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Name: Monosodium Citrate, Trisodium Citrate, Potassium Citrate, Calcium Citrate, Citric Acid Esters
CAS: Unique for each salt and ester; for example, Trisodium Citrate CAS 68-04-2, Monosodium Citrate CAS 18996-35-5
Physical Form: Usually appears as white, odorless powder or granules. Esters often look like clear, oily liquids.
Typical Usage: Found in food and beverage preservation, personal care, pharmaceuticals, cleaning products.
Risks: Powders can cause mild eye and skin irritation. Inhalation of airborne particles sometimes leads to coughing or throat irritation. Esters rarely trigger allergic responses.
Pictograms: Irritant symbol will appear for some of the powders; most food-grade variants do not require extensive labeling.
Ingestion Effects: Large quantities upset stomach, sometimes lead to nausea, seldom more serious reactions unless ingested in bulk.
Target Organs: No chronic toxicity to major organs in standard use; accidental exposure seldom leads to lasting health problems.
Monosodium Citrate: Sodium salt of citric acid; >99% purity for industrial and food-grade products.
Trisodium Citrate: Mostly comprised of sodium citrate; minor impurities such as water traces.
Potassium and Calcium Citrate: Respective metal cations paired with citrate; food-quality grades specified for low heavy metals.
Esters: Citrate backbone with alkyl or acyl functional groups – triethyl citrate, tributyl citrate, acetyl tributyl citrate among the better-known.
Additives: Anti-caking agents may be mixed into powder forms, especially for commercial distributors.
Inhalation: Step outdoors for fresh air, breathe slowly; symptoms tend to be reversible.
Skin Contact: Wash off with water—routine soap suffices.
Eye Contact: Rinse eyes with water for several minutes. Medical attention recommended for persistent redness.
Ingestion: Rinse mouth with water, consume fluids; call a physician only in extreme cases, such as ingestion of large amounts by children.
Fire Risk: Most citric acid salts do not catch fire easily, but intense heat causes decomposition.
Suitable Extinguishing Media: Water spray, dry chemical, foam.
Hazardous Combustion Products: Burning may release carbon oxides and, occasionally, irritating smoke.
Firefighting Gear: Firefighters should gear up with breathing apparatus in enclosed situations.
Special Hazards: In large-scale fires, product can melt and flow, which poses slipping risks on floors.
Cleaning Spills: Sweep or vacuum solids, avoid creating dust clouds.
Personal Protection: Gloves and goggles recommended, especially for bulk clean-ups.
Environmental Prevention: Keep powders out of surface water; small amounts do not carry lasting environmental harm.
Disposal: Spilled material may be swept and disposed of in general trash for household quantities, with workers handling larger incidents following local environmental guidance.
Storage Conditions: Store bags or drums in cool, dry areas, avoid excessive humidity.
Handling: Open containers slowly to prevent puffing up dust. Closed packaging helps preserve quality.
Segregation: Keep away from strong oxidizers or acids to avoid unwanted reactions.
Shelf Life: Container labels often show multi-year stability if kept dry.
Airborne Exposure: General ventilation usually handles possible dust; industrial workers may use dust masks.
Skin Protection: Protective gloves for prolonged contact; short, incidental exposure rarely calls for more than hand-washing.
Eye Protection: Safety glasses should be worn in settings where powders become airborne.
Work Practices: Routine hygiene—wash hands before eating, keep workspaces clean.
Appearance: White crystalline powders, sometimes granular for ease of mixing; esters show up as oily, colorless liquids.
Odor: Virtually odorless for salts; faint fruity tones from some esters.
pH: Slightly basic to neutral in solution, depending on the metal ion.
Melting Point: Salts melt and decompose above 150°C; esters have lower melting or boiling points.
Solubility: Easily dissolved in water for sodium, potassium, and some calcium forms; esters more soluble in oils or alcohols.
Chemical Stability: Stable in unopened containers, breaks down when exposed to moisture over long periods.
Incompatible Materials: Strong oxidizing agents, concentrated acids.
Decomposition: High heat drives off water and releases CO2 and organic fumes.
Polymerization: No risk for dangerous polymerization under normal storage.
Oral Toxicity: Low for most forms; intended for human consumption in food-grade quantities.
Irritation: Mild, limited to local contact—skin and eyes being most sensitive.
Sensitization: Rare allergic reactions documented.
Chronic Effects: No evidence of carcinogenic, mutagenic, or reproductive hazards in laboratory studies.
Special Risks: Not recommended for people with certain kidney conditions due to potassium or sodium content; high intake affects electrolyte balance.
Aquatic Toxicity: Breaks down easily; fish and water insects tolerate citrates well at typical dilution.
Persistence and Degradability: Readily biodegradable under normal environmental conditions.
Bioaccumulation: Not expected, owing to good solubility and rapid turnover.
Soil Impact: Used in agriculture to adjust pH; does not harm soil microbiomes in realistic concentrations.
Household Disposal: Small amounts disposed of in regular trash; larger spills swept into sealed containers and disposed according to local instructions.
Industrial Disposal: Bulk quantities sent to approved waste management or water treatment facilities.
Environmental Concerns: Avoid dumping directly into waterways; since substances are biodegradable, landfill impact remains low.
UN Classification: Not considered hazardous by international transport regulations.
Special Packing: Keep dry; packaging must prevent product from absorbing moisture.
Spillage Concerns: Low risk—powder swept, containerized for safe movement.
Global Inventory: Listed as approved ingredient in most developed countries, including entries in U.S. EPA TSCA, EU REACH, and Canadian DSL.
Food Use Approvals: Designated as “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) by the U.S. FDA and permitted as food additives in the EU.
Labeling: No special hazard warning required on consumer packaging.
