| Agent Name |
Iron salts, soluble |
|---|
| Formula |
varies |
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| Major Category |
Metals |
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| Synonyms |
FeSO4: Ferrous sulfate, Iron(II) sulfate; FeCl2: Ferrous chloride, Iron(II) chloride; Fe(NO3)3: Ferric nitrate, Iron(III) nitrate; Fe(SO4)3: Ferric sulfate, Iron(III) sulfate; FeCl3: Ferric chloride, Iron(III)chloride; [NIOSH] |
|---|
| Category |
Metals, Inorganic Compounds |
|---|
| Description |
Appearance and odor vary depending upon the specific soluble iron salt; [NIOSH] |
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| Comments |
TDLo (child) = 77 mg/kg; LD50 (rats) = 30 gm/kg; [ChemIDplus] Iron is one of the leading causes of poisoning death in children. Adult preparations usually contain 60-90 mg of elemental iron per tablet. The lowest reported lethal dose in children is 600 mg. Symptoms are unlikely with ingestion < 20 mg/kg of elemental iron. Iron causes hemorrhagic gastroenteritis. In some cases, there is a latency of up to 12 hours followed by shock, metabolic acidosis, hepatic failure, seizures, and coma. Serious adverse effects are unlikely when: 1.) no pills visible on plain x-ray; 2.) normal WBC count and blood sugar; and 3.) no spontaneous vomiting or diarrhea. Toxicity is more likely when the serum iron level is > 450-500 mcg/dL. [Olson, p. 230] Ingestion of high doses of ferrous sulfate may induce acute renal failure. [Rosenstock, p. 575] |
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| Exposure Assessment |
|---|
| Skin Designation (ACGIH) |
No |
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| Bioaccumulates |
Yes |
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| TLV (ACGIH) |
1 mg/m3, as Fe |
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| Adverse Effects |
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| Hepatotoxin |
Hepatotoxin, Secondary |
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| Nephrotoxin |
Yes |
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| Links to Other NLM Databases |
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