TYPES OF
HAZARD/
EXPOSURE |
ACUTE
HAZARDS/
CLINICAL SIGNS/
SYMPTOMS |
PREVENTION/
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT |
FIRST
AID/
FIRE FIGHTING |
FIRE |
Combustible. Combustion products include
nitrogen oxides. |
N/A |
Water, fog, foam, CO2.
Avoid methods that cause splashing or spreading.
|
EXPLOSION |
No immediate danger. |
N/A |
N/A |
ROUTE
OF
EXPOSURE |
Synopsis: |
Severe irritant with onset
of pain and other symptoms that may be delayed up to
24 hours.
Contact with vapor or liquid can be fatal.
|
Do not breathe fumes.
Skin contact must be avoided at all times.
STRICT HYGIENE!
|
There is no antidote for
nitrogen mustard toxicity. Decontamination of all potentially
exposed areas within minutes after exposure is the only
effective means of decreasing tissue damage.
(See Decontamination section.)
Seek medical attention immediately.
Triage procedures and medical management guidelines
- see ATSDR medical management guidelines for Nitrogen
Mustard Blister Agents. |
Inhalation: |
Delayed buildup of fluid in the lungs
(pulmonary edema) resulting in cough and shortness of
breath and possibly pneumonia.
Nausea and Vomiting. |
Pressure-demand, self-contained breathing
apparatus (SCBA) (SCBA CBRN, if available) is recommended
in response situations that involve exposure to any
amount of nitrogen mustard.
CBRN, Full Facepiece APR (when available) is recommended
in non-routine, emergency situation environments less
than IDLH but above REL or PEL levels.
(see NFPA 1994, Standard on Protective Ensembles for
Chemical or Biological Terrorism Incidents.)
|
Move patient to fresh air. Administer
oxygen and assist ventilation as required.
Seek medical attention immediately. |
Skin: |
Irritation, redness, severe burns
and blistering (a vesicant agent), deep ulceration.
Symptoms and physical findings may be delayed up to
6-12 hours following exposure to HN3. |
Butyl rubber, neoprene, nitril or
PVC gloves, Responder® CSM protective clothing including
PVC boots.
(See NFPA 1994, Standard on Protective Ensembles for
Chemical and Biological Terrorism Incidents.) |
Remove contaminated clothing and
wash exposed area thoroughly with soap and water. Contaminated
clothing can expose rescue workers through direct contact
or through off-gassing vapor.
(See Decontamination section.)
Seek medical attention immediately.
|
Eyes: |
Excessive tears (lachrymation), irritation,
redness, burns, deep ulceration, corneal damage, dilated
pupils.
Incapacitating dose for the eyes is 100 mg-min/m3.
|
Goggles or full-face respirator.
|
Immediately flush with large amounts
of tepid water for at least 15 minutes.
Seek medical attention immediately.
|
Ingestion: |
Severe irritation, burns, hemorrhagic diarrhea,
nausea, and vomiting; large doses produce neurotoxic effects
such as prolonged tremor, uncoordinated movements, ataxia,
derangement of positional reflexes, and convulsions.
|
Do not eat, drink, or smoke during work.
Wash hands before eating. |
Rinse mouth. Do not induce vomiting. If
vomiting occurs, lean patient forward or place on left
side (head-down position, if possible) to maintain open
airway and prevent aspiration.
Seek medical attention immediately.
(See ATSDR medical management guidelines for Nitrogen
Mustard Blister Agents.) |
|
OCCUPATIONAL
EXPOSURE LIMITS (OELs): |
OSHA PEL: N/A
NIOSH REL: N/A
ACGIH TLV: N/A
TLV: 0.003 mg/m3 (U.S. Military)
NIOSH IDLH: N/A |
SAMPLING
AND ANALYTICAL METHODS: |
NIOSH: N/A
OSHA: N/A |
|
DECONTAMINATION |
Patients/Victims:
Remove clothes and place contaminated clothes and personal
belongings in a sealed double bag. Decontamination of
mustard-exposed victims by either vapor or liquid should
be performed within the first two minutes following
the exposure to prevent tissue damage. If not accomplished
within the first several minutes, decontamination should
still be performed to ensure any residual liquid mustard
is removed from the skin or clothes or to ensure any
trapped mustard vapor is removed with the clothing.
