Ask A Scientist© General Science Archive

name         Curtis
status       other
age          20s

Question -   Can DuPont's Freon (TM) poison you if inhaled?  I only ask this because
the coolers at my place of employment have had a DuPont's Freon (TM) leak for five
days  and I'm starting to get sick.

NEWTON is really for K-12 students and their teachers, but
given the urgency of your request I felt compelled to respond.

I have consulted the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for
Dupont's DuPont's Freon (TM) 502 refrigerant. There's no telling if this is
exactly what you have been exposed to. Here's what the online
database at http://siri.uvm.edu/ says. Note that it is
impossible for me to say whether you need to be concerned
or not, because I have no idea how much DuPont's Freon (TM) you were
exposed to. Check the section entitled "Health Hazard Data."

I suggest that you take this information to your physician
and to your supervisor.

Best regards,
Prof. Robert Topper

DUPONT -- DuPont's Freon (TM) 502 REFRIGERANT
MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET
NSN: 6830001449952
Manufacturer's CAGE: 25827
Part No. Indicator: A
Part Number/Trade Name: DuPont's Freon (TM) 502 REFRIGERANT
===========================================================================
                             General Information
===========================================================================
Item Name: CHLOROPENTAFLUOROETHANE/CHLORODIFLUOROMETHANE
Company's Name: DU PONT
Company's Street: 1007 MARKET STREET
Company's City: WILMINGTON
Company's State: DE
Company's Country: US
Company's Zip Code: 19898
Company's Emerg Ph #: 800-424-9300/800-441-3637
Company's Info Ph #: 800-441-9450
Record No. For Safety Entry: 004
Tot Safety Entries This Stk#: 007
Status: SH
Date MSDS Prepared: 19MAR91
Safety Data Review Date: 10MAR95
Supply Item Manager: GSA
MSDS Preparer's Name: W J BROCK
Preparer's Company: DU PONT CHEMICALS
Preparer's St Or P. O. Box: PO BOX 80709/CHESTNUT RUN
Preparer's City: WILMINGTON
Preparer's State: DE
Preparer's Zip Code: 19880-0709
MSDS Serial Number: BNRMT
Hazard Characteristic Code: G3
Unit Of Issue: LB
Unit Of Issue Container Qty: 30 LB CY
Type Of Container: METAL
Net Unit Weight: 30 LBS
===========================================================================
                      Ingredients/Identity Information
===========================================================================
Proprietary: NO
Ingredient: ETHANE, CHLOROPENTAFLUORO ("DuPont's Freon (TM)" 115) (SARA 313)
Ingredient Sequence Number: 01
Percent: 51.2
NIOSH (RTECS) Number: KH7877500
CAS Number: 76-15-3
OSHA PEL: 1000 PPM
ACGIH TLV: 1000 PPM
Other Recommended Limit: NONE SPECIFIED
-------------------------------------
Proprietary: NO
Ingredient: METHANE, CHLORODIFLUORO ("DuPont's Freon (TM)" 22)
Ingredient Sequence Number: 02
Percent: 48.8
NIOSH (RTECS) Number: PA6390000
CAS Number: 75-45-6
OSHA PEL: 1000 PPM
ACGIH TLV: 1000 PPM
Other Recommended Limit: NONE SPECIFIED
===========================================================================
                      Physical/Chemical Characteristics
===========================================================================
Appearance And Odor: CLEAR, COLORLESS LIQUIDFIED GAS WITH SLIGHT ETHEREAL
ODOR.
Boiling Point: -50F,-45C
Vapor Pressure (MM Hg/70 F): 169 PSIA
Vapor Density (Air=1): 3.92 @ 25C
Specific Gravity: 1.22
Evaporation Rate And Ref: > 1 (CCL4 = 1.0)
Solubility In Water: 0.15 WT% AT 25 C
Percent Volatiles By Volume: 100%
pH: NEUTRL
===========================================================================
                       Fire and Explosion Hazard Data
===========================================================================
Flash Point: WILL NOT BURN
Extinguishing Media: AS APPROPRIATE FOR COMBUSTIBLES IN AREA.
Special Fire Fighting Proc: SELF-CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS IS REQUIRED
IF CYLINDERS RUPTURE OR RELEASE UNDER FIRE CONDITIONS.
Unusual Fire And Expl Hazrds: CYLINDERS ARE EQUIPPED WITH TEMPERATURE AND
PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICES BUT STILL MAY RUPTURE UNDER FIRE CONDITIONS.
DECOMPOSITION MAY OCCUR.
===========================================================================
                               Reactivity Data
===========================================================================
Stability: YES
Cond To Avoid (Stability): OPEN FLAMES AND HIGH TEMPERATURES.
Materials To Avoid: ALKALI OR ALKALINE EARTH METALS - POWDERED AL, ZN, BE,
ETC.
Hazardous Decomp Products: DuPont's Freon (TM) 502 REFRIGERANT CAN BE DECOMP BY HIGH
TEMP (OPEN FLAMES/GLOW METAL SURFACES, ETC) FORMING HYDROCHLORIC AND
Hazardous Poly Occur: NO
Conditions To Avoid (Poly): N/K HYDROFLUORIC ACIDS, AND POSSIBLY CARBONYL
HALIDES.

