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Product Name: Sodium Borohydride
Chemical Formula: NaBH4
CAS Number: 16940-66-2
Synonyms: Sodium tetrahydridoborate, SBH
Recommended Use: Reducing agent in laboratories and industry
Supplier Information: Manufacturer contact details found on actual product label
Emergency Phone: Refer to label for current hotline
Classification: Flammable solid, corrosive, water-reactive
GHS Label Elements: Danger. Causes severe skin burns and eye damage. Harmful if swallowed. May cause respiratory irritation.
Signal Word: Danger
Pictograms: Corrosive, flammable, exclamation mark
Hazard Statements: Dust or contact with moisture liberates flammable gas, risk of serious eye damage, irritation to respiratory system
Precautionary Statements: Do not allow contact with water. Avoid inhaling dust. Wear protective gloves and eye protection.
Chemical Name: Sodium Borohydride
Concentration: 98-100%
CAS Number: 16940-66-2
Impurities: Trace amounts of sodium metaborate, sodium chloride may occur
Formula: NaBH4
Inhalation: Move person to fresh air, support breathing. Seek medical attention for persistent cough or irritation.
Skin Contact: Remove contaminated clothing, wash skin thoroughly with soap and plenty of water. Serious burns require immediate hospital care.
Eye Contact: Rinse eyes cautiously with water for several minutes. Remove contact lenses if possible. Medical attention is critical.
Ingestion: Do not induce vomiting. Rinse mouth. Seek immediate medical assistance. Provide information from label to responders if possible.
Most Important Symptoms: Severe irritation, burning pain, vision loss, pulmonary distress.
Note to Doctor: Effects may be delayed; observe for chemical pneumonitis or metabolic changes.
Suitable Extinguishing Media: Dry sand, dry chemical, Class D extinguishers
Unsuitable Media: Water or carbon dioxide will react violently
Specific Hazards: Reacts with water to produce hydrogen gas, which forms explosive mixtures with air
Protective Equipment: Full protective gear and positive-pressure self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)
Special Instructions: Remove containers from fire area if safe. Cool adjacent containers with dry agents. Avoid inhaling fumes.
Decomposition Products: Sodium oxides, boron oxides, hydrogen gas
Personal Precautions: Evacuate area. Wear respiratory protection and impervious suits.
Environmental Precautions: Prevent powder from entering water sources.
Cleanup Methods: Scoop up with non-sparking tools, store in labeled dry container for disposal. Clean area with dry absorbent. Do not use water for cleanup.
Spill Size Response: Isolate area for significant release. Work in well-ventilated zone—avoid raising dust. Review ventilation controls and warning systems.
Decontamination: Do not spray with water. Remaining powder handled as hazardous waste according to disposal instructions.
Handling: Avoid all contact with skin, eyes, clothing. Prevent exposure to moisture or humidity. Open containers only in fume hood or inert atmosphere.
Storage: Store tightly closed in original container, away from water, acids, and oxidizing agents. Keep in cool, dry place, properly labeled.
Incompatibilities: Acids, water, oxidizers, alcohols. Gaseous by-products from reaction can create pressure in sealed containers.
Special Considerations: Segregate from flammable and incompatible materials. Maintain emergency shower and eyewash stations near workspace.
Transfer Procedures: Use spark-proof, non-metallic tools. Only trained personnel should handle.
Engineering Controls: Ventilated enclosures with local exhaust. Maintain negative pressure in workplace.
Exposure Limits: OSHA PEL and ACGIH TLV not established for Sodium Borohydride; limit exposure as for alkali hydrides.
Personal Protection: Chemical splash goggles, face shield, nitrile or butyl gloves, full skin coverall, sturdy closed footwear.
Respiratory Protection: NIOSH-approved respirator for dust or suitable air-purifying respirators.
Hygiene Measures: Remove contaminated clothing immediately, wash thoroughly, prohibit eating or drinking in work area.
Environmental Exposure Controls: Prevent escape of powder or runoff. Monitor air for hydride levels in confined spaces.
Appearance: White to gray, crystalline, odorless powder
Molecular Weight: 37.83 g/mol
Boiling Point: Decomposes before boiling
Melting Point: 400°C (752°F), with decomposition
Solubility: Reacts with water, soluble in some ammonia or glycols
Density: 1.07 g/cm3 at 20°C
Vapor Pressure: Not applicable (solid, decomposes to gas)
pH (1% Solution): Strongly basic due to hydrolysis
Odor Threshold: Not applicable
Other Noteworthy Properties: Releases hydrogen on exposure to water; reacts violently with acids.
Stability: Stable under dry inert conditions. Product decomposes rapidly in presence of moisture.
Reactivity: Intense reaction with water, acids, oxidizing agents. Decomposes energetically at high temperature or humidity.
Hazardous Decomposition Products: Hydrogen, boron oxides, sodium oxide
Polymerization: Not known to occur
Protective Measures: Store under inert atmosphere whenever possible. Use dry, clean equipment.
Routes of Exposure: Inhalation, skin and eye contact, ingestion
Acute Toxicity: LD50 (Oral, rat): ~1,320 mg/kg
Chronic Effects: Prolonged contact can cause delayed skin, lung, eye injury.
Symptoms: Severe irritation, ulceration, breathing difficulty, skin corrosion
Sensitization: No data suggesting allergic reaction
Carcinogenicity: No listing by IARC, NTP, OSHA
Other Information: May cause damage to mucous membranes. Delayed effects possible after ingestion or accidental splash.
Aquatic Toxicity: Harmful to aquatic life due to pH shift and possible hydrogen gas buildup
Persistence/Degradability: Hydrolyzes to sodium metaborate and borates, which remain in water systems
Bioaccumulation: Unlikely, ionic species show little accumulation
Mobility: Soluble products move easily in groundwater once decomposed
Other Adverse Effects: High pH causes local fish and invertebrate mortality. Avoid direct discharge to water bodies.
Regulatory Requirements: Avoid releases per local and national environmental regulations.
Disposal Methods: Dispose through licensed chemical waste contractor. Package residues securely and prevent contact with moisture during storage.
Landfill Restrictions: Prohibited from municipal waste streams; reacts with landfill leachate.
Incineration: Not suitable due to reactive by-products; do not burn
Neutralization: Only allowed by trained professionals, using controlled conditions
Contaminated Packaging: Treat as hazardous waste; do not reuse
Legal Compliance: Meet national hazardous waste requirements
UN Number: UN 1426
Proper Shipping Name: Sodium borohydride
Hazard Class: 4.3 (Dangerous When Wet), 8 (Corrosive)
Packing Group: I (Great danger)
Marine Pollutant: Not listed
Handling Instructions: Keep dry during all stages of transport. Emergency responders should wear suitable PPE.
Label Requirements: Dangerous when wet, corrosive hazard labels
OSHA: Covered under Hazard Communication Standard as hazardous
TSCA: Listed
SARA Title III: Not specifically listed, but general acute hazard applies
WHMIS (Canada): Classified as hazardous material (reactive, corrosive)
REACH (EU): Uses restricted. Registration and risk assessment needed
California Prop 65: Not listed
Other National Listings: Follow all regional regulations concerning storage, transport, accidental release, and worker protection
