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Name: Hydrogen Fluoride, Anhydrous
Chemical Formula: HF
Appearance: Colorless, fuming liquid or gas with a sharp, pungent odor
Usage: Steel pickling, glass etching, chemical manufacturing, semiconductor processing
Smell: Detectable at low concentrations, but relying on odor for detection creates an unsafe environment because smell fades fast and HF causes severe health effects before most people notice
Common form: Delivered and stored in pressurized cylinders or bulk tanks
Health Hazards: Exposure harms skin, eyes, lungs, bones, and internal organs, often leaving no immediate warning pain; burns take time to appear but cause deep tissue injury
Acute vs. Chronic: Short contact leads to deep burns, severe respiratory damage, possible death; chronic or repeated exposure leads to bone destruction and systemic poisoning
Routes of Exposure: Skin contact, inhalation, eye contact; ingestion is rare but life-threatening
Symptoms: Pain, redness, ulcers, coughing, shortness of breath, irregular heartbeat
Danger Level: Exposure at even low concentrations creates risk of fatality
NFPA Rating: Health - 4, Fire - 0, Reactivity - 2 (based on established labeling)
Environmental Harm: Spills corrode concrete, metal, contaminate soil and water
Substance: Pure hydrogen fluoride (HF)
Concentration: 99% or greater HF
Impurities: Occasionally traces of water, but main risk comes from HF itself
CAS Number: 7664-39-3
Skin Contact: Immediate wash with copious water, remove all contaminated clothing, apply calcium gluconate gel to affected area as fast as possible, seek medical treatment without delay
Eye Contact: Rinse both eyes with large quantities of water for 15-20 minutes, hold eyelids apart, avoid rubbing eyes, transport to emergency care promptly
Inhalation: Remove victim to fresh air, keep them at rest, provide oxygen if breathing is difficult, seek medical help rapidly
Ingestion: Do not induce vomiting, rinse mouth with water only if victim is conscious, immediate hospital care is critical
Note for All Exposures: Do not delay transport to hospital for any external response; even minor exposure causes severe long-term injury requiring specialized intervention
Flammability: Not combustible itself, but reacts with metals to produce flammable hydrogen gas
Suitable Extinguishing Media: Use water spray, foam, or CO2 on adjacent fires; never use water directly on leaked liquid, as violent reaction may occur
Special Hazards: Corrosive gas may increase risk to firefighters, reacts with glass and metals, releases toxic fumes when overheated
Protective Equipment: Wear self-contained breathing apparatus, impervious suit, and eye protection; always avoid direct exposure
Key Consideration: Fire scenarios mostly involve neighboring materials catching fire and HF increasing overall toxicity
Evacuation: Remove unprotected people from area, evacuate per local disaster plan
Personal Protection: Use full chemical suit, gloves resistant to HF, face shield, supplied-air respirator
Containment: Ventilate affected area, contain vapors with water spray (fog only), neutralize carefully with lime or soda ash, but rigorous training required
Environmental Impact: Prevent contamination of drains and water sources due to high persistence and toxicity
Cleanup: Only trained professionals using HF-rated gear should attempt cleanup, secure and ventilate badly contaminated areas for extended period to limit exposure risk
Handling Practices: Direct contact causes injury even through latex or nitrile gloves, always use specialized HF-resistant gloves and face/eye shields, never work alone
Storage Conditions: Keep in tightly sealed, corrosion-resistant containers, use steel-coated or specifically lined vessels, isolate from incompatible materials like glass, metals, strong bases
Ventilation: Work in well-ventilated, actively monitored areas with acid vapor neutralization systems
Emergency Supplies: Store calcium gluconate gel and first aid kits nearby, along with emergency showers and eyewash stations
Transport and Transfer: Mechanically transfer only with leakproof and compatible equipment, always check lines and valves for pinhole leaks before use
