Judy,
Somewhere in a FAQ on the network, I came upon s whole directort
of Material Safety Data Sheets. Here's the one for Selenium, under
my signature block. Personally, I don't think a mask is essential
if you work in the open, as in mixing and weighing carefully
on a screened porch, wetting the selenium and other chemicals,
and then processing them in an area of excellent ventilation.
Typically, making selenium toner requires dissolution of powdered
selenium metal in either Sodium Sulfide to make a thioselenide
salt or in sodium sulfite to make a thioselenate salt. (This
latter is similar to the Kodak selenium toner) Either way.
you are typically boiling the solution to facilitate dissolution,
and you have vaporsm, and even worse, steam carrying particulate
selenium all over the place.
Personally, I would not do any handling of or measurement of the powder
in my house. The finished solution is no problem, but the preparation is
full of hazards, and selenium is easily absorbed by the body and
fairly toxic. Working out of doors and carefully, staying UPWIND
of the boiling flask should be fine though.
If I can find out where I got the materials info, I'll post it.
Hope this helps you.
Edward M. Lukacs, LRPS
Miami, Florida, USA
--_/_/_/_/ _/_/ _/ _/ | Edward M. Lukacs _/ _/ _/ _/_/ _/ | eml@gate.net _/_/_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ | 11286 Southwest 169 Street _/ _/ _/ _/ | Miami, Florida 33157 USA _/_/_/_/ _/ _/ _/_/_/_/ | Telephone: (95) 305-235-9098
####################### SELENIUM ####################
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ MSDS for SELENIUM Page 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 - PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PRODUCT NAME: SELENIUM FORMULA: SE FORMULA WT: 78.96 CAS NO.: 07782-49-2 NIOSH/RTECS NO.: VS7700000 COMMON SYNONYMS: ELEMENTAL SELENIUM; SELENIUM DUST; SELENIUM HOMOPOLYMER PRODUCT CODES: 3395 EFFECTIVE: 10/31/85 REVISION #01
PRECAUTIONARY LABELLING BAKER SAF-T-DATA(TM) SYSTEM
HEALTH - 3 SEVERE (LIFE) FLAMMABILITY - 0 NONE REACTIVITY - 1 SLIGHT CONTACT - 2 MODERATE HAZARD RATINGS ARE 0 TO 4 (0 = NO HAZARD; 4 = EXTREME HAZARD).
LABORATORY PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
GOGGLES; LAB COAT; VENT HOOD; PROPER GLOVES
PRECAUTIONARY LABEL STATEMENTS
POISON DANGER CAUSES IRRITATION HARMFUL IF SWALLOWED OR INHALED EXCEPTIONAL HEALTH HAZARD - READ MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET AVOID CONTACT WITH EYES, SKIN, CLOTHING. DO NOT BREATHE DUST. KEEP IN TIGHTLY CLOSED CONTAINER. USE WITH ADEQUATE VENTILATION. WASH THOROUGHLY AFTER HANDLING.
SAF-T-DATA(TM) STORAGE COLOR CODE: BLUE (HEALTH)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 - HAZARDOUS COMPONENTS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMPONENT % CAS NO.
SELENIUM 90-100 7782-49-2
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 - PHYSICAL DATA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BOILING POINT: 685 C ( 1265 F) VAPOR PRESSURE(MM HG): N/A
MELTING POINT: 144 C ( 291 F) VAPOR DENSITY(AIR=1): N/A
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ MSDS for SELENIUM Page 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 4.81 EVAPORATION RATE: N/A (H2O=1) (BUTYL ACETATE=1)
SOLUBILITY(H2O): NEGLIGIBLE (LESS THAN 0.1 %) % VOLATILES BY VOLUME: 0
APPEARANCE & ODOR: DARK GRAY TO DARK RED POWDER OR CRYSTALS.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 - FIRE AND EXPLOSION HAZARD DATA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FLASH POINT (CLOSED CUP N/A
FLAMMABLE LIMITS: UPPER - N/A % LOWER - N/A %
FIRE EXTINGUISHING MEDIA USE EXTINGUISHING MEDIA APPROPRIATE FOR SURROUNDING FIRE.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 - HEALTH HAZARD DATA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THRESHOLD LIMIT VALUE (TLV/TWA): 0.2 MG/M3 ( PPM)
PERMISSIBLE EXPOSURE LIMIT (PEL): 0.2 MG/M3 ( PPM)
TOXICITY: LD50 (ORAL-RAT)(MG/KG) - 6700 LD50 (IV-RAT) (MG/KG) - 6
CARCINOGENICITY: NTP: NO IARC: NO Z LIST: NO OSHA REG: NO
EFFECTS OF OVEREXPOSURE DUST MAY IRRITATE SKIN OR EYES. DUST MAY IRRITATE NOSE AND THROAT. PROLONGED EXPOSURE MAY CAUSE DERMATITIS. INGESTION MAY CAUSE NAUSEA, VOMITING, HEADACHES, DIZZINESS, GASTROINTESTINAL IRRITATION.
