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Jersey Department of Health, Ammonium Hydroxide Has Sheet (MSDS) and the Label to Determine Product Not Been Tested for Its Ability to Affect Reproduction

Jersey Department of Health, Ammonium Hydroxide Has Sheet (MSDS) and the Label to Determine Product Not Been Tested for Its Ability to Affect Reproduction

Right to Know

Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet

Common Name:

Synonyms: ; Aqua Ammonia CAS Number: 1336-21-6 Chemical Name: Ammonium Hydroxide RTK Substance Number: 0103 Date: March 2002 Revision: July 2011 DOT Number: UN 2672

Description and Use EMERGENCY RESPONDERS >>>> SEE LAST PAGE Ammonium Hydroxide is a colorless of Ammonia in Hazard Summary water with a pungent . It is usually found in Hazard Rating NJDOH NFPA up to 30% and is used in household cleaners, photography, HEALTH 3 - and fertilizers, , rubber, and pharmaceuticals, and is FLAMMABILITY 0 - also used as a . REACTIVITY 0 - CORROSIVE f ODOR THRESHOLD = 50 ppm POISONOUS ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE f Odor thresholds vary greatly. Do not rely on odor alone to determine potentially hazardous exposures. Hazard Rating Key: 0=minimal; 1=slight; 2=moderate; 3=serious; 4=severe

Reasons for Citation f Ammonium Hydroxide can affect you when inhaled. f Ammonium Hydroxide is on the Right to Know Hazardous f Ammonium Hydroxide is a CORROSIVE CHEMICAL and Substance List because it is cited by DOT and EPA. contact can severely irritate and the and eyes f This chemical is on the Special Health Hazard Substance leading to eye damage. List. f Exposure can irritate the eyes, nose and throat. f Inhaling Ammonium Hydroxide can irritate the lungs. Higher exposures may cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema), a medical emergency. f Repeated skin contact can cause dryness, itching and SEE GLOSSARY ON PAGE 5. redness (dermatitis). f Ammonium Hydroxide is not combustible, however in a fire FIRST AID Ammonia are formed that can be ignited and may result in an . Eye Contact f Immediately flush with large amounts of water for at least 30 minutes, lifting upper and lower lids. Remove contact lenses, if worn, while flushing. Seek medical attention. Workplace Exposure Limits

The following exposure limits are for Ammonia: Skin Contact f Quickly remove contaminated clothing. Immediately wash OSHA: The legal airborne permissible exposure limit (PEL) is contaminated skin with large amounts of and water. 50 ppm averaged over an 8-hour workshift. Seek medical attention.

Inhalation NIOSH: The recommended airborne exposure limit (REL) is 25 ppm averaged over a 10-hour workshift and f Remove the person from exposure. 35 ppm, not to be exceeded during any 15-minute f Begin rescue breathing (using universal precautions) if work period. breathing has stopped and CPR if heart action has stopped. f Transfer promptly to a medical facility. ACGIH: The threshold limit value (TLV) is 25 ppm averaged f Medical observation is recommended for 24 to 48 hours after over an 8-hour workshift and 35 ppm as a STEL overexposure, as pulmonary edema may be delayed. (short-term exposure limit).

EMERGENCY NUMBERS Control: 1-800-222-1222 CHEMTREC: 1-800-424-9300 NJDEP Hotline: 1-877-927-6337 National Response Center: 1-800-424-8802

AMMONIUM HYDROXIDE Page 2 of 6

Determining Your Exposure Reproductive Hazard f According to the information presently available to the New f Read the product manufacturer’s Material Safety Data Jersey Department of Health, Ammonium Hydroxide has Sheet (MSDS) and the label to determine product not been tested for its ability to affect reproduction. ingredients and important safety and health information about the product mixture. Other Effects f Ammonium Hydroxide can irritate the lungs. Repeated f For each individual hazardous ingredient, read the New exposure may cause bronchitis to develop with coughing, Jersey Department of Health Hazardous Substance Fact phlegm, and/or shortness of breath. Sheet, available on the RTK website f Repeated skin contact can cause dryness, itching and (www.nj.gov/health/eoh/rtkweb) or in your facility’s RTK redness (dermatitis). Central File or Hazard Standard file.

