Common Name: Thallium CAS Number: 7440-28-0 DOT Number: UN 1707 Date: January 15, 1988 ----------------------------------------- HAZARD SUMMARY * Thallium can affect you when breathed in and by passing through your skin. * Thallium may damage the developing fetus. * Thallium is an extremely toxic poison, but symptoms may be delayed for days after exposure. * Effects may include weakness, irritability, pain and "pins and needles" in arms and legs, confusion and mood changes, hair loss, loss of vision and permanent brain damage. * High exposures can cause tremor, convulsions, hallucinations, coma and death. IDENTIFICATION Thallium is a solid, bluish white metal. It is used in rodenticides for the control of vermin, in the production of semi- conductors, photoelectric equipment, lens and thermometers. Thallium may contaminate flue dust of Lead and Zinc smelters. REASON FOR CITATION * Thallium is on the Hazardous Substance List because it is regulated by OSHA and cited by ACGIH, DOT and EPA. 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 0.1 mg/m3 averaged over an 8-hour work-shift for Thallium, soluble compounds (as Thallium). ACGIH: The recommended airborne exposure limit is 0.1 mg/m3 averaged over an 8-hour workshift for Thallium, soluble compounds (as Thallium). * The above exposure limit is for air levels only. When skin contact also occurs, you may be overexposed, even though air levels are less than the limit listed above. 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 Thallium and at the end of the workshift. * 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 Thallium 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 Thallium: * Even with high exposures, symptoms are typically delayed many hours and even days. Effects can include tremor, delirium, hallucinations, convulsions ("fits"), coma and death. Survivors often suffer permanent brain damage and may have vision loss as well. Chronic Health Effects The following chronic (long-term) health effects can occur at some time after exposure to Thallium and can last for months or years: Cancer Hazard * According to the information presently available to the New Jersey Department of Health, Thallium has not been tested for its ability to cause cancer in animals. Reproductive Hazard * According to the information presently available to the New Jersey Department of Health, Thallium has not been tested for its ability to adversely affect reproduction. Other Long-Term Effects * Repeated exposure also causes effects, delayed often by days or weeks after exposure. Effects may include fatigue, weakness, poor appetite, insomnia, mood changes, irritability, a metallic taste in the mouth and pains in legs and arms. Signs of nerve damage include numbness or "pins and needles" in arms or legs. Loss of vision, tremor or abnormal muscle jerking. Permanent brain damage is common. * Exposure can also cause hairless, nail changes and dry scaly skin. MEDICAL TESTING Before beginning employment and at regular times after that, the following is recommended: * Complete exam of the nervous system, including careful vision testing. 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. 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 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. In addition, the following control is recommended: * Where possible, transfer Thallium from drums or other storage containers to process containers. Good WORK PRACTICES can help to reduce hazardous exposures. The following work practices are recommended: * Workers whose clothing has been contaminated by Thallium should change into clean clothing promptly. * Contaminated work clothes should be laundered by individuals who have been informed of the hazards of exposure to Thallium. * On skin contact with Thallium, immediately wash or shower to remove the chemical. At the end of the workshift, wash any areas of the body that may have contacted Thallium, whether or not known skin contact has occurred. * Do not eat, smoke, or drink where Thallium 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. * When vacuuming, a high efficiency particulate absolute (HEPA) filter should be used, not a standard shop vacuum. 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 Thallium. 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 dust-proof 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 0.1 mg/m3, use a MSHA/NIOSH approved full facepiece respirator with a high efficiency particulate filter. Greater protection is provided by a powered-air purifying respirator. * If while wearing a filter, cartridge or canister respirator, you can smell, taste, or otherwise detect Thallium, 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. * Exposure to 20 mg/m3 is immediately dangerous to life and health. If the possibility of exposures above 20 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: Thallium DOT Number: UN 1707 DOT Emergency Guide code: 53 CAS Number: 7440-28-0 ---------------------------------------- NJ DOH Hazard rating FLAMMABILITY 1 REACTIVITY 0 ---------------------------------------- WILL REACT VIOLENTLY WITH FLUORINE POISONOUS GAS IS PRODUCED IN FIRE ---------------------------------------- Hazard Rating Key: 0=minimal; 1=slight; 2=moderate; 3=serious; 4=severe FIRE HAZARDS * Thallium may burn, but does not readily ignite. Extinguish fire using an agent suitable for type of surrounding fire. * Poisonous gas is produced in fire. * If employees are expected to fight fires, they must be trained and equipped as stated in OSHA 1910.156. SPILLS AND EMERGENCIES If Thallium 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. * It may be necessary to contain and dispose of Thallium as a HAZARDOUS WASTE. Contact your Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) or your regional office of the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for specific recommendations. ========================================== FOR LARGE SPILLS AND FIRES immediately call your fire department. ========================================== HANDLING AND STORAGE * Prior to working with Thallium you should be trained on its proper handling and storage. * Thallium must be stored to avoid contact with STRONG ACIDS (such as HYDROCHLORIC, SULFURIC and NITRIC) and STRONG OXIDIZERS (such as CHLORINE, BROMINE and FLUORINE) since violent reactions occur. FIRST AID Eye Contact * Immediately flush with large amounts of water for at least 15 minutes, occasionally lifting upper and lower lids. Skin Contact * Quickly remove contaminated clothing. Immediately wash area with large amounts of soap and water. Seek medical attention. Breathing * Remove the person from exposure. * Begin rescue breathing if breathing has stopped and CPR if heart action has stopped. * Transfer promptly to a medical facility. * Medical observation for several days is recommended after suspected over exposure by skin contact or breathing the dust or mist. PHYSICAL DATA Water Solubility: Insoluble ------------------------------------------ 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 Thallium is a metal that is not particularly rare in the earth's crust. It commonly occurs in potash minerals and in a number of other minerals such as crookesite, lorandite, hutchinsonite, vrbaite and avicennite. The pure metal is grayish-white and soft; compounds of thallium vary in odor. Thallium use is limited to making alloys with other metals and certain applications in electrical circuitry where durability and fluidity must be enhanced. Thallium and compounds may enter the environment during mining and smelting operations, industrial discharges, or spills. 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. Thallium and compounds have high acute toxicity to aquatic life. Insufficient data are available to evaluate or predict the short- term effects of thallium and compounds 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. Thallium and compounds have high chronic toxicity to aquatic life. Insufficient data are available to evaluate or predict the long- term effects of thallium and compounds to plants, birds, or land animals. WATER SOLUBILITY Thallium and compounds have water solubilities ranging from low to high, depending on the salt formed. DISTRIBUTION AND PERSISTENCE IN THE ENVIRONMENT Thallium itself is likely to be highly persistent in water, as it has only slight water solubility. Other compounds of thallium will vary in persistence, as water solubility varies from compound to compound. 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 thallium and compounds found in fish tissues is expected to be somewhat higher than the average concentration of thallium and compounds in the water from which the fish was taken. SUPPORT DOCUMENT: AQUIRE Database, ERL-Duluth, U.S. EPA.