Document LpnNJ0zjwqOqR6RZpdX2r4kv5

ELEMENTS OF INDUSTRIAL TOXICOLOGY bon may produce pulmonary edema Chronic exposures, while not necessarily irritating, may result in accumulation of fluondes in the bones See Hygienic Guide Hydrogen peroxide is a clear, waterlike, colorless liquid In a dilute form, it is wide ly used m industry as a bleaching com pound and oxidizing agent It is dangerous primarily because of its oxidizing nature, not because of its toxicity, and the 30 per cent solution is capable of causing serious burns Because of this strong oxidizing abikty, especially m concentrations exceeding 50 per cent by weight, hydrogen peroxide may cause spontaneous combustion if left in con tact with readdy oxidizable organic mate rials If hydrogen peroxide is swallowed, oxy gen may be evolved to cause acute disten tion of the esophagus or stomach, and the localized action of the chemical may cause internal bleeding See Hygienic Guide Hydrogen selenide is a colorless gas with a very disagreeable odor It is produced by the reaction of acids or water with metal selemdes or by the combination of hydrogen with selenium Its health hazard is high for both acute and chronic exposures Eye, nose, and throat irritation, followed by pneumonitis, are the results of acute exposure Chrome effects include garhckly breath, nausea, vomiting, metallic taste, dizziness, and extreme fa tigue. In experimental animals, even bnef exposures produced liver damage, weight loss, and general weakness See Hygienic Guide Hydrogen sulfide, a colorless gas having the odor of rotten eggs, is rather widely used m industry It is also commonly pro duced by the decomposition of sulfur-bear ing organic material and is often found in sewers or sewage disposal plants The gas is flammable and explosive in high concen trations so that precautions against sources of ignition should be taken. Inhalation of a high concentration of hy drogen sulfide will produce sudden poison ing--the individual falls, apparently uncon scious immediately, and may die without moving again There is a complete arrest of respiration, which can often be overcome by prompt application of artificial respira tion In less sudden poisoning, the signs may be nausea, stomach distress, belching, cough, headache, dizziness, irritation of the eyes, and blistering of the bps The notoriously bad odor of hydrogen sulfide cannot be taken as a warning sign because sensitivity to this odor disappears rapidly with the breathing of a small quan tity of the gas In regular operations en closure and a local exhaust system can be provided to keep the concentration within safe limits See Industnal Data Sheet 284 and Hy gienic Guide Hydroqtunone (1,4-benzenediol) is used as a photographic developer, antioxidant for fats and oils, stabilizer, and chemical inter mediate It presents a low health hazard for acute exposure and a moderate one for chronic exposure Hydroquinone dust has been reported to cause discolorations, lesions, and other structural changes in the cornea of workers manufacturing hydroquinone or mixing and packaging photographic developers These effects, however, appear to have resulted from unusual circumstances Animal studies show the low chronic tox icity and rapid excretion of hydroquinone Systemic effects from industrial exposure have not been reported and skin sensitiza tion from the solid and dilute alkaline solu tions appears negligible See Hygienic Guide Iodine is a purple crystalline solid, that sublimes readily even at room temperature to form a vapor which is irritating to the respiratory system mifch as is chlonne and, since it is only slightly water-soluble, it readily penetrates the lung to produce pul monary irritation and edema Iodine, however, is much more likely to cause skin untabon from painting of the skm with tincture of iodine, which is a pri mary irritant, than it is from either drink ing of the solution or inhalation of the vapor. The tincture is an excellent skin antiseptic, which must be used with cau tion, for it may cause reddening, inflamma tion, and loss of large pieces of skin, par- 40-37