Appearance: colorless to white crystals.
Danger! May be
fatal if inhaled, absorbed through the skin or swallowed. Contact with acids
liberates very toxic and explosive gas, hydrazoic acid vapor. Reacts with many
heavy metals to form explosive compounds. Forms hydrazoic acid in water which
volatilizes readily at 99°F. Hydrazoic acid is a colorless, volatile, highly
toxic and highly explosive liquid with a characteristic odor, which has been
described as sickening. Heating may cause an explosion. Causes eye, skin, and
respiratory tract irritation. May cause cardiac disturbances. Heat sensitive.
Dangerous for the environment.
Target Organs: Central
nervous system, lungs, cardiovascular system, eyes, skin.
Potential Health Effects
Eye: Causes eye irritation. Contact with dust or
vapor may cause systemic toxic
Skin: Causes skin
irritation. May be fatal if absorbed through the skin. If absorbed, causes
symptoms similar to those of ingestion.
Ingestion: May be
fatal if swallowed. Causes gastrointestinal irritation with nausea, vomiting and
diarrhea. Sodium azide may cause hypotension (abnormally low blood pressure),
tachycardia (rapid heart rate), tachypnea (quick, shallow breathing),
hypothermia (low body temperature), convulsions and severe headache.
Inhalation: May be fatal if inhaled. Dust is irritating to
the respiratory tract. May cause effects similar to those described for
ingestion. Rapidly absorbed. The vapor of hydrazoic acid may be present where
sodium azide is handled. Symptoms of acute exposure to hydrazoic acid include
eye irritation, headache, dramatic decrease in blood pressure, weakness,
pulmonary edema, and collapse.
Chronic: Chronic inhalation
and ingestion may cause effects similar to those of acute inhalation and
ingestion.