Page 336 - Handbook of Hazardous Chemical Properties

326 POTASSIUM HYDROXIOE

Vaporization: Not pertinent; Heat of Combustion: Not pertinent; Heat ofDecomposition: Not pertinent.
Health Hazards Information - Recommended Personal Protective Equipment: Approved dust mask;
protective gloves; goggles or Edce shield; Symptoms Following Exposure: Highly corrosive to skin and
mucous membranes. If ingested, causes violent gastroenteritis, peripheral vascular collapse, vertigo,
muscle cramps, coma, and (later) toxic nephritis with glycosuria. Allergic reaction may also occur;
Geneml Treatment for Exposure: INGESTION: have victim drink water or milk; do NOT induce
vomiting. SKIN: treat like acid burns; external lesions may be scrubbed with 2% solution of sodium
thiosulfate; Toxicity by Inhalation (Threshold Limit Value) : Not pertinent; Bort-Tenn Exposure Limits:
Not pertinent; Tmicty by Ingestion: Grade 3;50 to 500 mg/kg (human); Late Toxicity: Some suggestion
of lung cancer; Vapor (Gas) Irritant Characteristics: Dust or mists may severe irritation of eyes and
throat and can cause eye and lung injury. They cannot be tolerated even at low concentrations; Liquid
or Solid Im'tant Characteristics: Severe skin irritant; causes second- and thirddegree burns on short
contact and is very injurious to the eyes; Odor Threshold: Not pertinent.
Fire Hazards - Flash Point : Not flammable; Flammable Limits in Air (96): Not flammable; Fire
Extinguishing Agents: Flood the spill area with water; Fire Extinguishing Agents Not to be Used: Not
pertinent; aecial Hazards of Combustion Products: Not pertinent; Behavior in Fire: May decompose,
generating oxygen and hence supports the combustion of other materials; Ignition Tempemture : Not
flammable; Electrical Hazard: Not pertinent; Buming Rate: Not pertinent.
Chemical Reactivity - Reactivity with Water: No reaction; Reactivity with Common Materiuls: Ignition
may occur when the product is in contact with finely divided combustibles, such as sawdust; Stability
During Transport: Stable; Neutralizing Agentsfor Acids and Caustics: Not pertinent; Polymerization:
Not pertinent; Inhibitor of Polymerizm'on: Not pertinent.

POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE
Chemical Designations - Synonyms: Caustic potash; Chemical Fonnula: KOH.
Observable Characteristics -Physical State (as nomlly shipped): Solid: Color: White; Odor: None.
Physical and Chemical Properties - Physical State at 15 "c and I am: Solid; Molecular Weight:
56,ll; Boiling Point at I atm: Very high; Freezing Point: 716, 380, 653; Critical Temperature: Not
pertinent; Critical Pressure: Not pertinent; Speczpc Gravity: 2,04 at 15 "C (solid); Vapor (Gas) Density:
Not pertinent; Ratio offspecific Heats of Vapor (Gbs): Not pertinent; Latent Heat of Vaporization: Not
pertinent: Heat of Combustion: Not pertinent: Heat ofDecomposition: Not pertinent.
Health Hazards Information -Recommended Personal Protective Equipment: Wide brimmed hat and
close-fitting safety goggles with rubber side; respirator for dust; long-sleeved cotton shirt or jacket with
buttoned collar and buttoned sleeves; rubber or rubber-coated canvas gloves (shift sleeves should be
buttoned over the gloves); rubber shoes or boots; cotton coveralls (with trouser cuffs worn over boots);
rubber apron.; Symptoms Following Exposure: Causes severe burn of eyes, skin, and mucous
membranes.: General Treatment for Exposure: (Act quickly!) Call a physician at once, even when
injury seems to be slight. INGESTION: give water and milk; do NOT induce vomiting. EYES: flush
with water at once for at least 15 min. SKIN: flush with water, then rinse with dilute vinegar; Toxicity
by Inhulalion (Threshold Limit Value): Not pertinent; Short-Tern Exposure Limits: Not pertinent;
Toxicity by Ingestion: Grade 3; oral rat LD, = 364 mg/kg; Late Toxicity: None; Vapor (Gas) Imkmt
characteristics: Not pertinent; Liquid or Solid Irritant Characteristics: Severe skin irritant; causes
second- and third-degree burns on short contact and is very injurious to the eyes; Odor Threshold: Not
pertinent.
Fire Hazards - Flash Point : Not flammable; Flammable Limits in Air (96): Not flammable; Fire
Extinguishing Agents: Not pertinent; Fire Extinguishing Agents Not to be Used: Not pertinent; aecial
Hazards of Combustion Products: Not pertinent; Behavior in Fire: Not pertinent; Ignition Temperature
: Not flammable; Electrical Hazard Not pertinent; Burning Rate: Not flammable.
Chemical Reactivity - Reactivity with Water: Dissolves with the liberation of much heat. Steam and
violent agitation can be observed in the reaction; Reactivio with Common Materials: When wet, this
material attacks metals such as aluminum, tin, lead, and zinc, producing flammable hydrogen gas;
Stability During Trmport: Stable; Neutralizing Agents for Acids and Caustics: Flush with water and