Section 1 - CHEMICAL PRODUCT AND COMPANY IDENTIFICATION

PRODUCT NAME

NAPHTHA PETROLEUM, HEAVY, HYDRODESULFURISED

NFPA

PRODUCT USE

Used in dry cleaning, paints, polishes; as general purpose cleaning solvent.

SYNONYMS

"hydrodesulfurized/ hydrodesulphurized/ hydrodesulphurized naphtha", "Stoddard solvent",
"white spirits", "hydrocarbon solvent", "mineral spirit", "mineral spirits", "low
aromatic white spirit", "Dry Cleaning Solvent"

Section 2 - HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION

CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW

RISK

HARMFUL - May cause lung damage if swallowed.
Flammable.
Repeated exposure may cause skin dryness and cracking.
Vapors may cause dizziness or suffocation.
Toxic to aquatic organisms, may cause long- term adverse effects in the aquatic
environment.

POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS

ACUTE HEALTH EFFECTS

SWALLOWED

  Swallowing of the liquid may cause aspiration into the lungs with the risk of chemical pneumonitis; serious consequences may result. (ICSC13733).  Accidental ingestion of the material may be damaging to the health of the individual.  Ingestion of petroleum hydrocarbons can irritate the pharynx, esophagus, stomach and small intestine, and cause swellings and ulcers of the mucous. Symptoms include a burning mouth and throat; larger amounts can cause nausea and vomiting, narcosis, weakness, dizziness, slow and shallow breathing, abdominal swelling, unconsciousness and convulsions. Damage to the heart muscle can produce heart beat irregularities, ventricular fibrillation (fatal) and ECG changes. The central nervous system can be depressed. Light species can cause a sharp tingling of the tongue and cause loss of sensation there. Aspiration can cause cough, gagging, pneumonia with swelling and bleeding.  

EYE

  There is some evidence to suggest that this material can causeeye irritation and damage in some persons.  Direct eye contact with petroleum hydrocarbons can be painful, and the corneal epithelium may be temporarily damaged. Aromatic species can cause irritation and excessive tear secretion.  The liquid produces a high level of eye discomfort and is capable of causing pain and severe conjunctivitis. Corneal injury may develop, with possible permanent impairment of vision, if not promptly and adequately treated.  There is evidence that material may produce eye irritation in some persons and produce eye damage 24 hours or more after instillation. Severe inflammation may be expected with pain. There may be damage to the cornea. Unless treatment is prompt and adequate there may be permanent loss of vision. Conjunctivitis can occur following repeated exposure.  

SKIN

  Skin contact with the material may damage the health of the individual; systemic effects may result following absorption.  Repeated exposure may cause skin cracking, flaking or drying following normal handling and use.  The liquid may be miscible with fats or oils and may degrease the skin, producing a skin reaction described as non-allergic contact dermatitis. The material is unlikely to produce an irritant dermatitis as described in EC Directives .  The material may accentuate any pre-existing dermatitis condition.  Entry into the blood-stream, through, for example, cuts, abrasions or lesions, may produce systemic injury with harmful effects. Examine the skin prior to the use of the material and ensure that any external damage is suitably protected.  Skin contact with the material may be harmful; systemic effects may resultfollowing absorption.  Aromatic hydrocarbons may produce sensitivity and redness of the skin. They are not likely to be absorbed into the body through the skin but branched species are more likely to.  The material may cause moderate inflammation of the skin either following direct contact or after a delay of some time. Repeated exposure can cause contact dermatitis which is characterized by redness, swelling and blistering.  