f You have a right to this information under the New Jersey Worker and Community Right to Know Act and the Public Medical Employees Occupational Safety and Health (PEOSH) Act Medical Testing if you are a public worker in New Jersey, and under the If symptoms develop or overexposure is suspected, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) if you following are recommended: are a private worker. f Lung function tests f The New Jersey Right to Know Act requires most employers to label chemicals in the workplace and If symptoms develop or overexposure is suspected, the requires public employers to provide their employees with following is recommended: information concerning chemical hazards and controls. The federal OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (29 f Consider chest x-ray after acute overexposure

CFR 1910.1200) and the PEOSH Hazard Communication Any evaluation should include a careful history of past and Standard (N.J.A.C. 12:100-7) require employers to provide present symptoms with an exam. Medical tests that look for similar information and training to their employees. damage already done are not a substitute for controlling exposure. This Fact Sheet is a summary of available information regarding the health hazards that may result from exposure. Request copies of your medical testing. You have a legal right Duration of exposure, of the substance and other to this information under the OSHA Access to Employee factors will affect your susceptibility to any of the potential Exposure and Medical Records Standard (29 CFR 1910.1020). effects described below. Mixed Exposures f Smoking can cause heart disease, lung cancer, Health Hazard Information emphysema, and other respiratory problems. It may worsen respiratory conditions caused by chemical exposure. Even if Acute Health Effects you have smoked for a long time, stopping now will reduce The following acute (short-term) health effects may occur your risk of developing health problems. immediately or shortly after exposure to Ammonium

Hydroxide:

f Contact can severely irritate and burn the skin and eyes

leading to eye damage. f Exposure can irritate the eyes, nose and throat. f Inhaling Ammonium Hydroxide can irritate the lungs

causing coughing and/or shortness of breath. Higher

exposures may cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs

(pulmonary edema), a medical emergency, with severe

shortness of breath.

Chronic Health Effects The following chronic (long-term) health effects can occur at some time after exposure to Ammonium Hydroxide and can last for months or years:

Cancer Hazard f According to the information presently available to the New Jersey Department of Health, Ammonium Hydroxide has not been tested for its ability to cause cancer in animals.

AMMONIUM HYDROXIDE Page 3 of 6

Workplace Controls and Practices Eye Protection Very toxic chemicals, or those that are reproductive hazards or f Wear indirect-vent, impact and splash resistant goggles sensitizers, require expert advice on control measures if a less when working with . toxic chemical cannot be substituted. Control measures f Wear a face shield along with goggles when working with include: (1) enclosing chemical processes for severely corrosive, highly irritating or toxic substances. irritating and corrosive chemicals, (2) using local exhaust ventilation for chemicals that may be harmful with a single Respiratory Protection exposure, and (3) using general ventilation to control Improper use of respirators is dangerous. Respirators exposures to skin and eye irritants. For further information on should only be used if the employer has implemented a written workplace controls, consult the NIOSH document on Control program that takes into account workplace conditions, Banding at www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ctrlbanding/. requirements for worker training, respirator fit testing, and