TARGET ORGANS UPPER RESPIRATORY SYSTEM, EYES, SKIN, LIVER, KIDNEYS, BLOOD
MEDICAL CONDITIONS GENERALLY AGGRAVATED BY EXPOSURE NONE IDENTIFIED
ROUTES OF ENTRY INHALATION, ABSORPTION, INGESTION, EYE CONTACT, SKIN CONTACT
EMERGENCY AND FIRST AID PROCEDURES CALL A PHYSICIAN. IF SWALLOWED, IF CONSCIOUS, IMMEDIATELY INDUCE VOMITING. IF INHALED, REMOVE TO FRESH AIR. IF NOT BREATHING, GIVE ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION. IF BREATHING IS DIFFICULT, GIVE OXYGEN. IN CASE OF CONTACT, IMMEDIATELY FLUSH EYES WITH PLENTY OF WATER FOR AT LEAST 15 MINUTES. FLUSH SKIN WITH WATER.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6 - REACTIVITY DATA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ MSDS for SELENIUM Page 3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ STABILITY: STABLE HAZARDOUS POLYMERIZATION: WILL NOT OCCUR
INCOMPATIBLES: STRONG ACIDS, STRONG OXIDIZING AGENTS, MOST COMMON METALS
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7 - SPILL AND DISPOSAL PROCEDURES ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STEPS TO BE TAKEN IN THE EVENT OF A SPILL OR DISCHARGE WEAR SELF-CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS AND FULL PROTECTIVE CLOTHING. WITH CLEAN SHOVEL, CAREFULLY PLACE MATERIAL INTO CLEAN, DRY CONTAINER AND COVER; REMOVE FROM AREA. FLUSH SPILL AREA WITH WATER.
DISPOSAL PROCEDURE DISPOSE IN ACCORDANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS.
EPA HAZARDOUS WASTE NUMBER: D010 (EP TOXIC WASTE)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8 - PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VENTILATION: USE GENERAL OR LOCAL EXHAUST VENTILATION TO MEET TLV REQUIREMENTS.
RESPIRATORY PROTECTION: A RESPIRATOR WITH DUST/MIST FILTER IS RECOMMENDED. IF AIRBORNE CONCENTRATION EXCEEDS TLV, A SELF- CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS IS ADVISED.
EYE/SKIN PROTECTION: SAFETY GOGGLES, UNIFORM, APRON, RUBBER GLOVES ARE RECOMMENDED.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9 - STORAGE AND HANDLING PRECAUTIONS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SAF-T-DATA(TM) STORAGE COLOR CODE: BLUE (HEALTH)
SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS KEEP CONTAINER TIGHTLY CLOSED. STORE IN SECURE POISON AREA.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 10 - TRANSPORTATION DATA AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DOMESTIC (D.O.T.)
PROPER SHIPPING NAME POISON B SOLID, N.O.S. (SELENIUM) HAZARD CLASS POISON B
LABELS POISON REPORTABLE QUANTITY 100 LBS.
INTERNATIONAL (I.M.O.)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ MSDS for SELENIUM Page 4 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ PROPER SHIPPING NAME SELENIUM METAL POWDER, NON-PYROPHORIC HAZARD CLASS 6.1 UN/NA UN2658 LABELS HARMFUL - STOW AWAY FROM FOOD STUFFS