Section III - HEALTH AND FIRST AID INFORMATION

Primary routes of exposure are inhalation, ingestion, eye or skin contact.

INHALATION: Irritation of upper respiratory tract. Bronchitis and bronchopneumonia can result from prolonged exposure. May cause dizziness, fatigue, nausea and intestinal disturbance. Brief exposure can cause irritation, coughing, chest pain and difficulty in breathing. Prolonged exposure can cause severe irritation, tissue damage, acute poisoning, visual impairment and death. Take proper precautions to ensure your own safety (wear appropriate protective equipment). In case of exposure remove from contaminated area to fresh air. If patient is not breathing, apply artificial respiration and, if qualified, administer oxygen. Immediately call a physician. Keep the patient warm.

INGESTION: Vapours, mists and liquid are extremely irritating to the mouth, throat and stomach. Swallowing the liquid inflames the tissues causing severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, unconsciousness, collapse, temporary or permanent visual impairment, death. In all cases, immediately call a physician. Wash out mouth thoroughly with water. If the patient is conscious, give water freely to drink to dilute the chemical, induce vomiting. Repeat.

EYE CONTACT: Vapours and mists cause tearing and severe irritation. Liquid can cause irritation and severe eye burns. Inflammation of eyelids can occur with exposure to vapours. Immediately call a physician. Rinse the eyes with a gentle stream of water for at least 15 minutes, keeping the eyelids separated. Repeat if pain persists.

SKIN CONTACT: Can cause drying, scaling, irritation, burns, hardening or tanning of skin, cracking and ulceration, or allergic dermatitis. May be absorbed through the skin. Massive skin contact can result in visual impairment and death. Wash thoroughly for at least 20 minutes with soap and water. Remove and wash contaminated clothing and shoes before re-use. Call a physician if irritation persists.

OTHER HEALTH INFORMATION: No known medical conditions are generally aggravated by exposure. Repeated or prolonged contact with skin may cause allergic dermatitis or sensitization.

CARCINOGENICITY: Formaldehyde is listed by the NTP and IARC (group 2B) as probably carcinogenic to humans based on animal results although human data is inadequate. Formaldehyde is considered a potential carcinogen by OSHA (Formaldehyde Standard 29 CFR 1910.1048).

DELAYED HAZARDS: Possible reproductive disorders from prolonged exposure. May cause lung damage based on animal data. Pre-existing respiratory disorders may be aggravated by exposure. May cause liver damage based on animal data. May cause kidney damage based on animal data. May cause blindness if swallowed.

SENSITIZATION: Prolonged or repeated skin contact can result in skin sensitization.

TOXICITY DATA:

Formaldehyde

LC₅₀ 590 mg/kg orally in rats

LD₅₀ 800 mg/kg orally in rats

LD₅₀ 270 mg/kg dermally in rabbits

TCLo 17 mg/m³/30 minutes inhalation in humans (toxic and systemic effects)

250 ppm/4 hours inhalation in rats

TC₅₀ not determined

Methanol

LD₅₀ 5,628 mg/kg orally in rats

LD₅₀ 20,000 mg/kg dermally in rabbits

LC₅₀ 64,000 ppm/4H in rats

IRRITANCY: not determined

REPRODUCTIVE EFFECTS: not determined

TERATOGENICITY: not determined

MUTAGENICITY: not determined

TOXICOLOGICALLY SYNERGISTIC PRODUCTS: not determined

OTHER DATA: not determined

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS: not determined

Section IV - PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

BOILING POINT: 100°C

VAPOUR PRESSURE, MM hg @ 25°C: 40

MELTING POINT: not determined

VAPOUR DENSITY(AIR=1): 1

SOLUBILITY IN WATER: Miscible

SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 1.08 at 25°C

ODOUR THRESHOLD: not determined

% VOLATILE: 100%

pH: 2.8 - 4.0 PHYSICAL STATE: liquid

FREEZING POINT: not applicable (insoluble paraformaldehyde forms)

EVAPORATION RATE (BUTYL ACETATE=1): not determined (similar to water)

COEFFICIENT OF OIL/WATER DISPERSION: not determined

APPEARANCE AND COLOUR: Clear colourless liquid with a pungent formaldehyde odour

Section V - FIRE AND EXPLOSION HAZARDS

FLASH POINT: 61.1°C (142°F)

AUTOIGNITION TEMPERATURE: ~420°C

FLAMMABLE LIMITS IN AIR; % BY VOL. LOWER: not determined

FLAMMABLE LIMITS IN AIR; % BY VOL. UPPER: not determined

FIRE FIGHTING PROCEDURES & PRECAUTIONS: Dry chemicals, carbon dioxide, alcohol foam water spray or vapourizing liquid. Fire fighters should wear self-contained breathing apparatus and full protective clothing. Use water to cool nearby containers and structures exposed to fire.

FIRE & EXPLOSION HAZARDS: The vapours can explode at high temperatures when brought in contact with an ignition source. Extinguish all nearby sources of ignition.

