CHM 235L SDS tutorial

what is the Recommended Exposure Limit in the United States ? 10, 20, 40, or 80 ppm.

20 ppm

What material should protective gloves be made of?

Butyl rubber

Safety data sheets (SDSs) are invaluable resources for anyone using a chemical. A safety data sheet is required for all shippers of chemicals to include with the material. Though content may vary between manufacturers, SDSs are required to be in a particular format of sixteen sections, each containing a particular type of information (firefighting measures, physical properties, etc). This information is useful in preparing to work with the chemical, preparing a risk assessment, and drafting emergency procedures should something unexpected happen while handling the chemical. Any business in the United States must maintain a library of SDSs for chemicals used in that business, usually found in a "Right to Know" station somewhere in the workplace. In this module, you will get some practice reviewing a SDS and using the information therein to answer questions. When do you think you should use an SDS? A) before working with a chemical for the first time B) After a co-worker has had a minor chemical exposure C) When preparing a risk assessment for an unfamiliar procedure D) All of the above

D) All of the above

What is the signal word for this chemical?

Danger

What does the acronym IDLH stand for?

Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health

The composition of the chemical (or mixture) are given in section 3 of the SDS. Any chemical present in a mixture must be represented in this section with its relative quantity. Identifying codes (CAS numbers, etc) for each component are usually provided. In this section you may also see formula, molecular weight and hazard statements for each component. How many chemicals are present in this product? 1, 2, 3, or 4?

1

Section 1 includes the manufacturer's contact information for general inquiries, emergency contact information, and identification information (synonyms, CAS numbers, etc). What number should you call for general information about this chemical? (flagstaff, AZ)

928 523 7288

Emergency response information is found in the fourth and fifth sections. Should you or anyone near you be exposed to this chemical (based on information found later in section 8), this section includes appropriate first aid responses and also includes information for medical professionals. Section 5 includes firefighting measures information for both the end user and for firefighters. This includes the preferred methods of extinguishment. What is the proper way to extinguish an acetonitrile fire?

Carbon dioxide, extinguishing powder, or water spray

Based on the pictograms in the acetonitrile SDS, what are some the the hazards associated with this chemical?

EVERYTHING I PUT WAS MARKED WRONG OVERTIME. THERE IS NO ANSWER. BEST GUESS: FLAMMABLE & TOXIC

Hazard and precaution statements must appear on both the SDS and labels attached by the chemical manufacturer. The SDS also includes "signal words" to communicate the danger of working with the chemical. The two signal words are Warning and Danger, where Danger connotes an increased risk over Warning. This section may also include the NFPA and/or HMIS code. These codes communicate hazards in three categories (Health, Flammability, and Reactivity), with the level of hazard ranked from 0 to 4, where 4 is the most hazardous. Which hazard statement corresponds to the statement "Causes serious eye irritation"?

H319

Section 10 covers stability and reactivity. If a chemical can detonate under standard conditions, that information will be presented here. Incompatible chemicals will also be listed here, which is useful in determining chemical storage conditions. Hazardous decomposition products are also listed and will inform the user about what precautions should be taken in the event of decomposition. What decomposition products are expected from this chemical (pick all correct answers)?

Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) Corbin monoxide and carbon dioxide nitrogen oxide

Toxicological information regarding consequences of exposure are given in section 11. Carcinogenicity, reproductive hazards, as well as lethal dose characteristics can be found here. Hazards are presented as both acute toxicity as well as long-term health hazards. Lethal doses are expressed as LD50 values. The LD50 is the dose required to cause death to 50% of the sample population. For example, the dermal LD50 for this chemical in regards to rabbits is 980 mg/kg of rabbit. At this dose, half of the rabbits in the test population died. If a substance is or is not likely carcinogenic, that data will be provided as well as references should the user decide to follow up on the SDS and consult the literature. What is the oral LD50 for this chemical?

2460 ppm

What is the HMIS code rating or this chemical's flammability? 1, 2, 3, or 4

3

What is the flash point for acetonitrile according to the SDS? 5, 15, 25, or 35 deg celcius

5 deg celcius

What is the chemical abstracts service number for this chemical?

