CHART of HEAVY METALS, THEIR SALTS AND OTHER COMPOUNDS Cheryl Podsiki, Conservator, AIC-PA, Health & Safety Committee, November 2008 The 35 capitalized Elements listed on the following chart are those regulated by OSHA as Heavy Metals, including the italicized compounds [1]. Many of the compounds listed can be found in the NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards and other databases including NIOSH [21], IDLHC [22], and ICSC [23]. Others can be found in numerous chemical [7, 24-29] and environmental [30] listings, as well as conservation resources [31]. Although conservators may not typically be exposed to some of the OSHA chemicals listed their compounds may be components of complex objects including paper and textiles [8, 32-39], geological collections [36], herbariums [8], cultural property, building structures, or may be present in the environment [40]. The list includes commonly used pigments [5, 41], preservatives and pesticides [5-7, 36, 42-43], mineral sources [5, 6, 24, 31, 36, 43], industrial [45-47] and medically related compounds [5-6, 14-16, 21-23, 45]. The chart serves as a guide only and is not all-inclusive. Acronyms used in this chart and in references: CAS: Chemical Abstract Service (chemical registry number) MSDS: Material Safety Data Sheets PEL: Permissible exposure limit - OSHA regulated concentrations TLV: Threshold limit value - ACGIH suggested concentration guidelines TWA: Time-weighted average - NIOSH recommended exposure limits (RELs) ppm: parts per million (conversion factors: parts of vapor or gas per million parts of contaminated air by volume at 25ºC and 1 atmosphere) mg/m3: milligrams per cubic meter (conversion factors: milligrams of vapor or gas per cubic meter of contaminated air at 25ºC and 1 atmosphere) For comprehensive lists of acronyms, health agencies and governing bodies refer to the following websites: ACGIH: American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists www.acgih.org CDC: Center for Disease Control and Prevention www.cdc.gov DHHS: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services www.os.dhhs.gov EPA: U. S. Environmental Protection Agency www.epa.gov OSHA: Occupational Safety and Health Administration www.osha.gov NIOSH: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health www.cdc.gov/niosh CHEMICAL/ FORMULA / CAS # SYNONYMS/ TRADE/ USES/ NOTES OCCUPATIONAL PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION MINERAL/ PIGMENTS EXPOSURE LEVEL ALUMINUM (AL) 7429-90-5 A l u m inium; Aluminum metal; Elemental aluminum; Construction; building structures; transportation OSHA PEL: TWA Silvery-white, malleable, ductile, odorless metal; Aluminum powder (aluminum bronze powder) structures; aerospace industry; solid rocket fuels; 15 mg/m3 (total); TWA silvery-white to grey powder Minerals: Bauxite ore; Feldspars; Cryolite; Alum; electrical applications; electrical transmission lines; 5 mg/m3 (resp); Aluminosilicate clays explosives; pharmaceuticals; medications (e.g. TWA 2 mg/m3 (soluble antacids, buffered aspirin); antiperspirants; medical salts). therapy; cooking utensils; aluminum foil; packaging materials; food packaging; beverage cans; food * Human dementia additives; baking powder; processed cheese; syndromes [6] cosmetics; “softened” water; tap water; soap; production of glass and ceramics; salts as textile mordents; aluminum powder used to make aluminum leaf for moisture and waterproof paints; geological specimens alpha-Aluminum oxide 1344-28-1 A l u m i n i u m o x i d e ; A luminum oxide; Alumina; Single electron transmitters; super conducting OSHA PEL: TWA 3 Al2O3 Aluminum trioxide; Emery powder (natural aluminum devices; hip replacements; polishing and abrasive 15 mg/m (total); TWA 3 White odorless crystalline powder oxide) applications; sandpaper; manufacture of zeolites; fire 5 mg/m (resp) (as Al) Mineral: Aloxite; Corundum retardant; smoke suppressant; chromatography Gem: Ruby (red form of corundum); Sapphire medium; sodium vapor lamps; coatings for compact fluorescent lamps; water filters; protective coatings on pre-finished wood floors; billiard chalk; toothpastes; jewelry; glass (beads); pigment coatings; geological specimens Aluminum hydroxide 21645-51-2 Alumina hydrate; Aluminum oxide trihydrate; Transparent White is used in preparation of TLV not established Al(OH)3 Trihydroxyaluminum; Transparent White t r a n s p a r e n t l a k e p i g m e nts; filler for paints Odorless white powder in various forms Mineral: Bauxite Aluminum Indigo Carmine 12225-21-7 Trade names: C.I. Pigment yellow 100; C.I. 19140 Azo dye complex; pigments TLV not established C16H9AlN4O9 Aluminum Lake; C.I. Food Yellow 4 Aluminum Lake; Yellow-greenish powder FD & C Yellow No. 5 Aluminum Lake; Japan Food *Azo, Diazo, and Azide Yellow 4 Aluminum Lake; Lakeolene B 3014; Pigment compounds can Yellow 100; Tartrazine Aluminum Lake; Yellow Lake T detonate Aluminum silicate clay, Bentonite 1302-78-9 Colloidal clay; Soap clay; Mineral soap; Gumbrin Calcium bentonite: Absorbent clay; poultices TLV not established (Calcium or sodium bentonite) Mineral: Montmorillonite Sodium bentonite: Water softener; emulsifier in