Material Safety Data Sheet – Sulfuric Acid
Identification
Product Name: Sulfuric Acid
Chemical Formula: H2SO4
Other Names: Oil of vitriol, Battery acid
Recommended Use: Chemical manufacturing, fertilizer production, petroleum refining, battery acid for lead-acid batteries, pH adjustment, cleaning agents
Supplier: Local chemical supplier or industrial distributor details
Emergency Telephone: Refer to chemical supplier or local emergency response services
UN Number: 1830 or 2796 (for concentrated or dilute)
CAS Number: 7664-93-9
Hazard Identification
Classification: Corrosive to metals, causes severe skin burns, causes eye damage
GHS Pictograms: Corrosive (test tube over hand and metal), exclamation mark
Signal Word: Danger
Hazard Statements: Causes severe skin burns and eye damage, may cause respiratory irritation, may be corrosive to metals
Precautionary Statements: Wear protective gloves, protective clothing, eye protection, and face protection; avoid inhaling vapors, fumes, or mists; avoid all contact with eyes and skin; ensure good ventilation in work area
Potential Health Effects: Short-term exposure can result in irritation and burns to any tissue it contacts. Breathing vapors may irritate the respiratory tract. Prolonged or repeated exposure increases the severity of effects.
Composition / Information on Ingredients
Chemical Name: Sulfuric Acid
Content: Typically 95–98% in concentrated form, may be diluted in different concentrations
CAS Number: 7664-93-9
Impurities: Trace metals or water may be present, largely dependent on production process
First Aid Measures
Eye Contact: Rinse cautiously with water for several minutes, hold eyelids open, remove contact lenses, seek immediate medical help
Skin Contact: Remove contaminated clothing and flush skin with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes, seek medical attention
Inhalation: Move to fresh air, keep at rest, seek immediate medical advice, provide oxygen if breathing is difficult
Ingestion: Do not induce vomiting, rinse mouth, give water to drink if conscious, call poison control or doctor at once
Key Symptoms: Severe pain, redness, blistering of skin, eye damage, mucous membrane burns, coughing, choking sensation
Fire-Fighting Measures
Suitable Extinguishing Media: Use water spray, fog, or foam to cool containers; dry chemical or carbon dioxide only for small fires near containers
Unsuitable Media: Avoid direct water stream on acid or spilled product—it can cause violent reaction, increase risk of splatter
Specific Hazards: Sulfuric acid is not combustible, but it can react with most metals to produce explosive hydrogen gas; decomposes upon strong heating to toxic sulfur oxides
Protective Equipment: Firefighters should wear self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), chemical protective clothing, and avoid exposure to decomposition products
Special Procedures: Stay upwind, evacuate downwind area, cool exposed containers with water spray from safe location
Accidental Release Measures
Personal Precautions: Evacuate area, wear full chemical protective clothing with eye and face protection
Environmental Precautions: Prevent entry to drains, sewers, or waterways—contain runoff with sand or earth
Methods for Clean-up: Use inert material like dry sand or earth to cover and absorb spill, avoid water, neutralize with sodium bicarbonate or lime, scoop up residue, and place in acid-approved non-metallic containers
Notification Procedures: Inform regulatory authorities if large quantities enter environment
Handling and Storage
Handling: Work in well-ventilated area or use fume hood; wear chemical-resistant gloves and splash-proof goggles and face shield; always add acid to water—never the reverse due to violent reaction risk
Storage: Store in cool, dry, well-ventilated space in corrosion-resistant, tightly closed containers clearly labeled; separate from incompatible materials such as bases, oxidizers, organic materials, and most metals; use secondary containment
Safe Practices: Train personnel on hazards and procedures, keep away from children, never store with food or medications, respect local storage limits and fire codes
Exposure Controls and Personal Protection
Exposure Limits: OSHA PEL: 1 mg/m3; ACGIH TLV: 0.2 mg/m3 (as thoracic fraction)
Engineering Controls: Use local exhaust ventilation, chemical fume hoods, and eye wash stations