Removing trapped mustard vapor will prevent vapor off-gassing
or subsequent cross-contamination of other emergency
responders/health care providers or the healthcare facility.
Physical removal of the mustard agent, rather than detoxification
or neutralization, is the most important principle in
patient decontamination. Mustard is not detoxified by
water alone and will remain in decontamination effluent
(in dilute concentrations) if hydrolysis has not taken
place.
(1) Patients exposed to vapor should be decontaminated
by removing all clothing in a clean air environment
and shampooing or rinsing the hair to prevent vapor
off-gassing.
(2) Patients exposed to liquid should be decontaminated
by –
a. Washing in warm or hot water at least three times.
Use liquid soap (dispose of container after use
and replace), large volumes of water, and mild to
moderate friction with a single-use sponge or washcloth
in the first and second washes. Scrubbing of exposed
skin with a brush is discouraged, because skin damage
may occur which may enhance absorption. The third
wash should be to rinse with large amounts of warm
or hot water. Shampoo can be used to wash the hair.
The rapid physical removal of a chemical agent is
essential. If warm or hot water is not available,
but cold water is, use cold water. Do not delay
decontamination to obtain warm water.
b. Rinsing the eyes, mucous membranes, or open wounds
with sterile saline or water.
(3) The healthcare provider should –
a. Check the casualty after the three washes to
verify adequate decontamination before allowing
entry to the medical treatment facility. If the
washes were inadequate, repeat the entire process.
b. Be prepared to stabilize conventional injuries
during the decontamination process. Careful decontamination
can be a time consuming process. The health cared
provider may have to enter the contaminated are
to treat the casualty during this process. Medical
personnel should wear the proper PPE and evaluate
the exposed workers.
(See the following for more information ATSDR
medical management guidelines Nitrogen Mustard Blister
Agents, SBCCOM
Guidelines for Mass Casualty Decontamination During
a Terrorist Chemical Agent Incident (January 2000),
and SBCCOM
Guidelines for Cold Weather Mass Decontamination During
a Terrorist Chemical Agent Incident (January 2002)
Equipment: N/A
Environment:
(See Spillage Disposal.)
NOTE: Chlorinating agents destroy nitrogen
mustards. Dry chlorinated lime and chloramines with
a high content of active chlorine vigorously chlorinate
nitrogen mustards to the carbon chain giving low toxicity
products. In the presence of water this interaction
proceeds less actively. They are rapidly oxidized by
peracids in aqueous solution at weakly alkaline pH.
In acid solution the oxidation is much slower.
|
SPILLAGE
DISPOSAL |
Small amounts: Clean
up all spills immediately. Avoid breathing vapors and
contact with skin and eyes. Control personal contact by
using protective equipment. Contain and absorb spill with
sand, earth, inert material or vermiculite. Wipe up. Place
in a suitable labeled container for waste disposal.
Large amounts: Clear area of personnel
and move upwind. Wear full body protective clothing with
breathing apparatus. Prevent, by any means available,
spillage from entering drains or water course. Contain
spill with sand, earth or vermiculite. Collect recoverable
product into sealed labeled containers for disposal. Wash
area and prevent runoff into drains. After clean up operations,
decontaminate and launder all protective clothing and
equipment before storing and re-using. If contamination
of drains or waterways occurs, advise emergency services. |
PACKAGING & LABELLING
|
UN# 2810
(Guide 153) |
Proper Shipping Name:
Toxic liquids, organic, n.o.s. |
Hazard Class: 6.1, Packing
Group I, Hazard Zone B. |
Label: Poison. |
Marking: Toxic liquids,
n.o.s. UN 2810, Inhalation Hazard |
Placard: Poison |
NFPA 704 Signal:
Health - N/A
Flammability - N/A
Reactivity - N/A
Special - 0 |
|
IMPORTANT DATA |
PHYSICAL
STATE; APPEARANCE:
Colorless to pale yellow liquid with faint odor resembling
fish and soap.
PHYSICAL DANGERS:
N/A (See Notes.)