===========================================================================
                             Health Hazard Data
===========================================================================
LD50-LC50 Mixture: DuPont's Freon (TM) "115" 800,000 PPM/"22" 220,000 PPM
Route Of Entry - Inhalation: YES
Route Of Entry - Skin: YES
Route Of Entry - Ingestion: NO
Health Haz Acute And Chronic: OVEREXPOS BY INHAL MAY INCLUDE DISCOMFORT-
NAUSEA/HEADACHE/WEAKNESS/TEMP NERV SYS DEPRESS W/ANESTHETIC EFFECTS LIKE
DIZZINESS/CONFUSION/INCOORDINATION/LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS OR W/GROSS
OVEREXPOS (>20%), POSS TEMP ALTERATION OF THE HEART'S ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY
W/IRREG PULSE/PALPITATIONS/INADEQ CIRCULATION. MISUSE: DEATH.#
Carcinogenicity - NTP: NO
Carcinogenicity - IARC: NO
Carcinogenicity - OSHA: NO
Explanation Carcinogenicity: N/K #INDIVIDUALS W/PREEXISTING DISEASES OF
THE CENTRAL NERV/CARDIO SYS MAY HAVE INCREASED SUSCEPTIBILITY TO ##
Signs/Symptoms Of Overexp: ##TOXICITY EXCESSIVE EXPOSURES. CARDIAC
SENSITIZATION WAS OBSERVED IN BEAGLE DOGS EXPOSED TO CONCENTRATIONS OF 15%
TO 25% "DuPont's Freon (TM)" 115. VAPOR REDUCES OXYGEN AVAILABLE FOR BREATHING & IS
HEAVIER THAN AIR. SKIN CONTACT WITH THE LIQUID CAN CAUSE FROSTBITE.
"DuPont's Freon (TM)"
22-TOXICITY IN ANIMALS BY INHAL TO CONC RANGING FROM###
Med Cond Aggravated By Exp: N/K ###5 TO 70% INCLUDE EFFECTS ON THE CENTRAL
NERV SYS/LIVER/LUNGS/KIDNEYS/SPLEEN/CARDIAC SENSITIZATION/DECREASED BODY
WEIGHT GAIN/PARTIAL ANESTHESIA. INCREASE OF TUMORS IN MALE RATS AT CONC
OF####
Emergency/First Aid Proc: INHAL: IMMED GET FRESH AIR. KEEP CALM. IF BREATH
STOP, GIVE ARTIF RESP/IF DIFFICULT, GIVE OXYGEN. CALL DR. SKIN: CLEAN SKIN
AFTER USE. EYE: IMMED FLUSH W/WATER. CALL DR. "NOTES TO PHYSICIAN":
BECAUSE
OF POSSIBLE DISTURBANCES OF CARDIAC RHYTHM, CATECHOLAMINE DRUGS, SUCH AS
EPINEPHRINE, SHOULD BE USED WITH SPECIAL CAUTION ONLY IN SITUATIONS OF
EMERGENCY LIFE SUPPORT.
===========================================================================
                    Precautions for Safe Handling and Use
===========================================================================
Steps If Matl Released/Spill: REVIEW FIRE & EXPLOSION HAZARDS & SAFETY
PRECAUTIONS BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH CLEAN-UP. USE APPROPRIATE PERSONAL
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT DURING CLEANING. VENT AREA-ESPEC LOW PLACES WHERE
HEAVY VAPORS MIGHT COLLECT. RMV OPEN FLAMES. USE SCBA FOR LG SPILLS.
Waste Disposal Method: COMPLY WITH FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL REGULATIONS.
REMOVE TO A PERMITTED WASTE DISPOSAL FACILITY OR RECLAIM BY DISTILLATION.
Precautions-Handling/Storing: CLEAN, DRY AREA. DO NOT HEAT ABOVE 125
DEGREES F.
Other Precautions: N/K ####50,000 PPM. SLIGHT BUT SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN
DEVELOPMENTAL TOXICITY (EYE MALFORMATIONS, DECREASED FETAL WEIGHTS)
OBSERVED IN OFFSPRING OF RATS EXPOSED TO HIGH CONC (50,000 PPM) OF FC-22.
HOWEVER NO INDICATION OF ADVERSE#####
===========================================================================
                              Control Measures
===========================================================================
Ventilation: NORM VENT-GEN ADEQ. LOCAL EXHAUST SHOULD BE USED WHEN LARGE
AMOUNTS ARE RELEASED. MECH VENT SHOULD BE USED IN LOW PLACES
Protective Gloves: NEOPRENE RUBBER GLOVES.
Eye Protection: CHEMICAL SPLASH GOGGLES.
Other Protective Equipment: SELF-CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS IS REQUIRED
IF A SPILL OR RELEASE OCCURS.
Suppl. Safety & Health Data: #####EFFECTS ON FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE
PERFORMANCE AT CONCENTRATIONS UP TO 50,000 PPM.

