Paraquat dichloride

This material is a bipyridilium compound. Procedures for bipyridilium pesticides are as follows. Small fires: dry chemical, carbon dioxide, water spray, or foam. Large fires: water spray, fog, or foam. Move container from fire area if you can do so without risk. Fight fire from maximum distance. Dike fire control water for later disposal; do not scatter the material. (EPA, 1998)

In case of fire in the surroundings, use appropriate extinguishing media.

Fresh air, rest. Refer immediately for medical attention.

Remove contaminated clothes. Rinse and then wash skin with water and soap.

Rinse with plenty of water for several minutes (remove contact lenses if easily possible). Refer immediately for medical attention.

Rinse mouth. Give one or two glasses of water to drink. Give a slurry of activated charcoal in water to drink. Refer immediately for medical attention.

Warning: Effects occur in two stages, immediate and delayed. Caution is advised. Exposure to paraquat may be fatal; there is no effective antidote.

(General first aid procedures)

(Non-Specific -- Bipyridilium Pesticide) Keep unnecessary people away; isolate hazard area and deny entry. Stay upwind; keep out of low areas. Ventilate closed spaces before entering them. Remove and isolate contaminated clothing at the site. If water pollution occurs, notify appropriate authorities. Do not touch spilled material; stop leak if you can do so without risk. Use water spray to reduce vapors.

Consult an expert! Personal protection: chemical protection suit including self-contained breathing apparatus. Do NOT let this chemical enter the environment. Collect leaking and spilled liquid in sealable containers as far as possible. Absorb remaining liquid in sand or inert absorbent. Then store and dispose of according to local regulations. Sweep spilled substance into covered sealable containers. If appropriate, moisten first to prevent dusting. Carefully collect remainder. Then store and dispose of according to local regulations.

In case of oral exposure, administer charcoal as a slurry. Consider after ingestion of a potentially life-threatening amount of poison if it can be performed soon after ingestion. The treatment is symptomatic and supportive. In case of eye exposure, irrigate exposed eyes with copious amounts of room temperature water for at least 15 minutes. In case of dermal exposure, remove contaminated clothing and jewellery. Wash the skin, including hair and nails, vigorously; do repeated soap washings. Discard contaminated clothing. (T36)

Respiratory

Eyes, skin, respiratory system, heart, liver, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract

It can cause temporary damage to nails and if swalloed, may cause nose bleeding. Long term exposures to paraquat would most likely cause lung and eye damage. Some suspect a possible link to a greater incidence of Parkinson's disease. Pancreatitis may develop in some cases of acute. Paraquat is caustic to the oral, esophageal, and gastric mucosa (T36, A545, L421).

The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation of its aerosol, through the skin and by ingestion.

inhalation, skin absorption, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact

Inhalation (T44) ; oral (T44) ; eye contat (T44) ; dermal (T44)

The mechanisms of the toxic effects of paraquat are largely the result of a metabolically catalyzed single electron oxidation reduction reaction, resulting in depletion of cellular NADPH and the generation of potentially toxic forms of oxygen such as the superoxide radical (A607). Recent studies have demonstrated paraquat cytotoxicity occurs in the mitochondria and particularly in mitochondrial-rich tissues. The mitochondrial NADH-dependent PQ reductase containing a voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1) appears to be largely responsible for paraquat cytotoxicity. When mitochondria are incubated with NADH and paraquat, the superoxide anion is produced, and the mitochondria rupture. Ruptured mitochondria lead to rapid cell death (A3102).

Cough. Sore throat. Headache. Nosebleeds.

Redness.

Redness. Burning sensation. Pain.

Sore throat. Abdominal pain. Nausea. Vomiting. Diarrhoea.

irritation eyes, skin, nose, throat, respiratory system; epistaxis (nosebleed); dermatitis; fingernail damage; irritation gastrointestinal tract; heart, liver, kidney damage

Eye or skin irritation; hypotension may develop after large ingestion; epistaxis and sore throat may develop after inhalation. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain are common (T36).

The substance is very toxic to aquatic organisms. The substance may cause long-term effects in the aquatic environment. This substance does enter the environment under normal use. Great care, however, should be taken to avoid any additional release, for example through inappropriate disposal.

Paraquat

Respiratory

4.5 x 10 ^-3 mg/kg-day

LCLo (rat) = 1 mg/m3/6H for respirable dust;

LD50: 150 mg/kg (Oral, Rat) (L1008) LD50: >480 mg/kg (Dermal, Rabbit) (L1008)