toxic chemical cannot be substituted. Control measures Wear eye protection with side shields or goggles. include: (1) enclosing chemical processes for severely Do not wear contact lenses when working with this irritating and corrosive chemicals, (2) using local exhaust substance. ventilation for chemicals that may be harmful with a single exposure, and (3) using general ventilation to control Respiratory Protection exposures to skin and eye irritants. For further information on Improper use of respirators is dangerous. Respirators workplace controls, consult the NIOSH document on Control should only be used if the employer has implemented a written Banding at www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ctrlbanding/. program that takes into account workplace conditions, requirements for worker training, respirator fit testing, and The following work practices are also recommended: medical exams, as described in the OSHA Respiratory Label process containers. Protection Standard (29 CFR 1910.134). Provide employees with hazard information and training. Monitor airborne chemical concentrations. Where the potential exists for exposure not higher than Use engineering controls if concentrations exceed 0.1 mg/m3 (as Arsenic), use a half-mask air purifying recommended exposure levels. respirator equipped with cartridges specific for Ammonia and Provide eye wash fountains and emergency showers. high efficiency pre-filters. Wash or shower if skin comes in contact with a hazardous Where the potential exists for exposure not higher than material. 0.5 mg/m3 (as Arsenic), use a full facepiece, air purifying Always wash at the end of the workshift. respirator with cartridges specific for Ammonia and high Change into clean clothing if clothing becomes efficiency pre-filters. contaminated. Where the potential exists for exposure not higher than Do not take contaminated clothing home. 5 mg/m3 (as Arsenic), use any powered-air purifying Get special training to wash contaminated clothing. respirator with cartridges specific for Ammonia and high Do not eat, smoke, or drink in areas where chemicals are being handled, processed or stored. efficiency particulate pre-filters or a full facepiece supplied- Wash hands carefully before eating, smoking, drinking, air respirator operated in a positive pressure mode. applying cosmetics or using the toilet. Leave the area immediately if (1) while wearing a filter or cartridge respirator you can smell, taste, or otherwise detect
Ammonium Arsenate, (2) while wearing particulate filters In addition, the following may be useful or required: abnormal resistance to breathing is experienced, or (3) eye irritation occurs while wearing a full facepiece respirator. Specific engineering controls are required for this chemical Check to make sure the respirator-to-face seal is still good. by OSHA. Refer to the OSHA Inorganic Arsenic Standard If it is, replace the filter or cartridge. If the seal is no longer (29 CFR 1910.1018). good, you may need a new respirator. Use a vacuum or a wet method to reduce dust during clean- Consider all potential sources of exposure in your workplace. up. DO NOT DRY SWEEP. You may need a combination of filters, prefilters or cartridges Use a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter when to protect against different forms of a chemical (such as vacuuming. Do not use a standard shop vacuum. vapor and mist) or against a mixture of chemicals. Exposure to 5 mg/m3 (as Arsenic) is immediately dangerous to life and health. If the possibility of exposure above 3 Personal Protective Equipment 5 mg/m exists, use a NIOSH approved self-contained breathing apparatus with a full facepiece operated in a The OSHA Personal Protective Equipment Standard (29 CFR pressure-demand or other positive-pressure mode equipped 1910.132) requires employers to determine the appropriate with an emergency escape air cylinder. personal protective equipment for each hazard and to train employees on how and when to use protective equipment. Fire Hazards The following recommendations are only guidelines and may If employees are expected to fight fires, they must be trained not apply to every situation. and equipped as stated in the OSHA Fire Brigades Standard (29 CFR 1910.156). Gloves and Clothing Avoid skin contact with Ammonium Arsenate. Wear Extinguish fire using an agent suitable for type of personal protective equipment made from material which surrounding fire. Ammonium Arsenate itself does not burn. can not be permeated or degraded by this substance. POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE, including Safety equipment suppliers and manufacturers can provide Arsenic fumes, Ammonia and Nitrogen Oxides. recommendations on the most protective glove and clothing Use water spray to keep fire-exposed containers cool. material for your operation. Safety equipment manufacturers recommend Nitrile and Natural Rubber for gloves and DuPont Tyvek®, or the
equivalent, as protective material for clothing. AMMONIUM ARSENATE Page 4 of 6
