PolyChem Chemical Usage
Hazardous Material Fact Sheet
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Aluminum Trichloride Hydrate
Hazards
a. Contact with skin
i. May cause severe burns
ii. May cause allergic skin reactions
b. Contact with eyes
i. May cause severe burns
c. Ingestion
i. May cause severe burns to mouth and digestive
tract
d. Inhalation of dust/vapor
i. May cause severe damage to tissues of
respiratory tract
ii. May lead to shortness of breath, wheezing,
coughing and headache
iii. May cause fibrosis (scarring of lungs)
e. Inhalation of large amounts
i. May cause respiratory tract spasms and
pulmonary edemas (buildup of fluid in lungs
ii. May be fatal
f. Long-term exposure may cause severe damage to lungs
i. Chronic effects may last months or years
Hazards on animals
i. Tests have found developmental and
reproductive toxicity in animals
ii. May damage developing fetus
iii. May affect male fertility
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Hydrochloric Acid (HCl)
Hazards
a. Contact with skin
i. May produce burns
ii. May cause irritation characterized by itching,
scaling, reddening, and blistering
b. Contact with eyes
i. May produce tissue damage on mucous
membranes
ii. May cause inflammation of eye characterized by
redness, watering, and itching
c. Ingestion
i. May cause tissue damage of mouth and
respiratory tract
d. Inhalation
i. May cause irritation of respiratory tract
characterized by coughing, choking, and
shortness of breath
e. Severe over-exposure may cause death
Hazards on animals
a. May cause severe irritation of eyes and respiratory
system
b. May cause necrosis of tracheal and bronchial epithelium
c. May cause pulmonary edemas
d. May cause damage to pulmonary blood vessels and liver
e. May cause clouding of cornea
i. Scarring of rabbit corneas evidence has been
found
f. May cause mutagenic effects in bacteria and insects
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Chromium
Hazards
a. Contact with skin
i. May cause skin allergy and asthma-like allergy
ii. May cause burns, blisters, and deep ulcers with
prolonged contact
iii. May cause irritation caused by dermatitis
b. Ingestion
i. May cause damage to liver and kidneys
c. Inhalation
i. May cause irritation in nose and throat
1. May cause sores and/or holes in
septum dividing inner nose
ii. May cause flu-like illness called Metal Fume
Fever
Hazards on animals
a. Fish
i. May cause damage to gills, gonads, heart,
kidney, liver, scales, and skin
b. Rabbits and Guinea Pigs
i. May cause mutations and malignancy
ii. May cause damage to kidney, heart, spleen, and
brain
iii. May cause skin lesions or ulcers in guinea pigs
c. Birds
i. May cause damage to eggs, liver, kidney, and
feathers
ii. May cause deformities characterized by short
and twisted limbs and growth stunt
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Benzene
Hazards
a. Contact with skin
i. May cause drying and scaling of skin
b. Contact with eyes
i. May cause irritation of eyes
c. Inhalation
i. May cause leukemia because of carcinogenic
effecs
ii. May cause irritation of nose and throat
iii. May cause headache, dizziness, nausea and
vomiting
d. High/repeated exposure
i. May cause convulsions, coma, or sudden death
ii. May cause aplastic anemia (damage to blood
cells)
Hazards on animals
a. May cause abnormal prenatal development
b. May cause bone marrow damage
c. May cause changes in circulating blood cells
d. May cause alterations in immune response
e. May cause cancer
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Sulfates
Hazards
a. Contact with skin
i. May cause itching and eczema
b. Contact with eyes
i. May cause damage to eyes
ii. May cause conjunctivitis
iii. May cause inflammation of eyelid lining
iv. May cause excess fluid buildup in eyelid
c. Ingestion
i. May cause vomiting
ii. May cause metallic taste in mouth, burning pain
in chest and abdomen, intense nausea, diarrhea,
headache, sweating, and shock
iii. May cause injury to brain, liver, kidneys,
stomach, and intestinal lining
d. Chronic effects may cause anemia
Hazards on animals
a. May cause inflammation of gastrointestinal tract
b. May cause symptoms of abdominal pain, vomiting and
diarrhea
c. May cause death in guinea pigs and rabbits
d. May cause starvation
e. May cause absence of appetite, anemia, and
degenerative changes followed by death
f. May cause reproductive effects including testicular
atrophy in birds, interruption in sperm production and
abnormal prenatal development
g. May cause heart disease
h. May cause toxicity in fish
i. Poisonous to fish
ii. May cause decrease in populations of aquatic
invertebrates, plants, and fish
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Nitrates
Hazards
a. Contact with skin
i. May cause irritation
b. Contact with eyes
i. May cause irritation
c. Ingestion
i. May cause abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting,
diarrhea
d. Inhalation
i. May cause irritation of nose, throat, and
mucous membrane
ii. May cause coughing, severe lung congestion,
and difficulty breathing
Hazards on animals
a. Aquatic animals
i. May cause slower maturation in fish
ii. May cause lower reproductive success
iii. May cause death
iv. May cause reduced size in frog tadpoles
b. May cause nitrate poisoning in livestock
i. Characteristics of poisoning include; discoloring
of nonpigmented areas or mucous membranes;
sluggish or staggering gait; rapid heartbeat;
convulsion; coma and death