Common Name: Chromium Nitrate CAS Number: 13548-38-4 DOT Number: UN 2720 Date: September 15, 1987 ----------------------------------------- HAZARD SUMMARY * Chromium Nitrate can affect you when breathed in. * Chromium Nitrate may cause mutations. Handle with extreme caution. * Skin contact may cause irritation, especially if repeated or prolonged. * Skin allergy sometimes occurs, with itching, redness, and/or an eczema-like rash. If this happens, future contact can trigger symptoms. * Eye contact may cause irritation. IDENTIFICATION Chromium Nitrate is a pale green powder. It is used in the preparation of chrome catalysts, in textile printing operations, and as a corrosion inhibitor. REASON FOR CITATION * Chromium Nitrate is on the Hazardous Substance List because it is regulated by OSHA and cited by ACGIH and DOT. HOW TO DETERMINE IF YOU ARE BEING EXPOSED * Exposure to hazardous substances should be routinely evaluated. This may include collecting personal and area air samples. You can obtain copies of sampling results from your employer. You have a legal right to this information under OSHA 1910. 20. * If you think you are experiencing any work-related health problems, see a doctor trained to recognize occupational diseases. Take this Fact Sheet with you. ----------------------------------------- WORKPLACE EXPOSURE LIMITS OSHA: The legal airborne permissible exposure limit (PEL) is 0.5 mg/m3 averaged over an 8-hour workshift. ACGIH: The recommended airborne exposure limit is 0.5 mg/m3, which should not be exceeded at any time. WAYS OF REDUCING EXPOSURE * Where possible, enclose operations and use local exhaust ventilation at the site of chemical release. If local exhaust ventilation or enclosure is not used, respirators should be worn. * Wear protective work clothing. * Wash thoroughly immediately after exposure to Chromium Nitrate. * Post hazard and warning information in the work area. In addition, as part of an ongoing education and training effort, communicate all information on the health and safety hazards of Chromium Nitrate to potentially exposed workers. This Fact Sheet is a summary source of information of all potential and most severe health hazards that may result from exposure. Duration of exposure, concentration of the substance and other factors will affect your susceptibility to any of the potential effects described below. HEALTH HAZARD INFORMATION Acute Health Effects The following acute (short-term) health effects may occur immediately or shortly after exposure to Chromium Nitrate: * Skin or eye irritation may occur with contact, especially if repeated or prolonged. Chronic Health Effects The following chronic (long-term) health effects can occur at some time after exposure to Chromium Nitrate and can last for months or years: Cancer Hazard * Chromium Nitrate may cause mutations (genetic changes) in living cells. Whether or not it poses a cancer or reproductive hazard needs further study. * While Chromium Nitrate has not yet been identified as a carcinogen, it should be HANDLED WITH CAUTION since several related Chromium compounds are known carcinogens. Reproductive Hazard * According to the information presently available to the New Jersey Department of Health, Chromium Nitrate has not been tested for its ability to adversely affect reproduction. Other Long-Term Effects * Skin allergy can develop, with a red, itching rash resembling eczema. When this occurs, even small future exposure can trigger symptoms. MEDICAL Medical Testing If symptoms develop or overexposure is suspected, the following may be useful: * Evaluation by a qualified allergist, including careful exposure history and special testing, may help diagnose skin allergy. Any evaluation should include a careful history of past and present symptoms with an exam. Medical tests that look for damage already done are not a substitute for controlling exposure. Request copies of your medical testing. You have a legal right to this information under OSHA 1910.20. Conditions Made Worse By Exposure Persons allergic to other Chromium compounds may be more likely to develop skin allergy to Chromium Nitrate. WORKPLACE CONTROLS AND PRACTICES Unless a less toxic chemical can be substituted for a hazardous substance, ENGINEERING CONTROLS are the most effective way of reducing exposure. The best protection is to enclose operations and/or provide local exhaust ventilation at the site of chemical l release. Isolating operations can also reduce exposure. Using respirators or protective equipment is less effective than the controls mentioned above, but is sometimes