| Agent Name |
Boric acid |
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| CAS Number |
10043-35-3 |
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| Formula |
B-H3-O3 |
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| Major Category |
Metals |
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| Synonyms |
Orthoboric acid; Orthoboric acid (H3BO3); Boracic acid; Borofax; Boron trihydroxide; Hydrogen orthoborate; Kill-off; Kjel-sorb; Three elephant; Trihydroxyborane; [Chemfinder] |
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| Category |
Borate Compounds, Inorganic |
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| Description |
Colorless crystals or white powder or granules; odorless; [Merck Index] |
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| Sources/Uses |
Used as an insecticide to kill ants and roaches, as a soldering flux, a flame retardant and weatherproofing agent; also used as an additive to dyes, nickeling baths, film developers, glass, enamels, soaps, paints, paper, adhesives, and steel; [HSDB] Used as a flux, an additive for heat-resistant borosilcate glass and glass fibers, a flame retardant for textile and insulation products, a fungicide for citrus fruits, an eye medicine, and a solute for nickel electroplating baths; Boric acid is formed by crystallizing a solution of hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid and borax. [Hawley] |
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| Comments |
In typical cases of poisoning by ingestion, the victims have vomiting and diarrhea, skin desquamation, mucosal erosions, and injury to the liver and kidneys; evidence of neurotoxicity include seizures, delirium, and coma. The mechanism of toxicity is not known. [Ford, p. 750-1] A skin irritant; [Quick CPC] In high-dose reproductive studies of animals, boric acid causes testicular damage and fetal loss. [Frazier, p. 252-4] The basis for the TLV for inorganic borate compounds (including boric acid) is irritation of the nose and respiratory tract. Studies of workers exposed to sodium borate dusts found no evidence of pulmonary function or reproductive impairment. [ACGIH] |
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| Reference Link |
HSDB |
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| Exposure Assessment |
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| Skin Designation (ACGIH) |
No |
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| TLV (ACGIH) |
2 mg/m3, inhalable fraction |
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| STEL (ACGIH) |
6 mg/m3, inhalable fraction |
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| Explanatory Notes |
Melting point = 171 deg C; TLV is for "Borate compounds, inorganic" for "all forms of sodium borate and boric acid." [ACGIH] |
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| Adverse Effects |
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| Neurotoxin |
Other CNS Neurotoxin |
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| Hepatotoxin |
Hepatotoxin, Secondary |
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| Reproductive Toxin |
Yes |
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| Links to Other NLM Databases |
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| Health Studies |
Human Health Effects from Hazardous Substances Data Bank: BORIC ACID
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