Product Name: Sodium Hydroxide Solution
Chemical Formula: NaOH, Aqueous Solution
Synonyms: Caustic Soda Solution, Lye, Soda Lye
CAS Number: 1310-73-2
Recommended Use: Industrial cleaning, pH regulation, soap manufacturing, chemical processing, water treatment
Contact: Safety or technical support team available by telephone and email. Company address listed on shipment label.
Emergency Telephone: Provided on transportation documentation for 24/7 response services.
Classification: Corrosive to skin and eyes, hazard category 1A
GHS Label Elements: Danger signal word, corrosive pictogram
Hazard Phrases: Causes severe skin burns and eye damage, harmful if swallowed, may cause respiratory irritation
Symptoms: Skin contact might result in deep burns, redness, blisters, and ulceration. Inhalation can trigger irritation to the nose, throat, and lungs, often marked by coughing and breathing difficulty.
NFPA Ratings: Health: 3, Flammability: 0, Reactivity: 1
Routes of Exposure: Inhalation, skin and eye contact, ingestion
Target Organs: Skin, eyes, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal system
Chemical Name: Sodium Hydroxide
Concentration Range: 5%–50% NaOH by weight in solution
CAS Number: 1310-73-2
Impurities: Trace amounts of sodium chloride or carbonate possible, not expected to play a role in hazards
Water: CAS 7732-18-5, balance
Mixture Type: Aqueous, clear or slightly cloudy liquid
Inhalation: Move to fresh air quickly, provide oxygen if breathing is difficult. Remove contaminated clothing. Seek immediate medical attention for breathing difficulties.
Skin Contact: Flush skin with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes, remove contaminated clothing and shoes. Cover affected area with sterile dressings or clean cloth. Medical care is important even for minor contact.
Eye Contact: Rinse eyes under running water for at least 30 minutes. Lift eyelids often, avoid rubbing eyes. Medical attention required immediately.
Ingestion: Rinse mouth with water; never induce vomiting. Give small amounts of water if victim is alert. Emergency help is critical as caustic burns may affect mouth, throat, or digestive tract.
Most Important Symptoms/Effects: Severe tissue damage, difficulty breathing, loss of vision on eye exposure, risk of shock after significant ingestion or large area skin contact.
Notes to Physician: Treat as chemical burn. Do not attempt neutralization, supportive care only.
Suitable Extinguishing Media: Sodium hydroxide solution itself does not burn. Use water spray, CO2, alcohol-resistant foam, dry powder for nearby combustible material.
Unsuitable Extinguishing Media: Avoid water jet or direct stream as splashing of caustic solution can create spread.
Hazards During Fire: Contact with certain metals (aluminum, zinc) can produce hydrogen gas, which is highly flammable and explosive.
Firefighter Protection: Wear protective gear, including self-contained breathing apparatus and impervious suit. Stay upwind to avoid corrosive fumes.
Combustion Products: Sodium oxide and other irritating, corrosive fumes possible at high temperatures.
Personal Precautions: Wear chemical-resistant gloves, goggles, face shield, and protective clothing. Work in a well-ventilated area. Prevent exposure to skin, eyes, and clothing.
Environmental Precautions: Prevent entry into soil, sewers, or watercourses. Signal downstream users if the liquid migrates to water supplies.
Containment: Dike spill to prevent spreading. Neutralize small amounts using dilute acetic acid, citric acid, or vinegar following professional guidance.
Cleanup Methods: Absorb with inert material such as dry sand, vermiculite, or earth. Shovel into approved waste containers. Wash area with copious amounts of water. Avoid splashing or personal contamination.
Emergency Procedures: Evacuate unprotected people. Notify specialized clean-up personnel as needed.
Handling: Always use gloves, goggles, and face shield. Open containers slowly to avoid a rush of solution. Use only in areas that can be washed down easily. Work with proper ventilation, and keep containers closed when not in use.
Storage: Keep storage temperature between 5°C and 40°C. Store locked, away from acids, ammonium salts, metals like aluminum or zinc, and organic peroxides. Label containers clearly. Use corrosion-resistant, sealed containers—polyethylene, high-grade stainless steel, or certain plastics. Inspect containers regularly for leaks.
Incompatible Materials: Acids, ammonium compounds, soft metals, tin, copper, leather, wood, strong oxidizers.
OSHA PEL: 2 mg/m3 (ceiling)
ACGIH TLV: 2 mg/m3 (ceiling)
Engineering Controls: Use fume hoods or well-ventilated areas. Eye wash stations and safety showers always available nearby.