The following work practices are also recommended: medical exams, as described in the OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard (29 CFR 1910.134). f Label process containers. f Provide employees with hazard information and training. f Where the potential exists for exposure over 25 ppm (as f Monitor airborne chemical concentrations. Ammonia), use a NIOSH approved full facepiece respirator f Use controls if concentrations exceed with an which is specifically approved for recommended exposure levels. Ammonium Hydroxide. Increased protection is obtained f Provide eye wash fountains and emergency showers. from full facepiece powered-air purifying respirators. f Wash or shower if skin comes in contact with a hazardous f Leave the area immediately if (1) while wearing a filter or material. cartridge respirator you can smell, taste, or otherwise detect f Always wash at the end of the workshift. Ammonium Hydroxide, (2) while wearing particulate filters f Change into clean clothing if clothing becomes abnormal resistance to breathing is experienced, or (3) eye contaminated. irritation occurs while wearing a full facepiece respirator. f Do not take contaminated clothing home. Check to make sure the respirator-to-face seal is still good. f Get special training to wash contaminated clothing. If it is, replace the filter or cartridge. If the seal is no longer f Do not eat, smoke, or drink in areas where chemicals are good, you may need a new respirator. being handled, processed or stored. f Consider all potential sources of exposure in your workplace. f Wash hands carefully before eating, smoking, drinking, You may need a combination of filters, prefilters or cartridges applying cosmetics or using the toilet. to protect against different forms of a chemical (such as and mist) or against a mixture of chemicals. In addition, the following may be useful or required: f Where the potential for high exposure exists, use a NIOSH approved supplied-air respirator with a full facepiece f Where possible, transfer Ammonium Hydroxide from operated in a -demand or other positive-pressure drums or other containers to process containers in an mode. For increased protection use in combination with an enclosed system. auxiliary self-contained breathing apparatus or an emergency escape air cylinder.

Personal Protective Equipment Fire Hazards The OSHA Personal Protective Equipment Standard (29 CFR If employees are expected to fight fires, they must be trained 1910.132) requires employers to determine the appropriate and equipped as stated in the OSHA Fire Brigades Standard personal protective equipment for each hazard and to train (29 CFR 1910.156). employees on how and when to use protective equipment. f Ammonium Hydroxide is not combustible, however in a fire Ammonia vapors are formed that can be ignited and may The following recommendations are only guidelines and may result in an explosion. not apply to every situation. f Use dry chemical, CO2, water spray or foam as extinguishing agents. Gloves and Clothing f POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE, including f Avoid skin contact with Ammonium Hydroxide. Wear Ammonia and . personal protective equipment made from material which f Use water spray to keep fire-exposed containers cool. DO can not be permeated or degraded by this substance. NOT get water inside containers. Safety equipment suppliers and manufacturers can provide recommendations on the most protective glove and clothing material for your operation. f Safety equipment manufacturers recommend Butyl, Nitrile, Neoprene and Viton for gloves, and Tychem® SL, F,

Responder®, and TK, or the equivalent, as protective materials for clothing. All the above recommendations are for Ammonium Hydroxide in less than 30% solution. f All protective clothing (suits, gloves, footwear, headgear) should be clean, available each day, and put on before work.

AMMONIUM HYDROXIDE Page 4 of 6

Spills and Emergencies Occupational Health Information If employees are required to clean-up spills, they must be Resources properly trained and equipped. The OSHA Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Standard (29 CFR The New Jersey Department of Health offers multiple services 1910.120) may apply. in occupational health. These services include providing informational resources, educational materials, public If Ammonium Hydroxide is spilled or leaked, take the presentations, and industrial hygiene and medical following steps: investigations and evaluations. f Evacuate personnel and secure and control entrance to the area. For more information, please contact: f Eliminate all ignition sources. f Absorb liquids in dry sand, earth, or a similar material and place into sealed containers for disposal. New Jersey Department of Health f Ventilate area of spill or . Right to Know f Neutralize with a weak acid such as vinegar (). PO Box 368 f DO NOT wash into sewer. Trenton, NJ 08625-0368 f It may be necessary to contain and dispose of Ammonium Phone: 609-984-2202 Hydroxide as a HAZARDOUS WASTE. Contact your state Fax: 609-984-7407 Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) or your regional office of the federal Environmental Protection E-mail: [email protected] Agency (EPA) for specific recommendations. Web address: http://www.nj.gov/health/eoh/rtkweb

The Right to Know Hazardous Substance Fact Sheets

are not intended to be copied and sold Handling and Storage Prior to working with Ammonium Hydroxide you should be for commercial purposes. trained on its proper handling and storage.