75-05-8

Is it appropriate to dump excess quantities of reagent down the drain?

Acetonitrile should never be poured down the drain

Section 14 is applicable to transportation of this chemical. This section will provide information on shipping methods, codes and packaging requirements for shipping any amount of this material. Consult with your supervisor on the appropriate procedure if your job requires you to ship chemicals. Regulatory information and other additional information regarding a chemical is found in the last two sections of a SDS. There are a number of regulatory entities governing the safe use of chemicals. California's Proposition 65 is one that you may be familiar with. If any component of a chemical or mixture of chemicals is subject to regulation, that information will be found here. Section 16 covers additional information that the SDS preparer has decided should be included in the SDS. It is not uncommon to find full-text versions of hazard statements and/or explanations of acronyms used in this section. What national regulatory systems have listed the chemical represented in this SDS?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency / Toxic Substance Control Act / Chemical Substance Inventory

Physical and chemical properties are summarized in section 9. This includes data on the melting/boiling point, appearance, odor, explosive limits, flash point and any other characteristic that the SDS preparer thought prudent to include. It is wise to consult this section in assessing how this chemical may behave under various conditions. This can also provide clues as to whether a reagent has gone bad. For example, if a reagent is described as a "free-flowing white powder" in the SDS, but the bottle contains an amorphous mass that must be chipped out with a spatula, one may want to consider purchasing fresh stock. What is the definition of autoignition temperature?

The lowest temperature at which a substance ignites under normal atmosphere without an external source of ignition.

The section on exposure controls/personal protection holds information necessary to an informed safety assessment about a given chemical. It is in this section where you will find exposure limit values and recommended PPE (personal protective equipment) based on your anticipated chemical exposure. A number of acronyms may be encountered in this section; the PEL, REL, TWA and IDLH values should be immediately identified if present. Though maximum values for each acronym are given, it is ideal to keep your chemical exposure to the minimum reasonable amount possible. Future safety research into these chemicals may result in the recommended exposure limits being decreased. You will consult this section when deciding which PPE is prudent for the work you will be doing. If a blast shield is recommended, you will find that information here. The same holds true for respirators, coats, gloves, faceshields, or any other personal protective equipment that should be used. When should a respirator be used with this chemical? A) Never, acetonitrile is not a health hazard and is unlikely to be inhaled. B) When high concentrations are present and/or as a backup to engineering controls C) At all times D) only when mixing with other reagents

When high concentrations are present

Sections 6 and 7 cover information on how to store, handle, and clean up spills. Some chemicals are fairly easy to clean up, and some present significant hazards. While some chemicals may be mopped up and washed into the drain with copious amounts of water (nonhazardous solutions of salt), others need to be packed separately and disposed of as hazardous waste, including any absorbents used to clean up the spill. Some chemicals present such a significant hazard that depending on the size of the spill, the appropriate response is immediate evacuation (for a specific example, research the "Bhopal Disaster" and the SDS for methyl isocyanate). You must be familiar with this section before attempting to work with a chemical or deal with a chemical spill. Similarly, the storage conditions listed in section 7 are extremely important when one is considering how to store excess reagent. Chemicals are typically stored by hazard class; oxidizers go with oxidizers, acids go with acids and so forth. The storage of incompatible chemicals together can lead to extremely hazardous conditions and/or fires, so one must be careful to store incompatible chemicals separately. What is the recommended method of cleaning up an acetonitrile spill?

absorb with liquid binding material (sand, diatomite, acid binders, universal binders, sawdust) and dispose of hazardous waste

Is this chemical a carcinogen?

it does not appear to be

True or False: This chemical is stable under recommended storage conditions.

true

true or False: It is unsafe to store this chemical with alkali metals like sodium or potassium.

true

Hazards regarding persistence in the environment and danger to the environment are given in section 12. This section provides data on toxicity to fish, toxicity to invertebrates, biodegradability, bioaccumulation and soil mobility. This data is helpful when considering disposal of excess or old samples of this chemical.Appropriate disposal of these samples is given in section 13. It is important to be familiar with how you will dispose of the chemical before you start work to avoid environmental contamination or inappropriate mixing of waste streams. What is the recommended cleaning agent for this chemical?

water