Section 1 - CHEMICAL PRODUCT AND COMPANY IDENTIFICATION

PRODUCT NAME

MAGNESIUM PERCHLORATE

NFPA

PRODUCT USE

As a drying agent for gases. The article of commerce may contain an amount of water
equivalent to a dihydrate, but even the trihydrate is said to be effective for drying
gases.

SYNONYMS

Mg-Cl2-O8, Mg(ClO4)2, anhydrone, dehydrite, "perchloric acid, magnesium salt"

Section 2 - HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION

CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW

RISK

Contact with combustible material may cause fire.
Reacts violently with water.
Irritating to eyes.

POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS

ACUTE HEALTH EFFECTS

SWALLOWED

  Accidental ingestion of the material may be damaging to the health of the individual.  Symptoms of exposure to perchlorates include shortness of breath, difficulty breathing and a bluish discoloration of the skin. The effects may be delayed for several hours following exposure. Nausea, vomiting, rashes, fever may occur; there may be anemia (which can be fatal), loss of platelets and white blood cells.  Nausea and vomiting are almost always apparent after chlorate poisonings usually with upper stomach pain. Diarrhea may also occur. Chlorates are poisonous to the kidney and this can cause death. Healing can be slow and kidney symptoms last weeks. Often there is severe blood cell damage.  Magnesium salts are generally absorbed so slowly that oral administration causes few toxic effects, as the dose is readily expelled via the bowel. If evacuation fails, mucosal irritation and absorption may result. This can result in nervous system depression, heart effects, loss of reflexes and death due to paralysis of breathing. These usually do not occur unless the bowel or kidneys are damaged.  

EYE

  This material can cause eye irritation and damage in some persons.  

SKIN

  Skin contact with the material may damage the health of the individual; systemic effects may result following absorption.  There is some evidence to suggest that this material can cause inflammation of the skin on contact in some persons.  Open cuts, abraded or irritated skin should not be exposed to this material.  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.  

INHALED

  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.  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

  Limited evidence suggests that repeated or long-term occupational exposure may produce cumulative health effects involving organs or biochemical systems.  Based on experience with animal studies, there is a possibility that exposure to the material may result in toxic effects to the development of the fetus, at levels which do not cause significant toxic effects to the mother.  Long term exposure to high dust concentrations may cause changes in lung function i.e. pneumoconiosis; caused by particles less than 0.5 micron penetrating and remaining in the lung. Prime symptom is breathlessness; lung shadows show on X-ray.  Perchlorates may affect the use of iodine by the thyroid gland and chronic exposures may result in symptoms of thyroid dysfunction such as goiter.