UNUSUAL FIRE AND EXPLOSION HAZARDS: not determined

HAZARDOUS COMBUSTION PRODUCTS: carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide

EXPLOSION DATA: SENSITIVITY TO MECHANICAL IMPACT: not determined

SENSITIVITY TO STATIC DISCHARGE: not determined

LOWER EXPLOSION LIMIT: ~7%

UPPER EXPLOSION LIMIT: ~70%

CONDITIONS OF FLAMMABILITY: not determined

Section VI - HAZARDOUS REACTIVITY

STABILITY: Normally stable, but may be come unstable at high temperature.

HAZARDOUS POLYMERIZATION: will not occur

CONDITIONS TO AVOID: Heat, sparks and open flames. Freezing temperatures. High and low temperatures. Contact with direct sunlight.

MATERIALS TO AVOID: Acids, alkalis, anhydrides, isocyanates, urea, phenol, oxidizing materials and oxides. Reaction with hydrochloric acid may form bis-chloromethyl ether which is a suspected carcinogen according to ACGIH and carcinogenic to humans according to IARC.

HAZARDOUS DECOMPOSITION PRODUCTS: carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide

CONDITIONS OF REACTIVITY: not determined

Section VII - EMPLOYEE PROTECTION

VENTILATION: Local mechanical exhaust ventilation to maintain emissions below PEL.

RESPIRATORY PROTECTION: Wear a NIOSH approved respirator appropriate for the vapour or mist at the point of use. Appropriate respirators may be a full facepiece air-purifying cartridge respirator equipped for formaldehyde, a self-contained breathing apparatus in the pressure demand mode, or a supplied air respirator.

EYE PROTECTION: Chemical goggles should be used unless a full facepiece respirator is worn. It is generally recognized that contact lenses should not be worn when working with chemicals because contact lenses may contribute to the severity of an eye injury.

PROTECTIVE CLOTHING: Long sleeved shirt; trousers; rubber boots; rubber, PVC or nitrile gloves; and rubber apron.

OTHER PROTECTIVE MEASURES: An eyewash and safety shower should be nearby and ready for use.

CONTROL MEASURES: In case of a spill, shut off all possible sources of ignition. Wear protective equipment, including rubber boots, rubber gloves, rubber apron and self contained breathing apparatus in pressure demand mode or a supplied air respirator. If leak is small, a full facepiece air-purifying cartridge respirator equipped for formaldehyde may be satisfactory. Always wear eye protection. For small spills, mop or wipe up and dispose of in appropriate waste containers. For large spills, dike any liquid with soil or sorbent material, then pump into approved waste containers; or absorb with non-combustible sorbent material and place residue in approved waste containers. Keep out of sewers, storm drains, surface waters and soil. Ventilate the contaminated area well to dispel any vapour. Comply with all applicable government regulations on spill reporting and handling and disposal of waste.

WASTE DISPOSAL: Ensure disposal method complies with local, provincial and federal regulations governing disposal.

Section VIII - SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS

HANDLING & STORAGE PRECAUTIONS: Keep away from heat, sparks and flames. Detached storage is preferred. Outdoor storage facilities should be equipped with heating equipment to maintain temperature at 20C. Indoors, store in a cool dry place. Low temperature storage may result in formation of paraformaldehyde. High temperature storage may result in the formation of formic acid. Vent container frequently, more often in warm weather, to relieve any pressure buildup. Electrically ground all equipment when handling this product and use non-sparking tools. Keep container tightly closed when not in use. Do not use pressure to empty container. Wash thoroughly after handling. Do not get in eyes, on skin or on clothing. The storage area should be well ventilated and the product stored away from incompatible materials. Vapours of this product are heavier than air and will collect in low places. Do not enter places where vapours are suspected without special respiratory protection and an observer present. Containers remain hazardous when empty.

ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION: Formaldehyde is highly toxic to algae, protozoa and othe unicellular organisms and slightly toxic to fish. In the atmosphere the material is rapidly degraded by photolysis and photooxidation. Formaldehyde is mobile in the soil. In water or soil, formaldehyde is biodegraded in a few days. Experiments performed on a variety of fish and shrimp show no bioconcentration of formaldehyde.

Ecotoxicity: Algae (scenedesmus): toxic 0.3 - 0.5 mg/litre

Arthropoda (daphnia): toxic 2 mg/litre

Fish (guppies) TLm = 50 - 200 mg/litre

Environmental Fate: BOD5 = 60% of ThOD = 0.6 - 1.07 standard dilution at <260 mg/litre

Octanol/water partition coefficient = 0.35 (LKOW)

Section IX - REGULATORY CONTROLS

DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION: Regulated under Transport of Dangerous Goods. Formaldehyde solutions, with not less than 25% formaldehyde. UN 2209, Class 8(9.2), Packing Group III.

WHMIS CLASS: B.3; D.1A; D.2A; D.2B

OTHER REGULATORY REQUIREMENT: CEPA - DSL compliance. Subject to reporting requirements of CEPA 16(1), National Pollutant Release Inventory.

Section X - OTHER INFORMATION

Follow label and package insert directions for use in aquaculture applications.

High concentrations of vapour inhaled for long periods can cause laryngitis, bronchitis or bronchial pneumonia. Prolonged contact with skin can cause cracking of skin and ulceration, particularly around fingernails.

PREPARED BY: MSDS Dept .                                   DATE: Update January 10, 2008