Common Name: Captan CAS Number: 133-06-2 DOT Number: UN 9099 Date: January 1986 ----------------------------------------- HAZARD SUMMARY * Captan can affect you when breathed in and by passing through your skin. * Because this is a MUTAGEN, handle it as a possible cancer causing substance WITH EXTREME CAUTION. * Exposure may damage the developing fetus. * Exposure can cause a skin allergy to develop. Once this occurs, even very small future exposures can cause itching and a skin rash. IDENTIFICATION Pure Captan is a white crystalline odorless solid. However, it is usually found as a yellow powder. It is used as a fungicide (kills molds, mildew, etc.) on food crops and plant seeds. REASON FOR CITATION * Captan is on the Hazardous Substance List because it is cited by ACGIH, DOT and EPA. * This chemical is also on the Special Health Hazard Substance List because it is a MUTAGEN. * Definitions are attached. 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 ACGIH: The recommended airborne exposure limit is 5 mg/m3 averaged over an 8 hour workshift. * Captan is a MUTAGEN. Mutagens may present a cancer risk. All contact with this chemical should be reduced to the lowest possible level. * The above exposure limits are for air levels only. When skin contact also occurs, you may be overexposed, even though air levels are less than the limits 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 Captan 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 Captan 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 Captan: * Contact can irritate the skin. Chronic Health Effects The following chronic (long term) health effects can occur at some time after exposure to Captan and can last for months or years: Cancer Hazard * Captan causes MUTATIONS (genetic changes). Such chemicals may have a cancer risk and there is limited evidence that Captan does cause cancer in animals. * Many scientists believe there is no safe level of exposure to a cancer causing agent. Reproductive Hazard * There is evidence that Captan may damage the developing fetus in animals. Other Long Term Effects * Captan may cause a skin allergy. If allergy develops, very low future exposures can cause itching and a skin rash. MEDICAL Medical Testing If symptoms develop or overexposure is suspected, the following may be useful: * Skin testing with dilute Captan may help diagnose allergy, if done by a qualified allergist. 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 controls are recommended: * Where possible, automatically pump liquid Captan from drums or other storage containers to process containers. * Specific engineering controls are recommended for this chemical by NIOSH. Refer to the NIOSH criteria document: Occupational Exposure during the Manufacture and Formulation of Pesticides #78 174. Good WORK PRACTICES can help to reduce hazardous exposures. The following work practices are recommended: * Workers whose clothing has been contaminated by Captan 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 expo sure to Captan. * On skin contact with Captan, immediately wash or shower to remove the chemical. * Do not eat, smoke, or drink where Captan is handled, processed, or stored, since the chemical can be swallowed. Wash hands carefully before eating or smoking. * Do not dry sweep for cleanup. Use a vacuum or a wet method to reduce dust during clean up. 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 Captan. 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. * Exposure to Captan dust should be reduced to the lowest possible level, and preferably avoided completely. * Where the potential exists for exposure to Captan, use an MSHA/NIOSH approved respirator with a pesticide cartridge. More protection is provided by a full facepiece respirator than by a half mask respirator, and even 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 Captan, 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 exists for exposures over 5 mg/m3, 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: Captan DOT Number: UN 9099 DOT Emergency Guide code: 31 CAS Number: 133-06-2 ---------------------------------------- NJ DOH Hazard rating FLAMMABILITY Not Found REACTIVITY Not Found ---------------------------------------- POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE AVOID WATER: POISONOUS GASES WILL RESULT ---------------------------------------- Hazard Rating Key: 0=minimal; 1=slight; 2=moderate; 3=serious; 4=severe FIRE HAZARDS * Captan is a flammable solid. * Use CO2 or foam extinguishers. * Water may cause Captan to give off poisonous gases. * At high temperatures, Captan may decompose and produce POISONOUS GASES, including Oxides of Sulfur and Nitrogen, Hydrogen Chloride and Phosgene. * If employees are expected to fight fires, they must be trained and equipped as stated in OSHA 1910.156. SPILLS AND EMERGENCIES If Captan is spilled, take the following steps: * Restrict persons not wearing protective equipment from area of spill until clean up is complete. * Collect spilled material in the most convenient and safe manner and deposit in sealed containers for reclamation or for disposal in an approved facility. * Absorb liquid containing Captan in vermiculite, dry sand, earth, or similar material. * It may be necessary to contain and dispose of Captan as a HAZARDOUS WASTE. Contact your state Environmental Program for specific recommendations. ========================================== FOR LARGE SPILLS AND FIRES immediately call your fire department. ========================================== HANDLING AND STORAGE * Prior to working with Captan you should be trained on its proper handling and storage. * Store in tightly closed containers in a cool well ventilated area away from WATER, HEAT, OIL, STRONG ALKALIS, and HYDROGEN SULFIDE. Water or heat may cause Captan to give off POISONOUS GAS. FIRST AID POISON INFORMATION 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 contaminated skin with large amounts of soap and water. Breathing * Remove the person from exposure. PHYSICAL DATA Water Solubility: Insoluble OTHER COMMONLY USED NAMES Chemical Name: 1H Isoindole 1,3(2H) Dione, 3A,4,7,7A Tetrahydro 2 (Trichloromethyl) Thio Other Names and Formulations: Americide; Vanguard K; Orthocide. ------------------------------------------ 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 Captan is a pesticide. Its main uses are as an agricultural fungicide and a bacterial retardant in soap. It may enter the environment by runoff from agricultural lands. 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. Captan has high acute toxicity to aquatic life and birds, and can cause injury to plants. No data are available on the short-term effects of captan to 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. Captan has high chronic toxicity to aquatic life. No data are available on the long-term effects of captan to plants, birds, or land animals. WATER SOLUBILITY Captan is slightly soluble in water. Concentrations of less than 1 milligram will mix with a liter of water. DISTRIBUTION AND PERSISTENCE IN THE ENVIRONMENT Captan 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. About 97% of captan will eventually end up in water; about 1.5%, respectively, will end up in terrestrial soil and aquatic sediments. 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 captan found in fish tissues is expected to be somewhat higher than the average concentration of captan in the water from which the fish was taken. SUPPORT DOCUMENT: AQUIRE Database, ERL-Duluth, U.S. EPA., Terretox.