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Chemical Name: 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene
Common Name: TNT
Chemical Formula: C7H5N3O6
Appearance: Pale yellow crystalline solid
Odor: Odorless
Molecular Weight: 227.13 g/mol
CAS Number: 118-96-7
Physical Hazards: Explosive, highly sensitive to shock, friction, and heat once contaminated or finely divided
Health Hazards: Poisonous to the blood, liver, and skin, can cause anemia, jaundice, severe skin irritation, and allergic reactions with repeated contact
Environmental Hazards: Toxic to aquatic life, persistent and possibly bioaccumulative
Routes of Exposure: Inhalation, ingestion, skin, or eye contact
Main Component: 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene (typically over 99%)
Impurities: May include trace dinitrotoluenes and related nitro aromatics, depending on manufacturing source
Inhalation: Move individual to fresh air, keep them still, and seek medical assistance swiftly if there are breathing problems or coughing
Skin Contact: Remove contaminated clothing, wash skin with copious water and mild soap, stay alert for delayed skin reactions
Eye Contact: Rinse under gentle running water for several minutes, avoid rubbing, seek medical evaluation if irritation persists
Ingestion: Don’t induce vomiting, rinse mouth, get medical help quickly due to risk of systemic poisoning
Suitable Extinguishing Media: Use water spray to cool containers, avoid using dry chemical fire extinguishers on large stockpiles
Specific Hazards: May emit toxic gases (nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide) on burning, reignites easily if not completely extinguished
Protective Equipment: Full protective suit, self-contained breathing apparatus recommended for fire crews
Special Note: Consider evacuation, storage of TNT carries potential for large-scale detonation; fire should not be fought unless absolutely necessary and only from a safe location
Evacuation: Keep unprotected people away from contaminated area, restrict access immediately
Personal Protection: Wear chemical-resistant gloves, face protection, antistatic footwear, avoid dust formation
Cleanup Method: Collect spilled solid with non-sparking tools, place in sealed containers, avoid generating dust, ventilate area as needed
Environmental Controls: Prevent entry to sewers or waterways, report any significant releases to environmental authorities
Storage: Keep in cool, well-ventilated, secure magazine approved for explosives, tightly closed containers far from heat, flame, incompatible chemicals
Handling: Minimize friction and impact, never handle near ignition sources, ground all equipment, educate workers on risks
Special Precautions: Only trained personnel in controlled settings should manage TNT stock, strict policy on food and drink in handling areas
Engineering Controls: Use ventilation, explosion-proof electrical installations, isolated workspaces
Personal Protective Equipment: Chemical-resistant gloves, flame-retardant clothing, antistatic footwear, eye and face protection, respirators for dusty work
Hygiene Practices: Frequent handwashing, no smoking or eating in work areas, regular health monitoring for long-term workers
Physical State: Solid under ambient conditions
Melting Point: 80.35°C (176.6°F)
Boiling Point: Decomposes before boiling
Solubility: Practically insoluble in water, soluble in acetone and benzene
Density: 1.65 g/cm³
Explosive Properties: High detonation velocity, stable to moderate heat and mild physical shock
Vapor Pressure: Negligible at room temperature
Chemical Stability: Stable under recommended storage, can become unstable or sensitive after long storage, exposure to light, or contamination
Reactivity: May react with strong acids, alkalis, or reducing agents, forms unstable compounds with metals
Decomposition: Produces toxic gases on heating or under fire conditions
Acute Effects: Can produce headache, dizziness, cyanosis (blue skin), nausea after brief exposures
Chronic Effects: Causes anemia, jaundice, liver damage, possible bladder cancer risk for workers over long careers
Skin Sensitivity: Repeated contact leads to allergies, eczema, pigment changes
Target Organs: Blood, liver, skin, sometimes kidneys and bladder
Carcinogenicity: Some studies flag increased cancer risk in exposed workers, but evidence remains limited
Aquatic Toxicity: Damage to aquatic species even at low concentrations, persistent once released to water
Soil Persistence: Slow degradation in soils, especially if oxygen or microbes are limited
Bioaccumulation: Evidence suggests build-up in some organisms, affecting food chains downstream from manufacture or testing
Mobility: Limited in water but can migrate with contaminated sediment
Waste Management: Only specialized hazardous waste disposal facilities can handle old stock, residue, and contaminated packaging
Destruction Methods: Controlled incineration or deep burial in approved sites, sometimes alkaline hydrolysis in industrial settings
Environmental Release: Never dump into drains or the environment, even trace amounts risk long-lived contamination
Shipping Classification: Explosives, highly regulated under international rules
Packing Requirements: Strong, antistatic, shock-resistant crates with prominent hazard marking
Transport Restrictions: Banned from public transport, only moved by routes and carriers with special licenses and emergency plans
Documentation: All shipments monitored and logged with chain-of-custody records for every move
Worldwide Restrictions: Tight controls under weapons, explosives, and environmental laws in nearly all countries
Worker Protection: Detailed exposure limits, medical surveillance rules for occupational settings
Usage Permissions: Only defense, demolition, and a few specialized industries granted access, and even there only under watchful regulation
Reporting Duties: Mandatory notification for spills, health effects, and large-scale use or disposal