CHEMICAL DANGERS:
Avoid contamination with oxidizing agents, e.g., nitrates,
oxidizing acids, chlorine bleaches, pool chlorine, which
may result in ignition. Heated to decomposition emits
Hydrogen Chloride and Nitrogen Oxide. Unstable in the
presence of light and heat and forms dimers at temperatures
above 50 °C. Corrosive to ferrous alloys beginning
at 65 °C. Polymerizes slowly, so munitions would
be effective for several years.
ROUTES OF EXPOSURE:
Vapor and liquid are readily absorbed by respiratory
tract, eyes and skin contact.
INHALATION RISK:
Nitrogen Mustard is a blister agent (vesicant) that
causes severe, delayed damage to the respiratory tract.
It is an alkylating agent that damages the cells within
the bone marrow that are necessary for making blood
cells.
EFFECTS OF SHORT-TERM EXPOSURE:
Extremely toxic and may damage the eyes, skin, and respiratory
tract and suppress the immune system. Although these
agents cause cellular changes within minutes of contact,
the onset of pain and other symptoms is delayed.
EFFECTS OF LONG-TERM OR REPEATED EXPOSURE:
Bone marrow suppression resulting in damage to the blood
forming (hematopoietic) system. Early signs of bone
marrow suppression include: a low white blood cell count;
an increased risk for developing infections; a tendency
for easy bruising and bleeding. May cause lymph node
damage and a weakened immune system. It also causes
liver and kidney damage, damage to the reproductive
systems of both men and women leading to decreased fertility.
It is mutagenic, toxic to the developing embryo, and
carcinogenic. |
PHYSICAL
PROPERTIES |
Melting Point: 25°F
(-3.9°C)
|
Boiling Point: 446°F
(230°C) |
Vapor Pressure (20°C):
0.0106 mm Hg |
Density (25°C): 1.2347 |
Volatility(25°C):
0.120 mg/L |
Aqueous solubility (20°C):
slightly soluble |
Aqueous solubility(25°C):
160 mg/L (sparingly soluble) |
Miscible with Dimethylformamide
(DMF), Carbon Disulfide (CS2), Carbon Tetrachloride(CCl4). |
Estimated log Kow
N/A |
Flashpoint: N/A |
Flammability: N/A |
ENVIRONMENTAL
DATA |
Hydrolysis is expected to
be a major fate process if released to either soil or
water, especially under weakly alkaline conditions. In
weakly alkaline soil medium (pH=8), hydrolysis proceeds
quickly and within 24 hours is 90-95% complete. In weakly
alkaline water medium (pH=8) hydrolysis proceeds quickly
with the loss of the first chlorine equivalent after 15
minutes, the 2nd equivalent after 4 hours, and with the
hydrolysis 90 to 95% complete after 24 hours. An estimated
Biological Concentration Factor (BCF) value of 30 suggests
that this compound will not bioconcentrate in aquatic
organisms and hydrolysis should preclude bioconcentration
from being a major fate process. If released to the atmosphere,
the chemical is expected to degrade rapidly with a half-life
of five hours. |
ACUTE
EXPOSURE
GUIDELINES (AEGLs)
|
|
10 min |
30 min |
1hr |
4 hr |
8 hr |
AEGL 1 (discomfort, non-disabling) |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
AEGL 2 (irreversible or other
serious, long-lasting effects or impaired ability
to escape) |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
AEGL 3 (life-threatening
effects or death)
|
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
NOTES |
The undiluted
liquid decomposes on standing and forms polymeric quaternary
ammonium salts which precipitate from solution. |
|
ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION |
Trade Names
and Other Synonyms:
- TL 145
- TS 160
- Nitrogen Lost
- ethanamine, 2-chloro-N,N-bis(2-chloroethyl)-
- trichlormethine
- tri-(2-chloroethyl)amine
- tris(beta-chloroethyl)amine
|
|
GLOSSARY OF ACRONYMS |
APR - Air-purifying
Respirator
CBRN - Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear
IDLH - Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health
REL - Recommended Exposure Limit
PEL - Permissible Exposure Limit
SCBA - Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus |
|
|
IMPORTANT
NOTICE: |
HN3 NITROGEN
MUSTARD (ERC555-77-1) The user should verify
compliance of the cards with the relevant STATE or TERRITORY
legislation before use. NIOSH, CDC 2003 |