necessary. In evaluating the controls present in your workplace, consider: (1) how hazardous the substance is, (2) how much of the substance is released into the workplace and (3) whether harmful skin or eye contact could occur. Special controls should be in place for highly toxic chemicals or when significant skin, eye, or breathing exposures are possible. Good WORK PRACTICES can help to reduce hazardous exposures. The following work practices are recommended: * Workers whose clothing has been contaminated by Chromium Nitrate should change into clean clothing promptly. * Do not take contaminated work clothes home. Family members could be exposed. * Contaminated work clothes should be laundered by individuals who have been informed of the hazards of exposure to Chromium Nitrate. * On skin contact with Chromium Nitrate, immediately wash or shower to remove the chemical. At the end of the workshift, wash any areas of the body that may have contacted Chromium Nitrate, whether or not known skin contact has occurred. * Do not eat, smoke, or drink where Chromium Nitrate is handled, processed, or stored, since the chemical can be swallowed. Wash hands carefully before eating or smoking. * Use a vacuum or a wet method to reduce dust during cleanup. Do not dry sweep. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT WORKPLACE CONTROLS ARE BETTER THAN PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT. However, for some jobs (such as outside work, confined space entry, jobs done only once in a while, or jobs done while workplace controls are being installed), personal protective equipment may be appropriate. The following recommendations are only guidelines and may not apply to every situation. Clothing * Avoid skin contact with Chromium Nitrate. Wear protective gloves and clothing. Safety equipment suppliers/ manufacturers can provide recommendations on the most protective glove/ clothing material for your operation. * All protective clothing (suits, gloves, footwear, headgear) should be clean, available each day, and put on before work. Eye Protection * Wear dustproof goggles and face shield when working with powders or dust, unless full facepiece respiratory protection is worn. Respiratory Protection IMPROPER USE OF RESPIRATORS IS DANGEROUS. Such equipment should only be used if the employer has a written program that takes into account workplace conditions, requirements for worker training, respirator fit testing and medical exams, as described in OSHA 1910.134. * Where the potential exists for exposures over 0.5 mg/m3, use a MSHA/NIOSH approved full facepiece respirator equipped with particulate (dust/fume/ mist) filters. Greater protection is provided by a powered-air purifying respirator. Particulate filters must be checked every day before work for physical damage, such as rips or tears, and replaced as needed. * If while wearing a filter, cartridge or canister respirator, you can smell, taste, or otherwise detect Chromium Nitrate, or in the case of a full facepiece respirator you experience eye irritation, leave the area immediately. Check to make sure the respirator-to-face seal is still good. If it is, replace the filter, cartridge, or canister. If the seal is no longer good, you may need a new respirator. * Be sure to consider all potential exposures in your workplace. You may need a combination of filters, prefilters, cartridges, or canisters to protect against different forms of a chemical (such as vapor and mist) or against a mixture of chemicals. * Where the potential for high exposures exists, use a MSHA/NIOSH approved supplied-air respirator with a full facepiece operated in the positive pressure mode or with a full facepiece, hood, or helmet in the continuous flow mode, or use a MSHA/NIOSH approved self-contained breathing apparatus with a full facepiece operated in pressure-demand or other positive pressure mode. * Exposure to 250 mg/m3 is immediately dangerous to life and health. If the possibility of exposures above 250 mg/m3 exists, use a MSHA/NIOSH approved self-contained breathing apparatus with a full facepiece operated in continuous flow or other positive pressure mode. Common Name: Chromium Nitrate DOT Number: UN 2720 DOT Emergency Guide code: 35 CAS Number: 13548-38-4 ---------------------------------------- NJ DOH Hazard rating FLAMMABILITY 0 REACTIVITY 1 INCREASES INTENSITY OF FIRE/OXIDIZER CONTAINERS MAY EXPLODE IN FIRE POISONOUS GASES PRODUCED IN FIRE ---------------------------------------- Hazard Rating Key: 0=minimal; 1=slight; 2=moderate; 3=serious; 4=severe FIRE HAZARDS * Extinguish fire using an