| Agent Name |
Sodium borate, pentahydrate |
|---|
| CAS Number |
12179-04-3 |
|---|
| Formula |
B4-O7.2Na.5H2-O |
|---|
| Major Category |
Metals |
|---|
| Synonyms |
Borax pentahydrate; Sodium borate pentahydrate; Sodium tetraborate pentahydrate; [NIOSH] |
|---|
| Category |
Borate Compounds, Inorganic |
|---|
| Description |
Colorless or white, odorless crystals or free-flowing powder; Begins to lose water of hydration at 252 degrees F; [NIOSH] |
|---|
| Sources/Uses |
Used as a preservative, antiseptic and fungicide; also used to manufacture glazes, enamels, soldering fluxes and cleaning compounds and to fireproof textiles and wood; [ACGIH] Boric acid and borates as tablets or powder are used to kill larvae in barns and other insects in houses. Rarely, they are sprayed as herbicides. [EPA: Recognition of Pesticide Poisonings] |
|---|
| Comments |
The basis for the TLV for inorganic borate compounds 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] |
|---|
| Exposure Assessment |
|---|
| Skin Designation (ACGIH) |
No |
|---|
| TLV (ACGIH) |
2 mg/m3, inhalable fraction |
|---|
| STEL (ACGIH) |
6 mg/m3, inhalable fraction |
|---|
| Explanatory Notes |
TLV is for "Borate compounds, inorganic" for "all forms of sodium borate and boric acid." [ACGIH] |
|---|
| Adverse Effects |
|---|
| Reproductive Toxin |
Yes |
|---|
| Links to Other NLM Databases |
|---|
