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Product Name: Hydrofluoric Acid
Synonyms: HF, Fluoric Acid, Hydrogen Fluoride Solution
Recommended Use: Chemical manufacturing, semiconductor etching, glass cleaning, rust removal
Manufacturer: Commonly distributed by laboratory and industrial supply companies
Emergency Contact: Refer to local chemical safety board, Poison Control
CAS Number: 7664-39-3
UN Number: 1790
Chemical Formula: HF
Contact Details: Always keep emergency response contacts updated and accessible on worksite
Classification: Acute toxicity (oral, dermal, inhalation); corrosive to skin and eyes; causes severe burns
Hazard Pictograms: Corrosive, Health Hazard, Exclamation Mark
Signal Word: Danger
Hazard Statements: Toxic if swallowed, inhaled, or contact with skin; causes severe tissue burns and eye damage; poses significant danger to bone and internal organs due to fluoride ion toxicity
Precautionary Statements: Wear protective gear, avoid all direct contact, no food or drink consumption near usage area, avoid inhaling vapors or mists, use only with stringent containment and ventilation.
Potential Adverse Effects: Deep tissue injury, hypocalcemia, cardiac arrest, severe pain, irreversible damage to tissues.
Chemical Name: Hydrofluoric Acid
Concentration: Common solutions range from 1% to 70% w/w in water
CAS Number: 7664-39-3
Impurities: Can contain trace inorganic fluorides in certain grades
Stabilizers or Additives: None inherently, unless specified for specialized industrial processes
Inhalation: Move person to fresh air, administer oxygen if necessary, seek immediate medical help.
Skin Contact: Immediately flush area with copious running water for no less than 15 minutes, remove contaminated clothing while rinsing, apply calcium gluconate gel and obtain urgent hospital treatment.
Eye Contact: Remove contact lenses if present, flush open eyes with water for at least 15 minutes, ensuring thorough rinsing under eyelids; seek emergency ophthalmology care.
Ingestion: Do not induce vomiting; rinse mouth; administer milk, water, or calcium-containing antacid if conscious; urgent transport to emergency medical center.
Special Notes for Medical Staff: Treat for fluoride ion toxicity, monitor for hypocalcemia and cardiac complications, intravenous calcium recommended for severe cases.
Flammable Properties: Hydrofluoric acid does not ignite, but when heated, releases highly toxic and corrosive fumes such as hydrogen fluoride gas.
Extinguishing Media: Use water spray, dry chemical, carbon dioxide, or alcohol-resistant foam for adjacent fires.
Protective Equipment for Firefighters: Full chemical protection suit and self-contained breathing apparatus required.
Hazardous Combustion Products: Toxic HF gas, fluorine gas
Fire Precautions: Approach from upwind, evacuate area, keep containers cool with water spray from a safe distance.
Personal Precautions: Evacuate area except for trained emergency responders wearing full acid-resistant suits and positive-pressure respirators.
Environmental Precautions: Prevent entry to sewers, surface and groundwater; notify relevant authorities about significant spills.
Methods for Containment: Absorb spills with lime or soda ash, use non-sparking tools, ventilate area, avoid using sawdust or other combustible material.
Decontamination: Clean residues with copious water, neutralize surfaces with calcium-containing compounds.
Disposal of Waste: Handle collected waste as hazardous; see section on Disposal Considerations.
Engineering Controls: Work in fume hood or fully ventilated enclosure.
Safe Handling: Avoid direct contact, only trained personnel may handle, never mix with incompatible substances like glass, metals, or strong acids.
Storage Conditions: Use containers made from polyethylene, Teflon, or other fluoropolymer plastics; always store in secondary containment to capture potential leaks.
Incompatibilities: Reacts violently with bases, reducing agents, glass, ceramics, and many metals.
Labeling: Bold danger symbols and clear hazard information on every container.
Segregate From: Strong acids and bases, oxidizers, combustible materials.
Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL): OSHA 3 ppm (TWA, as HF), ACGIH TLV 0.5 ppm (Ceiling, as fluoride)
Engineering Controls: Local exhaust ventilation, fume hoods, splash shields
Eye Protection: Full face shield and chemical safety goggles
Skin Protection: Acid-resistant gloves (neoprene, nitrile), long-sleeved acid-resistant gown, chemical boots
Respiratory Protection: Use NIOSH-approved acid gas respirators for low-level tasks, supplied air respirator or SCBA for spills or large-scale handling
Hygiene Measures: Remove contaminated clothing immediately, do not eat/drink/smoke in work areas, ensure eyewash stations and emergency showers accessible
Appearance: Colorless, fuming liquid with pungent, acrid odor
Odor Threshold: Detectable at very low concentrations
pH: Less than 2, very strongly acidic
Melting/Freezing Point: Approximately -83°C
Boiling Point: 19.5°C (for pure HF), higher for dilute solutions
Flash Point: Not applicable
Evaporation Rate: Rapid, especially at ambient temperature
Vapor Pressure: 122 mmHg at 20°C
Solubility: Completely miscible in water
Density: Approx. 1.15 g/cm3 (for 48% solution)
Partition Coefficient: Not applicable
Decomposition Temperature: Releases toxic fluorine compounds on heating
Chemical Stability: Stable under recommended storage conditions; undergoes violent reactions with certain substances.
Conditions to Avoid: Heat, incompatibles, open flames, confined spaces lacking ventilation
Incompatible Materials: Glass, silica, concrete, aluminum, most metals, organic materials
Hazardous Decomposition Products: Hydrogen fluoride gas, fluorine gas
Hazardous Polymerization: Does not occur
Reactivity: Can corrode and destroy storage containers made of glass or metals, generates heat and toxic gases when contacting bases and some metals.
Routes of Exposure: Inhalation, skin absorption, ingestion, eye contact
Acute Effects: Severe irritation, burns, necrosis, systemic fluoride poisoning causing cardiac arrest
Chronic Effects: Dental and skeletal fluorosis, kidney and liver damage
CMR Status: Not classified as a carcinogen or mutagen, but highly hazardous due to acute toxicity
LD50 (oral, rat): Approximately 20 mg/kg (highly toxic)
Potential Complications: Deep tissue destruction, delayed onset of symptoms, hypocalcemia inducing fatal heart arrhythmias
Immediate Medical Intervention: Required for all exposures; deep skin penetration increases risk of systemic toxicity regardless of burn severity
Ecotoxicity: Highly toxic to aquatic organisms, even at low concentrations
Mobility in Soil: Highly mobile, leaches quickly into groundwater
Persistence: Not persistent, but by-products like fluoride can accumulate and poison living systems
Bioaccumulation: Can accumulate in plants and animals, especially affecting bones of vertebrates
Aquatic Impact: Causes fish kills, reduces biodiversity, harms all levels of aquatic ecosystems
Regulatory Concern: Report accidental releases and spills to environmental agencies immediately
Disposal Methods: Treat as hazardous waste, neutralize with lime or calcium carbonate under direct supervision of waste management professional
Disposal Containers: Use acid-resistant, sealed containers; do not use glass or metals
Precautions: Never pour down drains or in regular waste; only licensed hazardous waste contractors may transport/dispose
National and Local Regulations: Follow strict hazardous waste guidelines; maintain documentation for compliance auditing
Labeling of Waste: Clearly indicate hydrofluoric acid, concentration, and hazard information on all waste
UN Number: 1790
UN Proper Shipping Name: Hydrofluoric acid
Transport Hazard Class: 8 (Corrosive), 6.1 (Toxic)
Packing Group: II or I (varies by concentration and country)
Label Requirements: Corrosive, Toxic, Environmental Hazard
Special Transport Notes: Only transport by qualified, licensed carriers; ensure emergency spill kits accompanying all shipments
Compatibility: Separate from strong bases, organic materials, oxidizers in transport
Documentation: Emergency response and safety data must travel with shipment
GHS Classification: Acute Toxicity, Oral/Dermal/Inhalation: Category 2; Skin Corrosive: Category 1
EPA Status: Reportable under SARA Title III, CERCLA hazardous substance
OSHA: Subject to Process Safety Management, General Duty Clause; strict workplace exposure limits
DOT: Regulated as hazardous material for transport
EU REACH: Listed as a SVHC; registration and authorization required for industrial use
Local Authority Requirements: Comply with chemical safety directives, permissions, and emergency planning as defined by region or country
