Calcium nitrate

Excerpt from ERG Guide 140 [Oxidizers]:

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

Fresh air, rest.

First rinse with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes, then remove contaminated clothes and rinse again.

First rinse with plenty of water for several minutes (remove contact lenses if easily possible), then refer for medical attention.

Rinse mouth. Give one or two glasses of water to drink. Refer for medical attention .

· CALL 911. Then call emergency response telephone number on shipping paper. If shipping paper not available or no answer, refer to appropriate telephone number listed on the inside back cover.

· Keep combustibles (wood, paper, oil, etc.) away from spilled material.

EYES or SKIN: flush with water and seek medical assistance. (USCG, 1999)

General First Aid:

If material on fire or involved in fire: Flood with water. Cool all affected containers with flooding quantities of water. Apply water from as far a distance as possible.

Evacuation: If fire becomes uncontrollable - consider evacuation of one-half (1/2) mile radius.

SRP: At the time of review, criteria for land treatment or burial (sanitary landfill) disposal practices are subject to significant revision. Prior to implementing land disposal of waste residue (including waste sludge), consult with environmental regulatory agencies for guidance on acceptable disposal practices.

PROCESSES EMPLOYING CALCIUM NITRATE SHOULD BE MECHANIZED TO GREATEST POSSIBLE EXTENT. EXHAUST VENTILATION SHOULD BE INSTALLED TO COLLECT AIRBORNE DUST ...

If material not on fire and not involved in fire: Keep sparks, flames, and other sources of ignition away. Keep material out of water sources and sewers.

Personnel protection: ... Do not handle broken packages unless wearing appropriate personal protective equipment. Wash away any material which may have contacted the body with copious amounts of water or soap and water.

SRP: Local exhaust ventilation should be applied wherever there is an incidence of point source emissions or dispersion of regulated contaminants in the work area. Ventilation control of the contaminant as close to its point of generation is both the most economical and safest method to minimize personnel exposure to airborne contaminants.

Methemoglobinemia can be treated with supplemental oxygen and methylene blue 1% solution administered intravenously slowly over five minutes followed by IV flush with normal saline. Methylene blue restores the iron in hemoglobin to its normal (reduced) oxygen-carrying state. (L1613)

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

Oral (L1137) ; inhalation (L1137)

Nitrate's toxicity is a result of it's conversion to nitrite once in the body. Nitrite causes the autocatalytic oxidation of oxyhemoglobin to hydrogen peroxide and methemoglobin. This elevation of methemoglobin levels is a condition known as methemoglobinemia, and is characterized by tissue hypoxia, as methemoglobin cannot bind oxygen. (A2450, L1613)

Cough. Sore throat.

Redness.

Abdominal pain. Blue lips, fingernails and skin. Confusion. Convulsions. Dizziness. Headache. Nausea. Unconsciousness.

Nitrate and nitrite poisoning causes methemoglobinemia. Symptoms include cyanosis, cardiac dysrhythmias and circulatory failure, and progressive central nervous system (CNS) effects. CNS effects can range from mild dizziness and lethargy to coma and convulsions. (L1137)

CALCIUM NITRATE APPLIED AT 0.001 MOLAR...IN ISOTONIC NACL.../TO EYE/ CAUSES NO DISCOMFORT OR DISTURBANCE OTHER THAN THAT IT CURDLES PRECORNEAL TEAR FILM IN MANNER SIMILAR TO EFFECT OF EXTREMES OF ACIDITY & ALKALINITY, PRESUMABLY BECAUSE OF ACTION OF CALCIUM ION ON LIPID LAYER.

CALCIUM NITRATE HAS AN IRRITATING & CAUTERIZING ACTION ON SKIN & MUCOUS MEMBRANES.

CYANOSIS AMONG INFANTS WHO DRINK WELL WATER IS A FREQUENTLY ENCOUNTERED CLINICAL MANIFESTATION OF NITRATE TOXICITY. /NITRATE SALTS/

In pigs fed large amt of whey, addition of 40 g of calcium nitrate per 100 L of milk (the amt usually advocated to prevent fermentation in cheese-making) could lead to toxic effects if the whole of the nitrate were converted into nitrite, as might occur during a warm season after prolonged storage of the whey.

Calcium nitrate soln (0.5, 0.25 M), alone or in combination with sucrose, were toxic to stem and flower (carnation) tissue prior to freezing. Calcium nitrate alone offered no protection at -4 °C. Flowers pretreated with 0.125 M calcium nitrate appeared translucent or water-soaked after 5 days at -4 °C.

Acute toxicity of nitrogen fertilizers for Daphnia magna, Planaria tigrina, and Poecilia reticulata in experiments lasting 120 hr in water at pH 6.0-6.5 or 7.5-7.8 was studied. Calcium nitrate has relatively low toxicity for fish and aquatic animals.

Basic treatment: Establish a patent airway. Suction if necessary. Watch for signs of respiratory insufficiency and assist ventilations if necessary. Administer oxygen by nonrebreather mask at 10 to 15 L/min. Monitor for shock and treat if necessary ... . Anticipate seizures and treat as necessary ... . For eye contamination, flush eyes immediately with water. Irrigate each eye continuously with normal saline during transport ... . Do not use emetics. For ingestion, rinse mouth and administer 5 ml/kg up to 200 ml of water for dilution if the patient can swallow, has a strong gag reflex, and does drool. Administer activated charcoal ... . /Nitrates, nitrites, and related compounds/

Advanced treatment: Consider orotracheal or nasotracheal intubation for airway control in the patient who is unconscious or in respiratory arrest. Monitor cardiac rhythm and treat arrhythmias if necessary ... . Start an IV with D5W /SRP: "To keep open", minimal flow rate/. Use lactated Ringer's if signs of hypovolemia are present. For hypotension with signs of hypovolemia, administer fluid cautiously. If unresponsive to these measures, vasopressors may be helpful. Watch for signs of fluid overload ... . Treat seizures with diazepam (Valium) ... . Administer 1% solution methylene blue if patient is symptomatic with severe hypoxia, cyanosis, and cardiac compromise not responding to oxygen. ... . Use proparacaine hydrochloride to assist eye irrigation ... . /Nitrates, nitrites, and related compounds/