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Product Name: Ferric Chloride
Chemical Name: Iron(III) Chloride
Synonyms: Iron Trichloride, Ferric Trichloride
CAS No.: 7705-08-0
Recommended Use: Water treatment, etching in printed circuit board production, wastewater treatment, pigment production, laboratory reagent
Supplier Details: Essential to verify supplier information from product label or shipping documentation for traceability and accountability, often includes address, phone number, and emergency supplier contact
Emergency Contact Number: Provided on shipment documentation for rapid incident response, ensures workers do not waste time seeking help in event of exposure or spill
Classification: Corrosive to metals, skin and eye irritant, hazardous to aquatic environments
Hazard Statements: Causes severe skin burns and serious eye damage; may irritate respiratory tract if inhaled; toxic to aquatic life in concentrated form
Signal Word: Danger
Pictograms: Corrosive (GHS05), exclamation mark (GHS07), environment (GHS09)
Precautionary Statements: Wear protective gloves, clothing, and eye protection; use only outdoors or in a well-ventilated area; avoid release to environment
Potential Health Effects: Direct contact can burn skin and eyes; inhaling dust or vapors may irritate nose and throat; accidental ingestion could cause internal injuries
Chemical: Ferric Chloride
CAS No.: 7705-08-0
Concentration: Typically 40% solution in water for industrial use; higher or lower concentrations have adjusted risk profiles
Impurities: Ferrous chloride, hydrochloric acid, trace moisture
Additional Components: Diluent is deionized water for most commercial preparations
Eye Contact: Rinse immediately with plenty of clean water for 15 minutes, lifting eyelids, and seek medical attention right away
Skin Contact: Remove contaminated clothing, flush skin with running water and mild soap for 15 minutes; medical attention required for persistent redness or burns
Inhalation: Remove to fresh air immediately; seek medical help if cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms develop
Ingestion: Rinse mouth, do not induce vomiting; seek medical help promptly due to corrosive action on internal tissue
Additional Notes: Always have eyewash stations and safety showers nearby in workspaces where ferric chloride is handled
Suitable Extinguishing Media: Use dry chemical, carbon dioxide, or alcohol-resistant foam; ferric chloride itself does not burn but reacts with water and metals
Hazardous Combustion Products: Hydrogen chloride gas, chlorine gas, iron oxides; fumes may be hazardous if inhaled
Special Protective Equipment: Firefighters should wear self-contained breathing apparatus and chemical protective suit
Specific Hazards: Reacts with metals in fire conditions to produce flammable hydrogen gas; avoiding mixing with strong oxidizers cuts risk of violent reaction
Advice for Firefighters: Approach from upwind, prevent runoff from entering water supplies
Personal Precautions: Use protective equipment to avoid contact with skin, eyes, or clothing; safety goggles, gloves, face shield needed
Environmental Precautions: Prevent release into drains, soil, waterways; ferric chloride harms aquatic organisms
Spill Containment: Confine and absorb small spills with inert material such as sand or vermiculite; collect in sealed drums for proper disposal
Cleanup Methods: Neutralize spills with sodium bicarbonate or lime, scoop up for hazardous waste collection; ventilate area fully
Reporting: Notify regulatory authorities according to municipal and national guidelines if large spills or environmental contamination occurs
Handling: Wear chemical-resistant gloves, apron, goggles, and respirator in poorly ventilated spaces; avoid breathing dust or vapors; open containers carefully
Hygiene: Wash hands and face after use, remove contaminated clothing before eating or drinking
Storage Conditions: Store in tightly closed, corrosion-resistant containers (polyethylene or glass preferred); keep in cool, well-ventilated area away from incompatible materials like strong bases, metals, and oxidizers
Storage Incompatibilities: Keep away from strong acids, strong bases, evolvers of chlorine, metals—minimizes chances of chemical reaction or damage to storage vessels
Special Precautions: Label storage containers clearly, segregate from food and beverages, keep spill kits nearby in storage areas
