Perchlorates

What are Perchlorates?

CAS#: 010034-81-8, 007778-74-7, 007790-98-9, 007601-89-0, 007791-03-9

Perchlorates are colorless salts that have no odor. There are five perchlorate salts that are manufactured in large amounts: magnesium perchlorate, potassium perchlorate, ammonium perchlorate, sodium perchlorate, and lithium perchlorate. Perchlorate salts are solids that dissolve easily in water. The health effects of perchlorate salts are due to the perchlorate itself and not to the other component (i.e., magnesium, ammonium, potassium, etc.).

One place where perchlorate occurs naturally is in saltpeter deposits in Chile, where the saltpeter is used to make fertilizer. In the past, the United States used a lot of this fertilizer on tobacco plants, but now uses very little. Perchlorates are very reactive chemicals that are used mainly in explosives, fireworks, and rocket motors. The solid booster rocket of the space shuttle is almost 70% ammonium perchlorate.

Perchlorates are also used for making other chemicals. Many years ago, perchlorate was used as a medication to treat an over-reactive thyroid gland.

Related Resources for Perchlorates

• Minimal Risk Levels (MRL)
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• NCEH Fact Sheets
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• Public Health Statement
  Summary about a hazardous substance taken from Chapter One of its respective ATSDR Toxicological Profile.
  
• ToxFAQ
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• ToxGuide: [PDF, 75 KB]
  Quick reference guide providing information such as chemical and physical properties, sources of exposure, routes of exposure, minimal risk levels, children's health, and health effects for a substance.
  
• Toxicological Profile
  Succinctly characterizes the toxicologic and adverse health effects information for a hazardous substance.