INHALED

  Inhalation may produce health damage*.  Inhalation of vapours may cause drowsiness and dizziness. This may be accompanied by narcosis, reduced alertness, loss of reflexes, lack of coordination and vertigo.  There is some evidence to suggest that the material can cause respiratory irritation in some persons. The body's response to such irritation can cause further lung damage.  Inhaling high concentrations of mixed hydrocarbons can cause narcosis, with nausea, vomiting and lightheadedness. Low molecular weight (C2-C12) hydrocarbons can irritate mucous membranes and cause incoordination, giddiness, nausea, vertigo, confusion, headache, appetite loss, drowsiness, tremors and stupor. Massive exposures can lead to severe central nervous system depression, deep coma and death. Convulsions can occur due to brain irritation and/or lack of oxygen. Permanent scarring may occur, with epileptic seizures and brain bleeds occurring months after exposure. Respiratory system effects include inflammation of the lungs with edema and bleeding. Lighter species mainly cause kidney and nerve damage; the heavier paraffins and olefins are especially irritant to the respiratory system. Alkenes produce pulmonary edema at high concentrations. Liquid paraffins may produce sensation loss and depressant actions leading to weakness, dizziness, slow and shallow respiration, unconsciousness, convulsions and death. C5-7 paraffins may also produce multiple nerve damage. Aromatic hydrocarbons accumulate in lipid rich tissues (typically the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves) and may produce functional impairment manifested by nonspecific symptoms such as nausea, weakness,  fatigue, vertigo; severe exposures may produce inebriation or unconsciousness. Many of the petroleum hydrocarbons can sensitize the heart and may cause ventricular fibrillation,  leading to death.  Central nervous system (CNS) depression may include general discomfort, symptoms of giddiness, headache, dizziness, nausea, anaesthetic effects, slowed reaction time, slurred speech and may progress to unconsciousness. Serious poisonings may result in respiratory depression and may be fatal.  Inhalation of high concentrations of gas/vapor causes lung irritation with coughing and nausea, central nervous depression with headache and dizziness, slowing of reflexes, fatigue and inco-ordination.  If exposure to highly concentrated solvent atmosphere is prolonged this may lead to narcosis, unconsciousness, even coma and possible death.  Headache, fatigue, lassitude, irritability and gastrointestinal disturbances (e.g., nausea, anorexia and flatulence) are the most common symptoms of xylene overexposure. Injury to the heart, liver, kidneys and nervous system has also been noted amongst workers. Transient memory loss, renal impairment, temporary confusion and some evidence of disturbance of liver function was reported in three workers overcome by gross exposure to xylene (10000 ppm). One worker died and autopsy revealed pulmonary congestion, oedema and focal alveolar haemorrhage. Volunteers inhaling xylene at 100 ppm for 5 to 6 hours showed changes in manual coordination reaction time and slight ataxia. Tolerance developed during the workweek but was lost over the weekend. Physical exercise may antagonise this effect. Xylene body burden in humans exposed to 100 or 200 ppm xylene in air depends on the amount of body fat with 4% to 8% of total absorbed xylene accumulating in adipose tissue.  Xylene is a central nervous system depressant.  Exposure to white spirit, in a controlled inhalation study using volunteers either at rest or during exercise, (1000 or 2500 mg/m3 for 30 minutes) produced a linear relationship between alveolar and arterial concentrations of the individual solvent components. Pulmonary absorption of the aliphatics ranged from 46-59%, whilst that of aromatic ranged from 58-70%. Although systemic absorption was greater during exercise, the proportion of circulating aliphatic to aromatic components decreased with increased activity. Exposure to 2500 - 5000 mg/m3 produces nausea and vertigo.  Inhalation of aerosols (mists, fumes), generated by the material during the course of normal handling, may be harmful.  

CHRONIC HEALTH EFFECTS

  Prolonged or repeated skin contact may cause drying with cracking,irritation and possible dermatitis following.  Limited evidence suggests that repeated or long-term occupational exposure may produce cumulative health effects involving organs or biochemical systems.  There is some evidence that human exposure to the material may result in developmental toxicity. This evidence is based on animal studies where effects have been observed in the absence of marked maternal toxicity, or at around the same dose levels as other toxic effects but which are not secondary non-specific consequences of the other toxic effects.  Constant or exposure over long periods to mixed hydrocarbons may produce stupor with dizziness, weakness and visual disturbance, weight loss and anemia, and reduced liver and kidney function. Skin exposure may result in drying and cracking and redness of the skin. Chronic exposure to lighter hydrocarbons can cause nerve damage, peripheral neuropathy, bone marrow dysfunction and psychiatric disorders as well as damage the liver and kidneys.  Follicular dermatitis may develop rapidly on repeated immersion of the hands and forearms in white spirits. A Belgian report, produced in 1958, described sub-chronic toxicity amongst workers exposed to white spirit (83% paraffins, 17% aromatics) over a 4 month period. These workers complained of nausea and vomiting and one developed aplastic anaemia; bone marrow depression was confirmed. This employee died several months later as a result of septicaemia. Bone marrow depression, associated with human exposure, might be explained by the presence of myelotoxic compounds, the most notable being benzene.  There has been concern that this material can cause cancer or mutations, but there is not enough data to make an assessment.  Prolonged or repeated contact with xylenes may cause defatting dermatitis with drying and cracking. Chronic inhalation of xylenes has been associated with central nervous system effects, loss of appetite, nausea, ringing in the ears, irritability, thirst anaemia, mucosal bleeding, enlarged liver and hyperplasia. Exposure may produce kidney and liver damage. In chronic occupational exposure, xylene (usually mix ed with other solvents) has produced irreversible damage to the central nervous system and ototoxicity (damages hearing and increases sensitivity to noise), probably due to neurotoxic mechanisms.  Industrial workers exposed to xylene with a maximum level of ethyl benzene of 0.06 mg/l (14 ppm) reported headaches and irritability and tired quickly. Functional nervous system disturbances were found in some workers employed for over 7 years whilst other workers had enlarged livers.  Xylene has been classed as a developmental toxin in some jurisdictions.  Small excess risks of spontaneous abortion and congenital malformation were reported amongst women exposed to xylene in the first trimester of pregnancy. In all cases, however, the women were also been exposed to other substances. Evaluation of workers chronically exposed to xylene has demonstrated lack of genotoxicity. Exposure to xylene has been associated with increased risks of haemopoietic malignancies but, again, simultaneous exposure to other substances (including benzene) complicates the picture. A long-term gavage study to mixed xylenes (containing 17% ethyl benzene) found no evidence of carcinogenic activity in rats and mice of either sex.  Exposure to the material for prolonged periods may cause physical defects in the developing embryo (teratogenesis).  Chronic solvent inhalation exposures may result in nervous system impairment and liver and blood changes. [PATTYS].