Common Name: Maleic Anhydride CAS Number: 108-31-6 DOT Number: UN 2215 Date: October 30, 1986 ----------------------------------------- HAZARD SUMMARY * Maleic Anhydride can affect you when breathed in. * Contact can cause severe burns of the skin and eyes. The extent of the injury may not be immediately apparent. * Exposure to its dust or vapor may irritate the nose, throat and lungs. * Maleic Anhydride may cause a skin or lung allergy to develop, so that even small future exposures can cause itching and skin rash and/or an asthma-like episode. IDENTIFICATION Maleic Anhydride is a colorless crystalline or white, lumpy solid with a strong odor. It is used for coating automobile bodies and making other chemicals and detergents. REASON FOR CITATION * Maleic Anhydride is on the RTK Hazardous Substance List because it is regulated by OSHA and cited by ACGIH, DOT, NFPA and other authorities. 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. * ODOR THRESHOLD = 0.32 ppm. * The odor threshold only serves as a warning of exposure. Not smelling it does not mean you are not being exposed. * 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 0.25 ppm averaged over an 8-hour workshift. ACGIH: The recommended airborne exposure limit is 0.25 ppm averaged over an 8-hour workshift. 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 Maleic Anhydride. * 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 Maleic Anhydride 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 Maleic Anhydride: * Contact can cause severe burns of the skin. It is not immediately painful, and deeper burns may occur if it is not removed immediately. It can also cause severe burns of the eyes, leading to permanent damage. * Breathing the vapor may irritate the lungs, causing coughing and/or shortness of breath. Chronic Health Effects The following chronic (long-term) health effects can occur at some time after exposure to Maleic Anhydride and can last for months or years: Cancer Hazard * According to the information presently available to the New Jersey Department of Health, Maleic Anhydride has been tested and has not been shown to cause cancer in animals. Reproductive Hazard * According to the information presently available to the New Jersey Department of Health, Maleic Anhydride has not been tested for its ability to adversely affect reproduction. Other Long-Term Effects * It may cause a skin allergy. If an allergy develops, very low future exposures can cause itching and a skin rash. * Exposure may also cause an asthma-like allergy. Future exposures can cause asthma attacks with shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing and/or chest tightness. * The chemical can irritate the lungs. Repeated exposures may cause bronchitis to develop with cough, phlegm and/or shortness of breath. MEDICAL Medical Testing Before beginning employment and at regular times after that, the following is recommended: * Lung function tests. These may be normal if the person is not having an attack at the time of the test. 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. Mixed Exposures Because smoking can cause heart disease, as well as lung cancer, emphysema, and other respiratory problems, it may worsen respiratory conditions caused by chemical exposure. Even if you have smoked for a long time, stopping now will reduce your risk of developing health problems. 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, automatically transfer Maleic Anhydride 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 Maleic Anhydride should change into clean clothing promptly. * Contaminated work clothes should be laundered by individuals who have been informed of the hazards of exposure to Maleic Anhydride. * Eye wash fountains should be provided in the immediate work area for emergency use. * On skin contact with Maleic Anhydride, immediately wash or shower to remove the chemical. * Wash any areas of the body that may have contacted Maleic Anhydride at the end of each work day, whether or not known skin contact has occurred. * Do not eat, smoke, or drink where Maleic Anhydride 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 clean-up. Do not dry sweep. * Workers whose clothing has been contaminated by Maleic Anhydride should change into clean clothing promptly. 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 Maleic Anhydride. Wear acid-resistant 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 splash-proof chemical goggles and face shield when working with molten liquid or dust-proof goggles and face- shield when working with solids 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 0.25 ppm, use a MSHA/NIOSH approved full facepiece respirator with an organic vapor cartridge/canister with dust and mist filters. 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 Maleic Anhydride, 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. Common Name: Maleic Anhydride DOT Number: UN2215 DOT Emergency Guide code: 60 CAS Number: 108-31-6 ---------------------------------------- NJ DOH Hazard rating FLAMMABILITY 1 REACTIVITY 1 ---------------------------------------- COMBUSTIBLE SOLID POISONOUS GAS IS PRODUCED IN FIRE DO NOT USE WATER OR DRY CHEMICAL DUST AND VAPORS MAY EXPLODE ---------------------------------------- Hazard Rating Key: 0=minimal; 1=slight; 2=moderate; 3=serious; 4=severe FIRE HAZARDS * Maleic Anhydride is a combustible solid. * Use CO2 or alcohol foam extinguishers. * Use of OTHER DRY CHEMICALS or WATER extinguishers may cause an explosion. * POISONOUS GAS IS PRODUCED IN FIRE. * Dust clouds of Maleic Anhydride or the vapors of molten Maleic Anhydride are explosive on contact with spark or flame. * CONTAINERS MAY EXPLODE 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 Maleic Anhydride is spilled or leaked, take the following steps: * Restrict persons not wearing protective equipment from area of spill or leak until clean-up is complete. * Remove all ignition sources. * Ventilate area of spill or leak. * Collect powdered material in the most convenient manner and deposit in sealed containers. * Keep Maleic Anhydride 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 Maleic Anhydride 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 Maleic Anhydride you should be trained on its proper handling and storage. * Maleic Anhydride must be stored to avoid contact with WATER and STRONG OXIDIZERS (such as Chlorine and Bromine) since violent reactions occur. * Sources of ignition such as smoking and open flames are prohibited where Maleic Anhydride is used, handled, or stored in a manner that could create a potential fire or explosion hazard. FIRST AID Eye Contact * Immediately flush with large amounts of water. Continue without stopping for at least 30 minutes, occasionally lifting upper and lower lids. Seek medical attention immediately. Skin Contact * Quickly remove contaminated clothing. Immediately wash area with large amounts of soap and water. Seek medical attention immediately. 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. PHYSICAL DATA Vapor Pressure: 0.16 mm Hg at 68oF Flash Point: 215oF Water Solubility: Insoluble OTHER COMMONLY USED NAMES Chemical Name: 2,5-Furandione Other Names and Formulations: cis-Butenedioic Anhydride; Maleic Acid Anhydride; Toxilic Anhydride. ------------------------------------------ Not intended to be copied and sold for commercial purposes. ------------------------------------------ NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH Right to Know Program CN 368, Trenton, NJ 08625-0368 ------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------ ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION Maleic Anhydride is a white solid whose major use is in the manufacture of unsaturated polyester resins which in turn are used in producing fiber-reinforced plastics. It is also used in manufacturing lube-oil additives, pesticides, and other chemicals. It may enter the environment from industrial effluents 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. Maleic Anhydride has slight acute toxicity to aquatic life. It has caused bud-kill in tung trees, an agricultural crop. Insufficient data are available to evaluate or predict the short-term effects of Maleic Anhydride to 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. Maleic Anhydride has moderate chronic toxicity to aquatic life. Insufficient data are available to evaluate or predict the long- term effects of Maleic Anhydride to plants, birds, or land animals. WATER SOLUBILITY Maleic Anhydride is highly soluble in water. Concentrations of 1,000 milligrams and more will mix with a liter of water. DISTRIBUTION AND PERSISTENCE IN THE ENVIRONMENT Maleic Anhydride is non-persistent in water, with a half-life of less than 2 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. Maleic Anhydride will react with water to form maleic acid. Thus Maleic Anhydride will disappear from most aquatic ecosystems in less than one day and will probably not accumulate in aquatic organisms. SUPPORT DOCUMENT: AQUIRE Database, ERL, Duluth, U.S.EPA, Phytotox.