Section 1 - CHEMICAL PRODUCT AND COMPANY IDENTIFICATION

PRODUCT NAME

WETTING AGENT NI Y-19

NFPA

PRODUCT USE

Used in electroplating processes.

SYNONYMS

"Atotech Taiwan", "SAP 1667910", 3186.2

Section 2 - HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION

CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS

None

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW

RISK

POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS

ACUTE HEALTH EFFECTS

SWALLOWED

  The material has NOT been classified as "harmful by ingestion". This is because of the lack of corroborating animal or human evidence. The material may still be damaging to the health of the individual, following ingestion, especially where pre-existing organ (e.g. liver, kidney) damage is evident. Present definitions of harmful or toxic substances are generally based on doses producing mortality (death) rather than those producing morbidity (disease, ill-health). Gastrointestinal tract discomfort may produce nausea and vomiting. In an occupational setting however, unintentional ingestion is not thought to be cause for concern.  Ingestion of formaldehyde may cause immediate severe abdominal pain, with vomiting, nausea, diarrhoea, anuria, dizziness, followed by unconsciousness, convulsions and may result in death.  The methanol stabiliser in solutions is a cause of visual impairment and possible permanent blindness.  

EYE

  Although the liquid is not thought to be an irritant, direct contact with the eye may produce transient discomfort characterized by tearing or conjunctival redness (as with windburn).  

SKIN

  The material is not thought to produce adverse health effects or skin irritation following contact (as classified using animal models). Nevertheless, good hygiene practice requires that exposure be kept to a minimum and that suitable gloves be used in an occupational setting.  Minor regular skin contact with formaldehyde results in hardening of skin - tanning.  Formaldehyde is a sensitising agent capable of inducing contact dermatitis. Episodes of contact dermatitis have been observed amongst workers exposed to formaldehyde in hospitals, in the production of formaldehyde resins, textiles, shampoos and laminated furniture. Contact urticaria has also been reported as a result of dermal exposure.  

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.  Inhalation of vapour at relatively low concentrations may cause a tingling sensation in the nose and upper respiratory tract. Slightly higher concentrations may cause a burning sensation, headache.High vapour concentrations of formaldehyde are capable of causing chest constriction, bronchiopneumonia, dysphagia, oedema, spasms of the larynx and dyspnoea.  

CHRONIC HEALTH EFFECTS

  There is limited evidence that, skin contact with this product is more likely to cause a sensitization reaction in some persons compared to the general population.  When administered by inhalation, formaldehyde induced squamous cell carcinomas of the nasal cavity in rats of both sexes. Although excess occurrence of a number of cancers has been reported in humans, the evidence for a possible involvement of formaldehyde is strongest for nasal and nasopharangeal cancer. The occurrence of these cancers showed an exposure-response gradient in more than one study, but the numbers of exposed cases were often small and some studies did not show excesses In humans. Formaldehyde exposure has been associated with cancers of the lung, nasopharynx and oropharynx and nasal passages.  Several investigations have concluded that specific respiratory sensitisation occurs based on positive bronchial provocation tests amongst formaldehyde-exposed workers. These studies have been criticised for methodological reasons. One large study however revealed that 5% of persons exposed to formaldehyde and had asthma-like symptoms met the study criteria for formaldehyde-induced asthma; this included a positive response on a bronchial provocation test with 2.5 mg/m3 formaldehyde. Although differential individual sensitivity has been established, the mechanism for this increased sensitivity is unknown.  There is limited evidence that formaldehyde has any adverse effect on reproduction or development in humans. An investigation of reproductive function in female workers exposed to formaldehyde in the garment industry, revealed an increased incidence of menstrual disorders, inflammatory disease of the reproductive tract, sterility, anaemia, and low birth weights amongst off-spring.  Repeated skin contact with some sulfonated surfactants has produced sensitization dermatitis in predisposed individuals.