Section 1 - CHEMICAL PRODUCT AND COMPANY IDENTIFICATION

PRODUCT NAME

P-CHLOROPHENYL METHYL SULFOXIDE

NFPA

PRODUCT USE

Intermediate in the synthesis of the herbicide, nitralin.

SYNONYMS

C7-H7-Cl-O-S, C7-H7-Cl-O-S, "benzene, 1-chloro-4-(methylsulfinyl)-", "benzene, 1-chloro-
4-(methylsulfinyl)-", 1-chloro-4-(methylsulfinyl)benzene, 1-chloro-4-
(methylsulfinyl)benzene, "sulfoxide, p-chlorophenyl methyl-", "sulfoxide, p-
chlorophenyl methyl-", "p-chlorophenyl methyl-", "p-chlorophenyl methyl-", "methyl-4-
chlorophenyl sulfoxide", "methyl-4-chlorophenyl sulfoxide", "chlorophenyl methyl
sulfoxide"

Section 2 - HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION

CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW

RISK

Harmful if swallowed.
Irritating to eyes and skin.

POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS

ACUTE HEALTH EFFECTS

SWALLOWED

  Accidental ingestion of the material may be harmful; animal experiments indicate that ingestion of less than 150 gram may be fatal or may produce serious damage to the health of the individual.  Considered an unlikely route of entry in commercial/industrial environments.  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.  

EYE

  This material can cause eye irritation and damage in some persons.  The material may produce severe irritation to the eye causing pronounced inflammation. Repeated or prolonged exposure to irritants may produce conjunctivitis.  

SKIN

  This material can cause inflammation of the skin oncontact in some persons.  Skin contact is not thought to have harmful health effects, however the material may still produce health damage following entry through wounds, lesions or abrasions.  The material may cause severe skin irritation after prolonged or repeated exposure and may produce on contact skin redness, swelling, the production of vesicles, scaling and thickening of the skin. Repeated exposures may produce severe ulceration.  

INHALED

  The material is not thought to produce adverse health effects or irritation of the respiratory tract (as classified using animal models). Nevertheless, good hygiene practice requires that exposure be kept to a minimum and that suitable control measures be used in an occupational setting.  Persons with impaired respiratory function, airway diseases and conditions such as emphysema or chronic bronchitis, may incur further disability if excessive concentrations of particulate are inhaled.  

CHRONIC HEALTH EFFECTS

  Principal routes of exposure are usually by skin contact/absorption and inhalation of generated dust.  When fed to rodents for 28 days symptoms were similar to those produced in  acute studies. Feeding for 91 days produced emaciation, diarrhoea,  depressed weight gain, ocular and nasal discharge, depression in  haemoglobin and haematocrit levels and an increase in these values.  Pathologic effects included lesions of the liver and lung and hepatic  megalocytosis.