Selenic Acid

· 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.

· ELIMINATE all ignition sources (no smoking, flares, sparks or flames) from immediate area.

Excerpt from ERG Guide 154 [Substances - Toxic and/or Corrosive (Non-Combustible)]:

General First Aid:

· Wear positive pressure self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA).

0.02 [mg/m3], as Se, inhalable fraction[German Research Foundation (DFG)]

If material involved in fire: Extinguish fire using agent suitable for type of surrounding fire. Material itself does not burn or burns with difficulty. Use water in flooding quantities as fog. Cool all affected containers with flooding quantities of water. Apply water from as far a distance as possible.

Personnel protection: Wear appropriate chemical protective gloves, boots and goggles.

SRP: Wastewater from contaminant suppression, cleaning of protective clothing/equipment, or contaminated sites should be contained and evaluated for subject chemical or decomposition product concentrations. Concentrations shall be lower than applicable environmental discharge or disposal criteria. Alternatively, pretreatment and/or discharge to a permitted wastewater treatment facility is acceptable only after review by the governing authority and assurance that "pass through" violations will not occur. Due consideration shall be given to remediation worker exposure (inhalation, dermal and ingestion) as well as fate during treatment, transfer and disposal. If it is not practicable to manage the chemical in this fashion, it must be evaluated in accordance with EPA 40 CFR Part 261, specifically Subpart B, in order to determine the appropriate local, state and federal requirements for disposal.

If material not involved in fire: Keep material out of water sources and sewers. Build dikes to contain flow as necessary. Neutralize spilled material with crushed limestone, soda ash, or lime.

Personnel protection: Avoid breathing vapors. Keep upwind. Avoid bodily contact with the material. Do not handle broken packages unless wearing appropriate personal protective equipment. If contact with the material is anticipated, wear appropriate chemical protective clothing.

SRP: The scientific literature for the use of contact lenses by industrial workers is inconsistent. The benefits or detrimental effects of wearing contact lenses depend not only upon the substance, but also on factors including the form of the substance, characteristics and duration of the exposure, the uses of other eye protection equipment, and the hygiene of the lenses. However, there may be individual substances whose irritating or corrosive properties are such that the wearing of contact lenses would be harmful to the eye. In those specific cases, contact lenses should not be worn. In any event, the usual eye protection equipment should be worn even when contact lenses are in place.

SRP: Contaminated protective clothing should be segregated in such a manner so that there is no direct personal contact by personnel who handle, dispose, or clean the clothing. The completeness of the cleaning procedures should be considered before the decontaminated protective clothing is returned for reuse by the workers. Contaminated clothing should not be taken home at the end of shift, but should remain at employee's place of work for cleaning.

For more Preventive Measures (Complete) data for SELENIC ACID (8 total), please visit the HSDB record page.

Excerpt from ERG Guide 154 [Substances - Toxic and/or Corrosive (Non-Combustible)]:

Immediate precautionary measure

0.2 [mg/m3], as Se

8 hr Time Weighted Avg (TWA): 0.2 mg/cu m. /Selenium and compounds, as Se/

Excursion Limit Recommendation: Excursions in worker exposure levels may exceed 3 times the TLV-TWA for no more than a total of 30 minutes during a work day, and under no circumstances should they exceed 5 times the TLV-TWA, provided that the TLV-TWA is not exceeded. /Selenium and compounds, as Se/

EYES: irrigate opened eyes for several minutes under running water. INGESTION: do not induce vomiting. Rinse mouth with water (never give anything by mouth to an unconscious person). Seek immediate medical advice. SKIN: should be treated immediately by rinsing the affected parts in cold running water for at least 15 minutes, followed by thorough washing with soap and water. If necessary, the person should shower and change contaminated clothing and shoes, and then must seek medical attention. INHALATION: supply fresh air. If required provide artificial respiration.

Chronic oral exposure to high concentrations of selenium compounds can produce a disease called selenosis. The major signs of selenosis are hair loss, nail brittleness, and neurological abnormalities (such as numbness and other odd sensations in the extremities). Animal studies have shown that selenium may also affect sperm production and the female reproductive cycle. (L619)

Selenium readily substitutes for sulfur in biomolecules and in many biochemical reactions, especially when the concentration of selenium is high and the concentration of sulfur is low. Inactivation of the sulfhydryl enzymes necessary for oxidative reactions in cellular respiration, through effects on mitochondrial and microsomal electron transport, might contribute to acute selenium toxicity. Selenomethionine (a common organic selenium compound) also appears to randomly substitute for methionine in protein synthesis. This substitution may affect the structure and functionability of the protein, for example, by altering disulfide bridges. Inorganic forms of selenium appear to react with tissue thiols by redox catalysis, resulting in formation of reactive oxygen species and causing damage by oxidative stress. (L619)

Short-term oral exposure to high concentrations of selenium may cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Brief exposures to high levels of elemental selenium or selenium dioxide in air can result in respiratory tract irritation, bronchitis, difficulty breathing, and stomach pains. Longer-term exposure to either of these air-borne forms can cause respiratory irritation, bronchial spasms, and coughing. (L619)

/CASE REPORTS/ Dermatitis in series of workers exposed to dry & heated selenium dioxide & selenic acid... Actual contact in one case with a splash of selenic acid caused a purpuric-like lesion with inflammatory spots round hair follicles; in another, small shallow ulcers...

