Material Safety Data Sheet
 for silica gel

Part I Hazards Identification

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW

Appearance: colorless to white. Caution! Causes respiratory tract irritation. May cause skin irritation. May cause eye irritation. May cause digestive tract irritation.
Target Organs: Lungs.

Potential Health Effects

Eye: Dust may cause mechanical irritation.
Skin: Dust may cause mechanical irritation.
Ingestion: May cause irritation of the digestive tract.
Inhalation: Dust is irritating to the respiratory tract.
Chronic: Prolonged exposure to respirable crystalline quartz may cause delayed lung injury/fibrosis (silicosis).

Part II First Aid Measures


Eyes: Flush eyes with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes, occasionally lifting the upper and lower lids. Get medical aid.
Skin: Flush skin with plenty of soap and water for at least 15 minutes while removing contaminated clothing and shoes. Get medical aid if irritation develops or persists.
Ingestion: Treat symptomatically and supportively. Get medical aid.
Inhalation: Remove from exposure to fresh air immediately. If not breathing, give artificial respiration. If breathing is difficult, give oxygen. Get medical aid.
Notes to Physician: None
Antidote: None reported

Part III Firefighting Measures


General Information: Material will not burn. Use extinguishing media appropriate to the surrounding fire.
Extinguishing Media: For small fires, use dry chemical, carbon dioxide, water spray or alcohol-resistant foam.
Auto ignition Temperature: Not available.
Flash Point: Not available.
NFPA Rating: Not published. Explosion Limits, Lower: Not available. Upper: Not available.

Part IV Accidental Release Measures


General Information: Use proper personal protective equipment as indicated in Section 8.
Spills/Leaks: Vacuum or sweep up material and place into a suitable disposal container. Avoid generating dusty conditions.

Part V Handling and Storage


Handling: Use only in a well ventilated area. Minimize dust generation and accumulation. Avoid ingestion and inhalation.
Storage: Store in a tightly closed container. Store in a dry area.

Part VI Exposure Controls, Personal Protection


Engineering Controls: Use adequate general or local exhaust ventilation to keep airborne concentrations below the permissible exposure limits.
Exposure Limits
Chemical Name ACGIH NIOSH OSHA - Final PELs
Silica, amorphous, precipitated and gel 10 mg/m3 none listed see Table Z-3

OSHA Vacated PELs: Silica, amorphous, precipitated and gel: 6 mg/m3 TWA
Personal Protective Equipment
Eyes: Wear appropriate protective eyeglasses or chemical safety goggles as described by OSHA's eye and face protection regulations in 29 CFR 1910.133 or European Standard EN166.
Skin: Wear appropriate gloves to prevent skin exposure.
Clothing: Wear appropriate protective clothing to minimize contact with skin.
Respirators: Follow the OSHA respirator regulations found in 29CFR 1910.134 or European Standard EN 149. Always use a NIOSH or European Standard EN 149 approved respirator when necessary.

Part VII Physical and Chemical Properties


Physical State: Solid
Appearance: colorless to white
Odor: odorless
pH: 2.3-7.4 (aqu. susp)
Vapor Pressure: Negligible.
Vapor Density: Not available.
Evaporation Rate:
Viscosity: Not applicable.
Boiling Point: 4046 deg F
Freezing/Melting Point:3110 deg F
Decomposition Temperature: Not available.
Solubility: insoluble in water
Specific Gravity/Density:2.1
Molecular Formula:SiO2
Molecular Weight:

Part VIII Stability and Reactivity


Chemical Stability: Stable.
Conditions to Avoid: Incompatible materials, moisture.
Incompatibilities with Other Materials: Strong acids, hydrogen fluoride
Hazardous Decomposition Products: No data available.
Hazardous Polymerization: Not available.