Training: Personnel must train regularly in safe use and emergency decontamination techniques
Workplace Control: Local exhaust ventilation, enclosure of transfer operations, use of remote handling tools
Exposure Limit: OSHA permissible exposure limit (PEL)—3 ppm ceiling, NIOSH recommended exposure limit (REL)—0.4 ppm average over 10 hours, severe health effects at levels near or below occupational limits
Personal Protection: Chemical splash goggles, face shield, HF-resistant gloves (not latex or vinyl), acidproof suit, explicit training in donning and removal of PPE
Respiratory Protection: Use full-face air-purifying or supplied-air respirators above exposure limits, continuous monitoring of air quality essential
Personal Hygiene: No eating, drinking, or smoking in work zones, never reuse or share PPE
Physical State: Liquid below 19.5°C, gas above this temperature
Color: Colorless
Odor: Acrid, irritating, but not safe basis for detection
Boiling Point: 19.5°C (67°F)
Melting Point: -83°C (-117°F)
Solubility: Mixes easily with water, forms highly corrosive hydrofluoric acid
Density: 0.99 g/cm³ (liquid)
Vapor Pressure: High, even at room temperature
Reactivity: Rapidly attacks glass, most metals, and concrete
Chemical Stability: Stable under tight control, decomposes in presence of heat, moisture, or incompatible materials
Incompatible Materials: Glass, ceramics, silicon compounds, metals, strong alkalis, organic materials
Hazardous Decomposition: On contact with many materials, makes silicon tetrafluoride, hydrogen gas
Polymerization: Not expected to occur
Reactivity: Creates violent and dangerous reactions with water, bases, and many organic compounds
Acute Exposure: Severe burns, bone softening, heart rhythm disruption, tissue death from even small amounts
Chronic Exposure: Chronic bronchitis, bone changes, mottled teeth, kidney and liver injury
Target Organs: Skin, respiratory tract, bones, kidneys, heart
LC50/LD50: Inhalation of a few hundred ppm can be fatal, skin absorption as little as 20 square inches—life-threatening
Route Risk: Absorbs through skin with delayed onset, so effects often worse due to late treatment
Persistence: Stays persistent in water and soil, corrodes infrastructure
Bioaccumulation: Toxic to aquatic life, fish kills common in spill events, no known bioaccumulation in food web but high acute toxicity
Environmental Movement: Vapors travel far from original release, dangerous to people, animals, and plants downwind
Remediation: Neutralization and environmental cleanup costly, long-term contamination possible without full remediation
Waste Handling: Only neutralized waste can be sent for disposal, neutralization commonly uses lime or calcium compounds under controlled conditions
Regulatory Status: Treated as hazardous waste under RCRA, transport and storage require clear labeling and strict procedures
Professional Involvement: Only properly trained hazardous waste contractors should perform disposal
Spill Waste: All cleanup residues, PPE, decontaminated tools, and soiled materials require hazardous waste management
Shipping Name: Hydrogen Fluoride, Anhydrous
Hazard Class: 8 (corrosive) and 6.1 (toxic) for transportation labeling
Packaging: Steel cylinders, corrosion-resistant tanks with pressure-relief valves, robust labeling requirements
Special Handling: Strict driver training, vehicle placarding, emergency response kits required on all shipments
Transport Risks: Leaks under pressure, temperature variation leading to rupture, risk of container failure without rigorous maintenance
Emergency Response: Local and federal guidelines demand immediate notification of authorities for transport spills or leaks
Workplace Regulation: Covered by OSHA hazardous chemicals rules, EPA reporting, strict controls under Department of Transportation
Community Right-To-Know: Subject to SARA Title III reporting requirements
Labeling: GHS—danger pictogram, signal word, hazard phrases, explicit training needed for all users
Regional Variation: Subject to state and local rules concerning storage, emissions, and emergency response planning
Medical Surveillance: Required for workplaces with regular exposure, annual physicals with fluoride testing standard in many regions