Respiratory Protection: In case of formation of vapor or mist, use NIOSH-approved acid gas respirator; higher concentrations require SCBA
Eye Protection: Wear splash-proof chemical safety goggles and full-face shield
Skin Protection: Acid-resistant gloves (neoprene, butyl rubber), aprons, long sleeves, and closed footwear
General Hygiene: Wash hands thoroughly after handling, do not eat, drink, or smoke during use, remove contaminated clothing and wash before reuse
Physical and Chemical Properties
Appearance: Clear, colorless to slightly yellow oily liquid
Odor: Odorless or faintly pungent
pH (1N solution): Below 1
Melting Point: 10.4°C (50.7°F)
Boiling Point: 337°C (639°F)
Relative Density: 1.84 (at 20°C for concentrated acid)
Solubility: Miscible with water, releases heat on dilution
Vapor Pressure: Very low (0.001 mmHg at 25°C)
Vapor Density: 3.4 (air = 1)
Partition Coefficient: Not applicable
Decomposition Temperature: Above 340°C
Viscosity: 24 cP (at 25°C for concentrated acid), increases with concentration and decreasing temperature
Stability and Reactivity
Chemical Stability: Stable under recommended storage conditions
Reactivity: Powerful dehydrating agent, reacts violently with water, alcohol, bases, many metals, and organic matter
Incompatible Materials: Alkalis, organic materials, metal powders, finely divided metals, explosives, strong oxidizers and reducing agents
Hazardous Decomposition Products: Sulfur dioxide, sulfur trioxide, and oxides of sulfur; releases hydrogen gas when in contact with metals
Polymerization: Does not polymerize
Toxicological Information
Acute Toxicity: Not considered acutely toxic by ingestion if diluted, but severe burns occur in mouth, throat, stomach; vapor can irritate or burn respiratory tract
Chronic Exposure: Prolonged skin or respiratory contact causes dermatitis, tooth erosion, chronic lung or bronchial irritation, and increased risk of respiratory tract cancer
Skin/Eye Contact: Causes severe burns, possible permanent eye damage
Inhalation: Produces burning sensation in nose, throat and lungs, coughing, and choking
Carcinogenicity: IARC classified as Group 1 carcinogen (mist)
Additional Data: Repeated or long-term exposure impairs lung function; individuals with chronic respiratory disease or asthma experience more severe effects
Ecological Information
Ecotoxicity: Toxic to aquatic life due to low pH, kills fish and aquatic invertebrates rapidly depending on concentration
Persistence and Degradability: Readily dissociates in water, neutralized by natural alkalinity, but acidification of local environment can cause long-term ecosystem harm
Bioaccumulation Potential: Sulfuric acid does not bioaccumulate
Mobility in Soil: Very mobile in soil, percolates to groundwater causing acidification
Other Effects: Runoff can harm water quality, vegetation, and soil micro-organisms
Disposal Considerations
Waste Treatment Methods: Dispose of according to local, regional, and national regulations, always neutralize before disposal using appropriate alkaline agents under expert supervision
Container Disposal: Rinse empty containers cautiously with water, neutralize rinseate, dispose of in approved waste facility
Do Not: Discharge into drains, surface water, or soil
Hazardous Waste Status: Classified as hazardous waste due to corrosivity
Transport Information
UN Number: 1830 (Sulfuric Acid, with more than 51% acid); 2796 (Sulfuric Acid, with not more than 51% acid)
UN Proper Shipping Name: Sulfuric Acid
Transport Hazard Class: 8 (Corrosive substances)
Packing Group: II or III, depending on concentration
Labels: Corrosive
Marine Pollutant: Not classified as a marine pollutant
Special Precautions: Transport in upright, well-sealed, corrosion-resistant containers; keep away from incompatible materials and ensure proper emergency information is available with shipment
Regulatory Information
OSHA: Listed as hazardous chemical under Hazard Communication Standard (HCS)
SARA Title III: Section 302-EHS (Extremely Hazardous), Section 313-Toxic chemical
RCRA: Identified as hazardous waste (D002—corrosivity)
TSCA: Listed
EPA: Regulated for emissions and disposal
EU Regulation: Classified as corrosive under Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008
Other Compliance: Transport and workplace labeling requirements, mandatory safety training and emergency planning, notification for large storage or use quantities depending on local jurisdiction