Spills and Emergencies Occupational Health Information If employees are required to clean-up spills, they must be properly trained and equipped. The OSHA Hazardous Waste Resources Operations and Emergency Response Standard (29 CFR The New Jersey Department of Health, Occupational Health 1910.120) may apply. Service, offers multiple services in occupational health. These services include providing informational resources, educational If Ammonium Arsenate is spilled, take the following steps: materials, public presentations, and industrial hygiene and medical investigations and evaluations. Evacuate personnel and secure and control entrance to the area. Eliminate all ignition sources. For more information, please contact: Moisten spilled material first or use a HEPA-filter vacuum for
clean-up. Ventilate and wash area after clean-up is complete. New Jersey Department of Health DO NOT wash into sewer. Right to Know Program It may be necessary to contain and dispose of Ammonium PO Box 368 Arsenate as a HAZARDOUS WASTE. Contact your state Trenton, NJ 08625-0368 Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) or your Phone: 609-984-2202 regional office of the federal Environmental Protection Fax: 609-984-7407 Agency (EPA) for specific recommendations. E-mail: [email protected]
Web address:
http://nj.gov/health/workplacehealthandsafety/right-to- Handling and Storage know/
Prior to working with Ammonium Arsenate you should be trained on its proper handling and storage. The Right to Know Hazardous Substance Fact Sheets are not intended to be copied and sold A regulated, marked area should be established where for commercial purposes. Ammonium Arsenate is handled, used or stored as
required by the OSHA Inorganic Arsenic Standard (29 CFR 1910.1018). Ammonium Arsenate reacts with STRONG BASES (such as SODIUM HYDROXIDE and POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE) to produce Ammonia. Ammonium Arsenate reacts with METALS (such as IRON, ALUMINUM and ZINC), in the presence of WATER, to produce toxic Arsine gas. Store in tightly closed containers in a cool, well-ventilated area.
AMMONIUM ARSENATE Page 5 of 6
GLOSSARY
ACGIH is the American Conference of Governmental Industrial LEL or Lower Explosive Limit, is the lowest concentration of Hygienists. They publish guidelines called Threshold Limit a combustible substance (gas or vapor) in the air capable of Values (TLVs) for exposure to workplace chemicals. continuing an explosion.
Acute Exposure Guideline Levels (AEGLs) are established mg/m3 means milligrams of a chemical in a cubic meter of air. by the EPA. They describe the risk to humans resulting from It is a measure of concentration (weight/volume). once-in-a lifetime, or rare, exposure to airborne chemicals. A mutagen is a substance that causes mutations. A mutation Boiling point is the temperature at which a substance can is a change in the genetic material in a body cell. Mutations change its physical state from a liquid to a gas. can lead to birth defects, miscarriages, or cancer.
A carcinogen is a substance that causes cancer. NFPA is the National Fire Protection Association. It classifies substances according to their fire and explosion hazard. The CAS number is unique, identifying number, assigned by the Chemical Abstracts Service, to a specific chemical. NIOSH is the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. It tests equipment, evaluates and approves CFR is the Code of Federal Regulations, which are the respirators, conducts studies of workplace hazards, and regulations of the United States government. proposes standards to OSHA.
A combustible substance is a solid, liquid or gas that will burn. NTP is the National Toxicology Program which tests chemicals and reviews evidence for cancer. A corrosive substance is a gas, liquid or solid that causes destruction of human skin or severe corrosion of containers. OSHA is the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which adopts and enforces health and safety DEP is the New Jersey Department of Environmental standards. Protection. PEOSHA is the New Jersey Public Employees Occupational DOT is the Department of Transportation, the federal agency Safety and Health Act, which adopts and enforces health and that regulates the transportation of chemicals. safety standards in public workplaces.
EPA is the Environmental Protection Agency, the federal Permeated is the movement of chemicals through protective agency responsible for regulating environmental hazards. materials.
ERG is the Emergency Response Guidebook. It is a guide for PIH is a DOT designation for chemicals which are Poison emergency responders for transportation emergencies Inhalation Hazards. involving hazardous substances. ppm means parts of a substance per million parts of air. It is a Emergency Response Planning Guideline (ERPG) values measure of concentration by volume in air. are intended to provide estimates of concentration ranges where one reasonably might anticipate observing adverse A reactive substance is a solid, liquid or gas that releases effects. energy under certain conditions.