Occupational Exposure Limits: OSHA and ACGIH limit for iron salts not otherwise specified is typically 1 mg/m³ (as iron); monitor periodically in workspaces for compliance
Engineering Controls: Use local exhaust ventilation to reduce airborne concentrations; enclosed systems for transferring and mixing further cut down on airborne dust and splash
Personal Protective Equipment: Use chemical splash goggles or full-face shield, acid-resistant gloves, lab coats, and, in case of vapor or dust, NIOSH-approved respirator
Hand Protection: Neoprene or nitrile rubber gloves are durable choices for extended use
Respiratory Protection: In areas with poor ventilation or where splash/aerosol risk is present, half or full-face respirator with acid gas cartridges is needed
Appearance: Dark brownish-yellow solution or crystalline solid (anhydrous solid is an orange-brown powder)
Odor: Slightly pungent, acidic
Odor threshold: Not established
pH: Strongly acidic (solutions typically pH < 2)
Melting Point: 306°C (anhydrous), solution doesn’t melt
Boiling Point: Decomposes before boiling
Solubility: Miscible with water, produces heat and acidic solution; limited solubility in alcohol
Specific Gravity: 1.8-1.9 (solution); solid denser
Vapor Pressure: Negligible for solid; solutions emit acidic vapors
Partition Coefficient (n-octanol/water): Not available
Viscosity: Solution can be noticeably viscous, increases with concentration
Flash Point: Not applicable (nonflammable)
Chemical Stability: Stable under recommended storage conditions with limited air exposure
Possibility of Hazardous Reactions: Contact with metals releases hydrogen gas, contact with water generates heat, mixing with bases causes violent reaction
Incompatible Materials: Strong bases, oxidizers, reactive metals (aluminum, zinc), reducing agents, water if anhydrous form present
Decomposition Products: Hydrogen chloride, chlorine gas, iron oxides in fire
Conditions to Avoid: High humidity, incompatibles, excessive heat
Routes of Exposure: Eyes, skin, inhalation, ingestion
Acute Effects: Eye burns, skin damage, respiratory tract irritation, gastrointestinal corrosion
Chronic Effects: Repeated long-term exposure can lead to dermatitis and increased sensitivity
Toxicity Data: Oral LD50 (rat): 900 mg/kg; can be fatal if swallowed in large amounts
Symptoms of Overexposure: Redness, pain, blistering on skin; coughing, shortness of breath if inhaled; vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain with ingestion
Carcinogenicity: Not listed as carcinogen by IARC, NTP, OSHA
Mutagenicity and Reproductivity: No evidence of mutagenic or reproductive hazard in available studies
Ecotoxicity: Harmful to aquatic life even at low concentrations; disrupts gill function, oxygen transport in fish
Persistence and Degradability: Iron(III) persists; chloride ion disperses
Bioaccumulation: Iron does not bioaccumulate in higher organisms, acute harm via acidification
Mobility in Soil: Ferric chloride is highly mobile, acidifies soil, could leach into groundwater and damage ecosystems
Aquatic Toxicity: LC50 (fish): 20 mg/L (96h)
Sewage Impact: Should not be disposed directly to sewers, treat in chemical waste treatment systems
Disposal Method: Collect in sealed, labeled containers as hazardous waste; neutralize with alkaline material before authorized disposal
Contaminated Packaging: Rinse containers, recycle if allowed locally, otherwise treat as hazardous waste
Precautions: Do not pour into drains, surface water, or soil; ensure disposal personnel have protective gear
Regulatory Compliance: Follow all local, national, or regional guidelines for acid waste disposal
UN Number: 2582 (Ferric Chloride solution), 1773 (solid form)
Shipping Name: Ferric Chloride, solution or solid
Transport Hazard Class: 8—Corrosive substances
Packing Group: III for solution, II for solid
Label Requirements: Corrosive label on all primary and secondary containers
Special Transport Precautions: Ensure containers are secure, upright, corrosion-resistant; avoid heat and shock
Environmental Hazards: Marine pollutant, take precautions against spillage during transit
Hazard Symbols: Corrosive, environmental hazard
Regulation References: Complies with EU REACH, U.S. OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, WHMIS in Canada
SARA Title III: Reportable quantity under CERCLA requirements if spilled above threshold
TSCA Inventory: Listed
Other Regulations: Subject to workplace right-to-know laws due to corrosivity and environmental risk; sites storing large quantities required to notify emergency responders