Personal Protection: Chemical splash goggles, face shield, impervious gloves (nitrile, neoprene, PVC), chemical-resistant apron, full suit for large volumes. Boots made of rubber or synthetic polymers for spill areas. Respiratory protection (NIOSH-approved) when aerosols or mist are present.
Hygiene Measures: Do not eat, drink, or smoke during work. Thorough hand-washing after removal of gloves and before touching face or other surfaces.
Physical State: Liquid
Color: Colorless to slightly cloudy
Odor: Odorless
pH: Above 12 (strongly alkaline)
Melting Point/Freezing Point: Solution freezes variably depending on concentration, usually below 0°C
Boiling Point: Typically above 100°C, depends on concentration
Solubility: Completely soluble in water, produces heat on mixing
Specific Gravity: 1.1–1.5 depending on solution strength
Vapor Pressure: Low at room temperature
Viscosity: Increases with concentration
Evaporation Rate: Slower than water
Flash Point: Not applicable
Chemical Stability: Chemically stable under normal conditions in sealed containers
Reactivity: Highly reactive with acids, generates heat and can cause violent reactions with water if not diluted properly. Corrodes some metals and organic materials.
Hazardous Reactions: Reacts with metals such as aluminum to release explosive hydrogen gas. Violent reactions possible with acids and halogenated organic chemicals.
Decomposition Products: Thermal decomposition can generate sodium oxide fumes or caustic dust if boiled dry.
Conditions to Avoid: Moisture, sealed spaces with incompatible materials, storage in metal containers, open flames near concentrated solution.
Acute Toxicity: Oral LD50 (Rat): 140–340 mg/kg for solid form. For solutions, any ingestion causes burns.
Inhalation: Causes severe irritation or damage to respiratory mucous membranes when mist or aerosol concentrations reach unsafe levels.
Skin Contact: Concentrated solutions rapidly cause deep burns, ulceration, and possible permanent scarring.
Eye Contact: Vapors or liquid can lead to vision loss and irreversible damage within seconds.
Chronic Exposure: Prolonged or repeated exposure results in dermatitis or chronic skin disease, chronic bronchitis if inhaled.
Carcinogenicity: Not classified as carcinogenic by IARC, NTP, or OSHA.
Aquatic Toxicity: High pH results in lethal effects for fish and aquatic organisms at low concentrations. Changes water chemistry, disrupts ecosystem balance.
Movement in Soil: Solution migrates through soils, rapidly neutralized by reaction with minerals. Concentrated release can cause long-term soil alkalization.
Persistence/Degradability: Not persistent, breaks down by neutralization and dilution.
Bioaccumulation: Not expected to bioaccumulate.
Other Environmental Effects: Spills raise water pH, harming aquatic plants and invertebrates, impacting food chains and causing fish kills if not contained.
Waste Treatment Methods: Small diluted amounts can be neutralized using mild acids like vinegar before disposal, with permission from authorities.
Container Disposal: Rinse three times with water, then dispose of containers as hazardous waste. Label and seal drums securely.
Sewage Disposal: Only with approval and neutralization to acceptable pH ranges. Never discharge to open drains or natural waterways.
Regulatory Framework: Comply with local, state, and federal hazardous waste guidelines. Consult waste disposal specialists for bulk disposal.
Recommended Disposal: Use specialized hazardous waste services for large quantities or concentrated solutions.
UN Number: UN1824
Proper Shipping Name: Sodium Hydroxide Solution
Transport Hazard Class: 8 (Corrosive)
Packing Group: II
Labels Required: Corrosive
Special Precautions: Package in tightly sealed, non-metallic or lined drums. Avoid contact with incompatible materials or other reactive substances during shipment.
Emergency Response: Emergency contact numbers provided on waybill; transport according to regional, national, and international regulations.
OSHA: Covered under Process Safety Management for hazardous chemicals.
EPA: Listed as hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Subject to SARA Title III reporting for releases above threshold.
TSCA: Listed on the Toxic Substances Control Act inventory.
REACH and EU Directives: Registered as hazardous substance, subject to workplace and environmental controls.
WHMIS (Canada): Classified D1A, D2B, E for corrosive and immediate toxic effects.
Labeling: All containers labeled for corrosive contents with hazard pictograms, handling instructions, and emergency contact numbers.
Other National and Local Controls: Subject to safety planning, usage and storage limitations, as appropriate for hazardous chemicals.