f Ammonium Hydroxide reacts with many (such as , , and ) and their to form compounds and flammable and

explosive gas. f Ammonium Hydroxide may read violently with STRONG

ACIDS (such as HYDROCHLORIC, SULFURIC and

NITRIC); ; and . f Ammonium Hydroxide will react with STRONG BASES

(such as HYDROXIDE and

HYDROXIDE) to produce Ammonia gas. f Store in tightly closed containers in a cool, well-ventilated

area away from . f DO NOT use COPPER, ALUMINUM or GALVANIZED

METALS when handling Ammonium Hydroxide.

AMMONIUM HYDROXIDE 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.

mg/m3 means milligrams of a chemical in a cubic meter of air. Acute Exposure Guideline Levels (AEGLs) are established It is a measure of concentration (weight/volume). by the EPA. They describe the risk to humans resulting from once-in-a lifetime, or rare, exposure to airborne chemicals. A mutagen is a substance that causes mutations. A mutation

is a change in the genetic material in a body cell. Mutations is the at which a substance can can lead to birth defects, miscarriages, or cancer. change its physical state from a to a gas.

NFPA is the National Fire Protection Association. It classifies A is a substance that causes cancer. substances according to their fire and explosion hazard.

The CAS number is unique, identifying number, assigned by NIOSH is the National Institute for Occupational Safety and the Chemical Abstracts Service, to a specific chemical. Health. It tests equipment, evaluates and approves

respirators, conducts studies of workplace hazards, and CFR is the Code of Federal Regulations, which are the proposes standards to OSHA. regulations of the United States government.

NTP is the National Toxicology Program which tests chemicals A combustible substance is a , liquid or gas that will burn. and reviews evidence for cancer.

A is a gas, liquid or solid that causes OSHA is the federal Occupational Safety and Health destruction of human skin or severe of containers. Administration, which adopts and enforces health and safety

standards. The critical temperature is the temperature above which a gas cannot be liquefied, regardless of the pressure applied. PEOSHA is the New Jersey Public Employees Occupational

Safety and Health Act, which adopts and enforces health and DEP is the New Jersey Department of Environmental safety standards in public workplaces. Protection.

Permeated is the movement of chemicals through protective DOT is the Department of Transportation, the federal agency materials. that regulates the transportation of chemicals.

ppm means parts of a substance per million parts of air. It is a EPA is the Environmental Protection Agency, the federal measure of concentration by volume in air. agency responsible for regulating environmental hazards.

Protective Action Criteria (PAC) are values established by ERG is the Emergency Response Guidebook. It is a guide for the Department of and are based on AEGLs and emergency responders for transportation emergencies ERPGs. They are used for emergency planning of chemical involving hazardous substances. release events.

Emergency Response Planning Guideline (ERPG) values A reactive substance is a solid, liquid or gas that releases provide estimates of concentration ranges where one energy under certain conditions. reasonably might anticipate observing adverse effects.

STEL is a Short Term Exposure Limit which is usually a 15- A fetus is an unborn human or animal. minute exposure that should not be exceeded at any time

during a work day. A flammable substance is a solid, liquid, vapor or gas that will ignite easily and burn rapidly. A teratogen is a substance that causes birth defects by

damaging the fetus. The flash point is the temperature at which a liquid or solid gives off vapor that can form a flammable mixture with air. UEL or Upper Explosive Limit is the highest concentration in

air above which there is too much (gas or vapor) to begin a IARC is the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a reaction or explosion. scientific group.

Vapor is the ratio of the weight of a given volume of Ionization Potential is the amount of energy needed to one gas to the weight of another (usually Air), at the same remove an electron from an or . It is measured temperature and pressure. in electron volts.

The is a force exerted by the vapor in IRIS is the Integrated Risk Information System database on equilibrium with the solid or liquid phase of the same human health effects that may result from exposure to various substance. The higher the vapor pressure the higher chemicals, maintained by federal EPA. concentration of the substance in air.

