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Chemical Name: Sodium Hydroxide
Common Names: Caustic Soda, Lye
Formula: NaOH
Appearance: White, odorless solid in flakes, pellets, or granular form; readily dissolves in water to give a strongly alkaline solution
Main Uses: Used in cleaning, soap making, water treatment, pulp and paper, chemical manufacturing, petroleum refining
Hazard Classes: Corrosive to metals, skin, and eyes; poses a significant risk to tissue on contact
Label Elements: Danger symbol, Corrosive pictogram
Health Risks: Severe skin burns, eye damage, permanent blindness possible, respiratory irritation if inhaled, possible damage to mucous membranes if ingested
Environmental Risks: Harm to aquatic life, damage to ecosystems through pH shifts
Component: Sodium Hydroxide
CAS Number: 1310-73-2
Purity: Typically 95%–100% in solid forms, variable in solutions depending on intended use
Impurities: Mainly trace quantities of sodium carbonate or chloride
Inhalation: Move to fresh air; keep at rest; seek medical attention for breathing difficulty
Skin Contact: Rinse affected area with copious amounts of water for 15 minutes; remove affected clothing; get medical help
Eye Contact: Rinse eyes with water gently for at least 15 minutes, hold eyelids open; do not delay seeking emergency care
Ingestion: Do not induce vomiting; rinse mouth with water if conscious; seek immediate medical assistance
Fire Properties: Non-combustible, but reacts with water or acids, releasing heat and possibly hazardous vapors
Suitable Extinguishing Media: Dry chemical, carbon dioxide, appropriate foam for surrounding flames
Risks During Fire: Can release sodium oxide fumes; containers exposed to heat may rupture
Protective Equipment: Full chemical suit, self-contained breathing apparatus for responders
Personal Precautions: Wear chemical-resistant gloves, goggles, full-body protection
Environmental Precautions: Prevent runoff into sewers, soil, or waterways, given potential for ecological harm
Clean-Up Methods: Scoop up dry material, avoid dust formation, neutralize residues with dilute acid (observing safety protocols)
Handling: Ensure access to emergency showers and eyewash stations, use only in well-ventilated areas; avoid direct contact
Storage: Store in tightly closed containers made of compatible material; segregate from acids, chlorinated solvents, metals, moisture; protect from humidity and carbon dioxide exposure to avoid caking or dangerous reactions
Occupational Limits: Common exposure threshold set at 2 mg/m³ (ceiling) for airborne particles
Engineering Controls: Use local exhaust ventilation, process enclosures
Personal Protective Equipment: Impervious gloves (rubber, neoprene), chemical splash goggles, face shields, long-sleeve protective clothing, boots
Appearance: White solid in various shapes
Odor: Odorless
Solubility: Highly soluble in water, releases heat
Melting Point: 318°C
Boiling Point: 1,388°C
pH (solution): Strongly alkaline; pH above 13 at standard industrial concentrations
Vapor Pressure: Negligible at room temperature
Chemical Stability: Stable under normal conditions; absorbs carbon dioxide and water from air, forming sodium carbonate
Reactivity: Reacts violently with strong acids, some metals (generating hydrogen gas), ammonium compounds, reducing agents, organic materials, and water
Routes of Exposure: Inhalation, ingestion, skin and eye contact
Short-Term Effects: Severe burns, ulceration, scarring, difficulty breathing if inhaled as dust or aerosol
Long-Term Effects: Permanent tissue damage, possible chronic respiratory conditions due to repeated exposure
Acute Toxicity: Oral rat LD50 values range from 140-340 mg/kg, but the primary concern is corrosive injury rather than systemic toxicity
Environmental Fate: Rapidly dissolves and raises local pH in water; can harm aquatic life through direct contact or pH shifts
Persistence and Degradability: Not persistent in the environment but ecologically disruptive until neutralized
Bioaccumulation: Does not accumulate in organisms, but acute effects possible at points of entry to waterways or soils
Waste Handling: Neutralize solutions by slow, careful addition of dilute acid under controlled conditions; for solids, dilution and neutralization or disposal through licensed hazardous waste facility
Container Disposal: Rinse containers thoroughly after neutralization; handle rinsate as hazardous waste
Legal Considerations: Disposal should always follow local, state, and federal environmental regulations due to corrosive nature and aquatic toxicity
Shipping Name: Sodium Hydroxide, solid or solution
Transport Class: Class 8 (Corrosive); UN1823 for solid, UN1824 for solution
Packing Group: II or III (depends on concentration and form)
Transportation Hazards: Corrosive to metals, can damage containers on leaks; accidental contact with water may result in hazardous heat generation or secondary releases
OSHA: Listed as hazardous, subject to worker protection standards
EPA: Reportable quantity rules for releases; hazardous waste under some circumstances
International: Included on inventories like TSCA, EINECS; subject to transport rules under international regulations