/CASE REPORTS/ A 44 year old worker neutralized 450 L of selenic acid with caustic soda. Boiling occurred, and the mixture was spread all over the room. He suffered skin burns and died 90 minutes later with pulmonary edema, unstable blood pressure and garlic breath.

/CASE REPORTS/ A patient ingested a mouthful of selenic acid (30 g/L); he suffered mild gastrointestinal disturbances; 3 hours after ingestion, the plasma concentration was the highest (931 ug/L).

/OTHER TOXICITY INFORMATION/ ...Toxic by skin absorption and by ingestion.

/GENOTOXICITY/ Data on the mutagenicity of selenium and its compounds are equivocal. Selenate and selenite (12 uM) were mutagenic in a reverse mutation assay using Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98, TA100 and TA1537 in the absence of rat hepatic homogenates. In a second assay, sodium selenate, but not sodium selenite, was mutagenic; the S. typhimurium strains used were not reported. Selenite (selenious acid and sodium selenite) produced DNA damage in Bacillus subtilis strains 17A and 45T; however, selenate (selenic acid and sodium selenate) was negative in the Rec assay.

Immediate first aid: Ensure that adequate decontamination has been carried out. If patient is not breathing, start artificial respiration, preferably with a demand-valve resuscitator, bag-valve-mask device, or pocket mask, as trained. Perform CPR as necessary. Immediately flush contaminated eyes with gently flowing water. Do not induce vomiting. If vomiting occurs, lean patient forward or place on left side (head-down position, if possible) to maintain an open airway and prevent aspiration. Keep patient quiet and maintain normal body temperature. Obtain medical attention. /Inorganic acids and related compounds/

Basic treatment: Establish a patent airway (oropharyngeal or nasopharyngeal airway, if needed). Suction if necessary. Watch for signs of respiratory insufficiency and assist respirations if needed. Administer oxygen by nonrebreather mask at 10 to 15 L/min. Monitor for pulmonary edema and treat if necessary ... . Monitor for shock and treat if necessary ... . For eye contamination, flush eyes immediately with water. Irrigate each eye continuously with 0.9% saline (NS) during transport ... . Do not use emetics. Activated charcoal is not effective. 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 not drool ... . Do not attempt to neutralize because of exothermic reaction. Cover skin burns with dry, sterile dressings after decontamination ... . /Inorganic acids and related compounds/

Advanced treatment: Consider orotracheal or nasotracheal intubation for airway control in the patient who is unconscious, has severe pulmonary edema, or is in severe respiratory distress. Early intubation, at the first sign of upper airway obstruction, may be necessary. Positive-pressure ventilation techniques with a bag valve mask device may be beneficial. Consider drug therapy for pulmonary edema ... . Consider administering a beta agonist such as albuterol for severe bronchospasm ... . Monitor cardiac rhythm and treat arrhythmias as necessary ... . Start IV administration of D5W /SRP: "To keep open", minimal flow rate/. Use 0.9% saline (NS) or lactated Ringer's(LR) if signs of hypovolemia are present. For hypotension with signs of hypovolemia, administer fluid cautiously. Consider vasopressors if patient is hypotensive with a normal fluid volume. Watch for signs of fluid overload ... . Use proparacaine hydrochloride to assist eye irrigation ... . /Inorganic acids and related compounds/

Immediate first aid: Ensure that adequate decontamination has been carried out. If patient is not breathing, start artificial respiration, preferably with a demand-valve resuscitator, bag-valve-mask device, or pocket mask, as trained. Perform CPR as necessary. Immediately flush contaminated eyes with gently flowing water. Do not induce vomiting. If vomiting occurs, lean patient forward or place on left side (head-down position, if possible) to maintain an open airway and prevent aspiration. Keep patient quiet and maintain normal body temperature. Obtain medical attention. /Selenium and Related Compounds/

D010; A solid waste containing selenium (such as selenic acid) may or may not become characterized as a hazardous waste when subjected to the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure listed in 40 CFR 261.24, and if so characterized, must be managed as a hazardous waste.

Listed as a hazardous air pollutant (HAP) generally known or suspected to cause serious health problems. The Clean Air Act, as amended in 1990, directs EPA to set standards requiring major sources to sharply reduce routine emissions of toxic pollutants. EPA is required to establish and phase in specific performance based standards for all air emission sources that emit one or more of the listed pollutants. Selenic acid is included on this list.

(AZ) ARIZONA 10 ug/L /Selenium/

(NY) NEW YORK 10 ug/L /Selenium/

(AZ) ARIZONA 45 ug/L /Selenium/

(CT) CONNECTICUT 10 ug/L /Selenium/

(ME) MAINE 35 ug/L /Selenium/

(MN) MINNESOTA 30 ug/L /Selenium/

Used to make selenates by reaction with metal oxides or hydroxides; [Ullmann]

Added to chromium-plating baths to improve corrosion protection from pitting, blistering, and rusting, especially of plated automobile articles exposed to salt in the North American snow belt.

Prepared by treating lead selenate with hydrogen sulfide and concentrating the filtered soln by evaporation; ... by treating calcium selenate with cadmium oxalate and hydrogen sulfide; ... by treating a soln of silver selenite with bromine and evaporating the filtered solutionn; ... by oxidizing selenium oxide with 30% hydrogen peroxide and removing water.

Selenous acid is oxidized to selenic acid by strong oxidizing agents such as chlorine, chloric acid, ozone, or anodic oxidation.