Furfural Safety Data Sheets

Acute toxicity - Category 3, Oral

Acute toxicity - Category 4, Dermal

Skin irritation, Category 2

Eye irritation, Category 2

Acute toxicity - Category 3, Inhalation

Specific target organ toxicity – single exposure, Category 3

Carcinogenicity, Category 2

If inhaled

Following skin contact

Following eye contact

Following ingestion

Vapor may irritate eyes and respiratory system. Liquid irritates skin and may cause dermatitis. (USCG, 1999)

Special Hazards of Combustion Products: Irritating vapors are generated when heated (USCG, 1999)

Use water spray, powder, alcohol-resistant foam, carbon dioxide. In case of fire: keep drums, etc., cool by spraying with water.

Personal protection: filter respirator for organic gases and particulates adapted to the airborne concentration of the substance. Do NOT let this chemical enter the environment. Collect leaking liquid in sealable containers. Absorb remaining liquid in sand or inert absorbent. Then store and dispose of according to local regulations.

Personal protection: filter respirator for organic gases and particulates adapted to the airborne concentration of the substance. Do NOT let this chemical enter the environment. Collect leaking liquid in sealable containers. Absorb remaining liquid in sand or inert absorbent. Then store and dispose of according to local regulations.

1. Remove all ignition sources. 2. Ventilate area of spill or leak. 3. For small quantities, absorb on paper towels. Evaporate in a safe place ... Allow sufficient time for evaporating vapors to completely clear the hood ductwork. Burn the paper in a suitable location away from combustible materials. For large quantities, cover with sodium bisulfite, add a small amt of water & mix. ... After 1 hr, flush with large amt of water & wash site with soap solution.

NO open flames, NO sparks and NO smoking. Above 60°C use a closed system, ventilation and explosion-proof electrical equipment. Handling in a well ventilated place. Wear suitable protective clothing. Avoid contact with skin and eyes. Avoid formation of dust and aerosols. Use non-sparking tools. Prevent fire caused by electrostatic discharge steam.

Separated from strong bases, strong acids, strong oxidants and food and feedstuffs. Keep in the dark. Well closed. Ventilation along the floor. Store in an area without drain or sewer access.Keep in air tight container and protect from light

Occupational Exposure limit values

Biological limit values

Eye/face protection

Skin protection

Respiratory protection

Thermal hazards

The substance polymerizes under the influence of acids or bases. This generates fire or explosion hazard. Reacts with oxidants. Attacks some forms of plastic.

Turns yellow to brown on exposure to air and light and resinifies

Flammability of furfural is comparable to that of kerosene or No 1 fuel oil.FURFURAL reacts with sodium hydrogen carbonate. It also can react with strong oxidizers. An exothermic resinification of almost explosive violence can occur upon contact with strong mineral acids or alkalis. It forms condensation products with many types of compounds, including phenol, amines and urea. (NTP, 1992).

no data available

Can react with oxidizing materials.

When heated to decomposition it emits acrid smoke and irritating fumes.

Acute toxicity

• Oral: LD50 - rat (male) - 100 mg/kg bw. Remarks:5/10 mortalities at 100 mg/kg.
• Inhalation: LC50 - rat (male/female) - > 0.54 - < 1.63 mg/L air (analytical).
• Dermal: LD50 - rat (male/female) - > 2 000 mg/kg bw.

Skin corrosion/irritation

Serious eye damage/irritation

Respiratory or skin sensitization

Germ cell mutagenicity

Carcinogenicity

Reproductive toxicity

STOT-single exposure

STOT-repeated exposure

Aspiration hazard

• Toxicity to fish: LC50 - Poecilia reticulata - 10.5 mg/L - 14 d.
• Toxicity to daphnia and other aquatic invertebrates: EC0 - Daphnia magna - 13 mg/L - 24 h.
• Toxicity to algae: NOEC - Microcystis aeruginosa - 2.7 mg/L - 8 d.
• Toxicity to microorganisms: EC50 - activated sludge - 760 mg/L - 30 min.

AEROBIC: Furfural, present at 100 mg/L, reached 93.5% of its theoretical BOD in 2 weeks using an activated sludge inoculum at 30 mg/L and the Japanese MITI test(1). In river die-away studies using water taken from the Great Miami, Little Miami, and Ohio Rivers, 1.0 ppm of furfural was completely degraded within 3 days under aerobic conditions(2). The rate of degradation at a higher initial furfural concentration was found to be dependent upon the degree of acclimation, and fully acclimated seeds were round to degrade 25 ppm furfural within 5-12 days(2). At initial concentrations of 1.7-20 and 440 ppm, furfural underwent 46% and 17% theoretical BOD, respectively, in 5 days using a sewage sludge seed under aerobic conditions(3). Furfural at an initial concentration of 300 mg/L, in solution with phenol and N-methyl-2-pyrolidine, was found to undergo 98% removal in a flow-through laboratory bioreactor using an activated sludge inoculum under aerobic conditions(4). At an initial feed concentration of 1,000 mg/L, degradation was also found to occur(4). Furfural at an initial concentration of 200 mg/L COD underwent 96.3% removal in less than 120 hours using a thickened adapted activated sludge under aerobic conditions (5). Furfural was shown to support the aerobic growth of organisms obtained from soil and grown on phenol(6).

An estimated BCF of 3.2 was calculated for furfural(SRC), using a log Kow of 0.41(1) and a regression-derived equation(2). According to a classification scheme(3), this BCF suggests the potential for bioconcentration in aquatic organisms is low(SRC).

The Koc of furfural is estimated as 40(SRC), using a log Kow of 0.41(1) and a regression-derived equation(2). According to a classification scheme(3), this estimated Koc value suggests that furfural is expected to have very high mobility in soil.

no data available

Product

Contaminated packaging

no data available

no data available

Information on revision

Abbreviations and acronyms

• CAS: Chemical Abstracts Service
• ADR: European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road
• RID: Regulation concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail
• IMDG: International Maritime Dangerous Goods
• IATA: International Air Transportation Association
• TWA: Time Weighted Average
• STEL: Short term exposure limit
• LC50: Lethal Concentration 50%
• LD50: Lethal Dose 50%
• EC50: Effective Concentration 50%

References

• IPCS - The International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSC), website: http://www.ilo.org/dyn/icsc/showcard.home
• HSDB - Hazardous Substances Data Bank, website: https://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/newtoxnet/hsdb.htm
• IARC - International Agency for Research on Cancer, website: http://www.iarc.fr/
• eChemPortal - The Global Portal to Information on Chemical Substances by OECD, website: http://www.echemportal.org/echemportal/index?pageID=0&request_locale=en
• CAMEO Chemicals, website: http://cameochemicals.noaa.gov/search/simple
• ChemIDplus, website: http://chem.sis.nlm.nih.gov/chemidplus/chemidlite.jsp
• ERG - Emergency Response Guidebook by U.S. Department of Transportation, website: http://www.phmsa.dot.gov/hazmat/library/erg
• Germany GESTIS-database on hazard substance, website: http://www.dguv.de/ifa/gestis/gestis-stoffdatenbank/index-2.jsp
• ECHA - European Chemicals Agency, website: https://echa.europa.eu/

Other Information

Refer for medical attention if breathing difficulties and/or fever develop.