Section 1 - CHEMICAL PRODUCT AND COMPANY IDENTIFICATION

PRODUCT NAME

HEXAMETHYLENEDIAMINE

NFPA

PRODUCT USE

Intermediate in the manufacture of nylon. Also used as a spacer in affinity
chromatography. Intermediate

SYNONYMS

C6-H16-N2, NH2-(CH2)6-NH2, HMDA, "hexane, 1, 6-diamino-", "hexane, 1, 6-diamino-", "1,
6-diaminohexane", "1, 6-diaminohexane", "1, 6-hexamethylenediamine", "1, 6-
hexamethylenediamine", "1, 6-hexanediamine", "1, 6-hexanediamine", "hexamethylene
diamine", NCI-61405, alkylamine

Section 2 - HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION

CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW

RISK

Causes burns.
Risk of serious damage to eyes.
Harmful in contact with skin and if swallowed.

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.  The material can produce chemical burns within the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract following ingestion.  Amines without benzene rings when swallowed are absorbed throughout the gut. Corrosive action may cause damage throughout the gastrointestinal tract. They are removed through the liver, kidney and intestinal mucosa by enzyme breakdown.  

EYE

  The material can produce chemical burns to the eye following direct contact. Vapors or mists may be extremely irritating.  If applied to the eyes, this material causes severe eye damage.  

SKIN

  Skin contact with the material may be harmful; systemic effects may resultfollowing absorption.  The material can produce chemical burns following direct contactwith the skin.  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.  Contact with a 25% aqueous solution, for 24 hours, produced irreversible damage to rabbit skin. When applied to the intact shaved skin , 0.05 ml of HMDA produced severe necrosis within an hour. Aqueous solutions (6% and 10%) applied to intact shaved guinea pig skin for 24 hours produced severe skin damage. No irritation was evident when the skin was washed within a minute of the application. After daily applications for 12 to 15 days of a 50% ethanol/ HMDA solution to rabbit skin, weight losses were reported and a single animal exhibited paralysis of the posterior extremities.  No irritation or sensitisation was observed when a 2% aqueous solution was applied to skin in a standard Draize test.  

INHALED

  If inhaled, this material can irritate the throat andlungs of some persons.  Inhalation of vapors or aerosols (mists, fumes), generated by the material during the course of normal handling, may produce serious damage to the health of the individual.  Inhalation of amine vapors may cause irritation of the mucous membrane of the nose and throat, and lung irritation with respiratory distress and cough. Swelling and inflammation of the respiratory tract is seen in serious cases; with headache, nausea, faintness and anxiety There may also be wheezing.  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.  Conjunctival and upper respiratory tract irritation has been reported at several plants where workers were exposed to HMDA at concentrations of 7 to 28 ppm. There is anecdotal information suggesting that HMDA may be an allergen although animal tests have proved negative.  Following two 6-hour exposures to 10000 mg/m3 2 of 8 rabbits died. Survivors showed nose irritation, respiratory difficulty and lethargy. Necroscopy revealed evidence of lung congestion, peribronchiolar inflammation, areas of haemorrhage and oedema of the lung, and vacuolation of the kidney tubules. Eleven 6-hour exposures to 5000 mg/m3 by rats caused nose and lung irritation, reduced weight gain and lethargy. Necroscopy revealed petechial haemorrhage and inflammation of the lung.  

CHRONIC HEALTH EFFECTS

  Repeated or prolonged exposure to corrosives may result in the erosion of teeth, inflammatory and ulcerative changes in the mouth and necrosis (rarely) of the jaw. Bronchial irritation, with cough, and frequent attacks of bronchial pneumonia may ensue. Gastrointestinal disturbances may also occur. Chronic exposures may result in dermatitis and/or conjunctivitis.  Limited evidence suggests that repeated or long-term occupational exposure may produce cumulative health effects involving organs or biochemical systems.  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.  Maternally toxic doses of HMDA, given orally on day 7 through day 16 of gestation, produced foetotoxicity as evidenced by retarded weight gain and skeletal development (184 mg/kg doses level). No evidence for a teratogenic response was observed at levels up to 300 mg/kg.