A fetus is an unborn human or animal. STEL is a Short Term Exposure Limit which is usually a 15- minute exposure that should not be exceeded at any time A flammable substance is a solid, liquid, vapor or gas that will during a work day. ignite easily and burn rapidly. A teratogen is a substance that causes birth defects by The flash point is the temperature at which a liquid or solid damaging the fetus. gives off vapor that can form a flammable mixture with air. UEL or Upper Explosive Limit is the highest concentration in IARC is the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a air above which there is too much fuel (gas or vapor) to begin a scientific group. reaction or explosion.
Ionization Potential is the amount of energy needed to Vapor Density is the ratio of the weight of a given volume of remove an electron from an atom or molecule. It is measured one gas to the weight of another (usually Hydrogen), at the in electron volts. same temperature and pressure.
IRIS is the Integrated Risk Information System database The vapor pressure is a measure of how readily a liquid or a maintained by federal EPA. The database contains solid mixes with air at its surface. A higher vapor pressure information on human health effects that may result from indicates a higher concentration of the substance in air and exposure to various chemicals in the environment. therefore increases the likelihood of breathing it in.
Right to Know Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet
Common Name: AMMONIUM ARSENATE Synonyms: Diammonium Arsenate CAS No: 7784-44-3 Molecular Formula: (NH4)2 HAsO4 RTK Substance No: 0086 Description: White powder or colorless, crystalline solid with a characteristic Ammonia odor
HAZARD DATA Hazard Rating Firefighting Reactivity 4 - Health Extinguish fire using an agent suitable for type of Ammonium Arsenate reacts with STRONG BASES surrounding fire. Ammonium Arsenate itself (such as SODIUM HYDROXIDE and POTASSIUM 0 - Fire does not burn. HYDROXIDE) to produce Ammonia. 0 - Reactivity POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE, Ammonium Arsenate reacts with METALS (such as including Arsenic fumes, Ammonia and Nitrogen IRON, ALUMINUM and ZINC), in the presence of DOT#: UN 1546 Oxides. WATER, to produce toxic Arsine gas. Use water spray to keep fire-exposed containers ERG Guide #: 151 cool. Hazard Class: 6.1 (Poison)
SPILL/LEAKS PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
Isolation Distance: Odor Threshold: Ammonia-like odor Spill: 25 to 50 meters (80 to 160 feet) Flash Point: Noncombustible Fire: 800 meters (1/2 mile) Vapor Density: 2 (air = 1) Moisten spilled material first or use a HEPA-filter Water Solubility: vacuum for clean-up. Soluble May be hazardous to the environment, especially to Molecular Weight: 176 aquatic and soil organisms.
EXPOSURE LIMITS PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
OSHA: 0.01 mg/m3, 8-hr TWA Gloves: Nitrile and Natural Rubber NIOSH: 0.002 mg/m3, Ceiling Coveralls: DuPont Tyvek® 3 ACGIH: 0.01 mg/m3, 8-hr TWA Respirator: <0.1 mg/m - Full facepiece APR with cartridges specific for Ammonia and High efficiency particulate pre-filters IDLH: 5 mg/m3 <5 mg/m3 - Supplied air >5 mg/m3 - SCBA PAC PAC-1 = 1.5 mg/m3; PAC-2 = 17 mg/m3; LEVELS: PAC-3 = 100 mg/m3 (All of the above are for inorganic Arsenic)
HEALTH EFFECTS FIRST AID AND DECONTAMINATION Eyes: Irritation, burns, and red, watery eyes Remove the person from exposure. Skin: Irritation, burns, rash and loss of pigment Flush eyes with large amounts of water for at least 15 minutes. Remove Inhalation: Nose and throat irritation with coughing, contact lenses if worn. Seek medical attention. wheezing and hoarseness Quickly remove contaminated clothing and wash contaminated skin with large amounts of water. Weakness, headache, nausea, vomiting, and muscle cramps Begin artificial respiration if breathing has stopped and CPR if necessary. Chronic: Inorganic Arsenic compounds cause skin, lung, and liver cancer in humans Transfer to a medical facility.
December 2016