agent suitable for type of surrounding fire. Chromium Nitrate itself does not burn but it will increase the intensity of a fire since it is an oxidizer. * CONTAINERS MAY EXPLODE IN FIRE. * Use water spray to keep fire-exposed containers cool. * POISONOUS GASES AND FUMES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE, including Nitrogen Oxides and Chromium Oxide fumes. * If employees are expected to fight fires, they must be trained and equipped as stated in OSHA 1910.156. SPILLS AND EMERGENCIES If Chromium Nitrate is spilled, take the following steps: * Restrict persons not wearing protective equipment from area of spill until clean-up is complete. * Collect powdered material in the most convenient and safe manner and deposit in sealed containers. * Keep Chromium Nitrate out of a confined space, such as a sewer, because of the possibility of an explosion, unless the sewer is designed to prevent the build-up of explosive concentrations. * It may be necessary to contain and dispose of Chromium Nitrate as a HAZARDOUS WASTE. ========================================== FOR LARGE SPILLS AND FIRES immediately call your fire department. ========================================== HANDLING AND STORAGE * Prior to working with Chromium Nitrate you should be trained on its proper handling and storage. * Chromium Nitrate must be stored to avoid contact with STRONG REDUCING AGENTS, FUELS, and ETHER since violent reactions occur. * Store in tightly closed containers in a cool, well-ventilated area away from FLAMMABLE and COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS. FIRST AID Eye Contact * Immediately flush with large amounts of water for at least 15 minutes, occasionally lifting upper and lower lids. Skin Contact * Remove contaminated clothing. Wash contaminated skin with water. PHYSICAL DATA Water Solubility: Soluble OTHER COMMONLY USED NAMES Chemical Name: Nitric Acid, Chromium (3+) Other Names and Formulations: Chromic Nitrate; Chromium Trinitrate. ------------------------------------------ Not intended to be copied and sold for commercial purposes. ------------------------------------------ NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH Right to Know Project CN 368, Trenton, NJ 08625-0368 ------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------ ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION Chromium is a steel-gray lustrous metal used to make chrome-steel or stainless steel, and for chrome-plating of other metals. Chromium exists mainly in the 3+ (III) or 6+ (VI) oxidation states in natural bodies of water, and each form can be converted to the other form under appropriate environmental conditions. Chromium may enter the environment in effluents from metal plating industries or in municipal waste treatment plant discharges. ACUTE (SHORT-TERM) ECOLOGICAL EFFECTS Acute toxic effects may include the death of animals, birds, or fish, and death or low growth rate in plants. Acute effects are seen two to four days after animals or plants come in contact with a toxic chemical substance. Chromium is more toxic in soft water than in hard water. Chromium (VI) has high acute toxicity to aquatic life, and chromium (III) has moderate acute toxicity to aquatic life. No data are available on the short-term effects of chromium to plants, birds, or land animals. CHRONIC (LONG-TERM) ECOLOGICAL EFFECTS Chronic toxic effects may include shortened lifespan, reproductive problems, lower fertility, and changes in appearance or behavior. Chronic effects can be seen long after first exposure(s) to a toxic chemical. Chromium (III) and chromium (VI) both have high chronic toxicity to aquatic life. No data are available on the long-term effects of chromium to plants, birds, or land animals. WATER SOLUBILITY Water solubility of chromium and its salts ranges from low to high. DISTRIBUTION AND PERSISTENCE IN THE ENVIRONMENT Chromium is highly persistent in water, with a half-life of greater than 200 days. The half-life of a pollutant is the amount of time it takes for one-half of the chemical to be degraded. BIOACCUMULATION IN AQUATIC ORGANISMS Some substances increase in concentration, or bioaccumulate, in living organisms as they breathe contaminated air, drink contaminated water, or eat contaminated food. These chemicals can become concentrated in the tissues and internal organs of animals and humans. The concentration of chromium found in fish tissues is expected to be somewhat higher than the average concentration of chromium in the water from which the fish was taken. SUPPORT DOCUMENT: AQUIRE Database, ERL-Duluth, U.S. EPA.