Dr. Topper
=========================================================

Hello,

You can find information about the hazards of a chemical compound by asking 
for its MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) from the supplier of that 
material.  In your case, if you call the manufacturer of the unit, they 
will tell you what compound is used and what needs to be done.
It is a good laboratory/work practice to have on file MSDS for 
non-household substances being used but I do not think that it includes 
common compounds such as refrigerants in a close loop.

DuPont's Freon (TM) 12 (one of several compound referred to as DuPont's Freon (TM)) is often used as 
the working fluid in refrigerators.  Recently, this and other 
so-called  clourofluorocarbon compounds are being gradually replaces with 
others deemed to be less harmful to the ozone layer.   So, I would not know 
for sure if indeed your refrigerator has DuPont's Freon (TM)-12 in it.

Assuming it has, then you can retrieve the MSDS for it (or others) from the 
web.  A good link for www.msdsonline.com.

I have used this link 
(http://www.neslabinstruments.com/service/msds/r12.html) to retrieve the 
following information:

Special Hazard Precautions: ACUTE: INHALATION OF VAPORS MAY CONTRIBUTE TO
THE OCCURRENCE OF IRREGULAR HEARTBEAT (FP N). EYES: IRRITATION WITH
DISCOMFORT, TEARING OR BLURRING OF VISION. SKIN: CONTACT MAY CAUSE
FROSTBITE. INHALATION: MAY CAUSE TEMPORARY NERVOUS SYSTEM DEPRESSION WITH
ANESTHETIC EFFECTS SUCH AS DIZZINESS, HEADACHE, CONFUSION, INCOORDINATION
AND LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS; TEMPORARY ALTERATION OF HEART'S ELECTRICAL
ACTIVITY WITH IRREGULAR PULSE, PALPITATIONS OR INADEQUATE CIRCULATION OR
EFFECTS OF EXCLUSION OF OXYGEN. CHRONIC: NONE LISTED BY MANUFACTURER.

My best suggestion is to contact the manufacturer of the refrigeration unit.

AK

Dr. Ali Khounsary
Advanced Photon Source
Argonne National Laboratory
Argonne, IL 60439
=========================================================

No. No, no, no.

Freons are very inert compounds under ordinary circumstances.  In your
lungs, thay chemically act like nitrogen.  That is, they do not carry out
any chemistry or interact with anything in your body, they just take up
space.

The high stability of freons is part of the reason they damage the ozone
layer.  They persist long enough in the atmosphere to eventually mix into
the stratosphere.  There, the hard ultraviolet radiation that cannot reach
the earth's surface can break the freons onto fragments, which catalyze the
destruction of ozone.

Richard E. Barrans Jr., Ph.D.
Assistant Director
PG Research Foundation, Darien, Illinois
=========================================================
>You must be very careful when working with DuPont's Freon (TM), if under the right
>conditions it can create Phosgene gas, which will easily kill your
>respiratory system and nervous system. Similar to mustard gas.
>The only reason why I know this is, my father was a mechanic and this
>happened to some of the guys in the shop.
>Thanks
>Joe
=========================================================