Right to Know Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet

Common Name: AMMONIUM HYDROXIDE Synonyms: Ammonia Water; Aqua Ammonia CAS No: 1336-21-6

Molecular Formula: NH4OH RTK Substance No: 0103 Description: Colorless solution of Ammonia in water with a pungent odor

HAZARD DATA Hazard Rating Firefighting Reactivity 3 - Health Ammonium Hydroxide is not combustible, Ammonium Hydroxide reacts with many HEAVY however in a fire Ammonia vapors are formed that METALS (such as SILVER, COPPER, LEAD and ZINC) 0 - Fire can be ignited and may result in an explosion. and their SALTS to form explosive compounds and flammable and explosive Hydrogen gas. 0 - Reactivity Use dry chemical, CO2, water spray or foam as extinguishing agents. Ammonium Hydroxide may read violently with DOT#: UN 2672 POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE, STRONG (such as HYDROCHLORIC, SULFURIC and NITRIC); DIMETHYL SULFATE; and ERG Guide #: 154 including Ammonia and Nitrogen Oxides. Use water spray to keep fire-exposed containers HALOGENS. Hazard Class: 8 cool. DO NOT get water inside containers. Ammonium Hydroxide will react with STRONG BASES (Corrosive) (such as and ) to produce Ammonia gas. SPILL/ PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

Isolation Distance: Odor Threshold: 50 ppm Flash Point: Noncombustible Spill: 50 meters (150 feet) LEL: 16% Fire: 800 meters (1/2 mile) UEL: 27% o o Absorb liquids in dry sand, earth, or a similar material Auto Ignition Temp: 1,202 F (650 C) (25% Solution) and place into sealed containers for disposal. Vapor Density: 0.6 to 1.2 (air = 1) o o DO NOT use COPPER, ALUMINUM or GALVANIZED Vapor Pressure: 360 mm Hg at 68 F (20 C) (25% Solution) METALS when handling Ammonium Hydroxide. Specific Gravity: 0.9 (water = 1) Neutralize with a weak acid such as vinegar (Acetic Water : Miscible Acid). Boiling Point: 100.4oF (38oC) (25% Solution) DO NOT wash into sewer. Freezing Point: -72.4oF (-58oC) (25% Solution) Ammonium Hydroxide is harmful to aquatic in Ionization Potential: 10.18 eV (as Ammonia) very low concentrations. Molecular Weight: 35.06 pH: 13.6 EXPOSURE LIMITS PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT OSHA: 50 ppm, 8-hr TWA Gloves: Butyl, Nitrile, Neoprene and Viton (>8-hr breakthrough for Ammonium Hydroxide in less than 30% solution) NIOSH: 25 ppm, 10-hr TWA; 35 ppm, STEL ACGIH: 25 ppm, 8-hr TWA; 35 ppm, STEL Coveralls: Tychem® SL, F, Responder® and TK (>8-hr breakthrough IDLH: 300 ppm for Ammonium Hydroxide in less than 30% solution)

(All the above are for Ammonia) Respirator: >25 ppm - full facepiece APR with cartridges specific for The Protective Action Criteria values are: Ammonia PAC-1 = 6 ppm PAC-2 = 40 ppm PAC-3 = 100 ppm >100 ppm - SCBA HEALTH EFFECTS FIRST AID AND DECONTAMINATION Eyes: Irritation, and possible eye Remove the person from exposure. damage Flush eyes with large amounts of water for at least 30 minutes. Remove

Skin: Irritation and burns contact lenses if worn. Seek medical attention

Inhalation: Nose, throat and lung irritation, with Quickly remove contaminated clothing and wash contaminated skin with large amounts of soap and water. Seek medical attention. coughing, and severe shortness of Begin artificial respiration if breathing has stopped and CPR if necessary. breath (pulmonary edema) Transfer promptly to a medical facility. Medical observation is recommended as symptoms may be delayed. July 2011

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