Fine, natural clay, granules or powder in variable Trade names: Fuller’s earth; American clay; Wilkinite Portland cement and concrete; increases plasticity in colors (decomposition of glass particles in ceramic clay body; filler in insecticides, soaps, paper volcanic ash) and paints Aluminum stearate 637-12-7 Stearic acid aluminum salt; Aluminum (III) stearate; Soap made by saponification of tallow and treatment OSHA PEL: TWA 3 Al (C18H35O2)3 Octadecanoic acid aluminum salt; Daiwax WA1; with alum; photographic emulsion; waterproofing 15 mg/m (total); TWA Hard thermoplastic white powder Metaspa XX; Rofob 3 agent for fabrics, ropes, paper, leather, concrete, and 5 mg/m3 (resp); stucco; flattening agent in varnishes and lacquers; TWA 2 mg/m3 (soluble forms colloidal solutions or gels with oils, turpentine, salts) (as Al) mineral spirits; paint and varnish drier, thickener, and emulsifier; artist’s oil pastes and prepared paints Aluminum sulfate 10043-01-3 Aluminum sulphate; Aluminum trisulfate; Aluminum General uses of Alum compounds: Flocculating NIOSH REL: TLV: 3 Al2(SO4)3 ( I I I ) s u l f a t e ; A l u minum sesquisulfate; Fertosan; agent used to clarify water in gel precipitate of 2 mg/m (as Al soluble Odorless white crystals or powder. Aluminum alum; Alum; Alumen; Filter alum; Cake aluminum hydroxide; water purification; sewage salts) (ACGIH 1993- Note: Aluminum sulfate is the general group alum; Cake aluminum; Cube alum; Alumstone; Alum treatments; medicinal as an astringent to prevent 1994) name used to refer to as alum. Alum compounds flour; Alum meal; Kalinite; Paper maker’s alum; Patent bleeding (e.g. styptic pencil), adjuvant to enhance include hydrated double salts usually consisting of alum; Pearl alum; Pickle alum; Sulfuric acid Aluminum immune response in human immunizations, aluminum sulfate, water, and a sulfate of another (3) salt (3:2); Tai-Ace S150; NALCO 7530 antibacterial agent, antiseptic, emetic, home remedy element e.g. potassium, sodium, ammonium, Mineral: Alunogenite for canker sores; make-up as a skin whitener; selenium, selenate (the first three being the most aftershave; wax for hair removal; hair stiffener; common, respectively) natural (crystal) deodorant; food pickling (as a preservative); food additive; some playdough recipes; Potassium aluminum sulfate 7784-24-9 Alum (most common alum compound); Native alum; fire retardant; foamite used in fire extinguishers for K2SO4 · Al2(SO4)3 · 24H2O Potash alum; Alumina; Alumnus; Alumnae; Alumni; chemical and oil fires; leather tanning hardener for White crystals or powder Bitter salt gelatin, plastic, cement; filler in paper, cement, paints; Mineral: Alunite; Acuminite paper sizing; mordant in textile dying; preparation of Naturally occurring: Potash alum lake pigments; geological specimens Aluminum ammonium sulfate Ammonia alum; Ammonium aluminum sulfate Developing baths for black and white photography; AlNH4(SO4)2·12H2O Mineral: Tschermigite baking powder; textile dying; leather tanning; White crystalline powder substrate for lake pigments Kaolin 1332-58-7 Hydrated aluminium silicate; China clay; Argilla Commercial cleaning of fabrics, furs and carpets; NIOSH REL: TWA Mainly hydrous aluminosilicate Trade names: Kaolin; Kaolite porcelain production; filler in paints, pastels, papers, 10 mg/m3 (total); TWA 3 H2Al2Si2O8 H2O Mineral: Kaolinite rubbers, cements; abrasives; absorbent for oils and 5 mg/m (resp) White powder grease; base for Lake pigments Sodium aluminum fluosilicate 53404-77-6 Silicate hexafluoro-aluminum sodium Insecticide; mothproofer (discontinued 1930’s); OSHA PEL: TWA 3 Na5Al(SiF6)4 Trade names: Larvex; Larvex mothproofing buffer in dye baths 2.5 mg/m . The PEL White powder Composition; Selig’s Fabriteks (W) applies to other solid fluorides (as F) Sodium fluoroaluminate 15096-52-3 Sodium aluminum fluoride; Sodium aluminofluoride; Used as a flux in solvent for bauxite in electrolytic OSHA PEL: TWA 3 Na3AlF6 Sodium hexafluoroaluminate; Synthetic Cryolite production of aluminum; filler for bonded abrasive; 2.5 mg/m (as F) Natural Cryolite mineral: white solid or powder; Trade Names: Cryocide; Cryodust; Cryolite; Kriolit; enamel and glass production; insecticide Synthetic: pink or brown tinted granular powder Kryocide; Kryolith; Prokil Mineral: Cryolite Sodium fluorosilicate 16893-85-9 Sodium silicofluoride; Disodium hexafluorosilicate; Fluoridation agent for drinking water; glue; flotation; OSHA PEL: TWA 3 Na2Si F6 Sodium hexafluorosilicate gelling agent in production of molded latex foam; 2.5 mg/m (as F) White powder tinted blue; white granular powder Trade Names: Larvex; Larvex mothproofing; Earwig production of enamels and enamel frit for china and bait porcelain; leather and wood preservative; insecticide, rodenticide; mothproofer (discontinued 1930’s) All pesticidal products canceled by early 1990’s. ANTIMONY (Sb) 7440-36-0 A n t i m o n y m e t a l ; A n t i m o n y p o w d e r ; A n t i m o n y b l a c k ; A i r p o l l u t i o n f r o m i n d u s t r i a l e m i s s i o n s ; m e d i c i n a l O S HA PEL*: TWA Silver-white, lustrous, hard, brittle solid; scale-like Antimony regulus; Stibium; C.I.