Chemical Name: Trinitrophenol
Common Names: Picric Acid
Chemical Formula: C6H2(NO2)3OH
UN Number: 1344
CAS Number: 88-89-1
Recommended Use: Dye manufacture, forensic analysis, explosives, analytical chemistry
Supplier Information: Suppliers should include contact address, emergency phone numbers, and responsible persons for spill containment or hazard communication inquiries
Hazard Class: Explosive (Division 1.1D), Toxic, Harmful if swallowed, contact with skin or eyes, and inhalation
Signal Word: Danger
Hazard Statements: May explode under heating or shock, toxic by ingestion, skin or respiratory exposure causes severe burns
Precautionary Statements: Keep away from heat, sparks, or open flame, wear protective clothing, avoid direct contact or inhalation, use only outdoors or in well-ventilated area; in large concentrations, picric acid can form shock-sensitive crystals especially when dry, making old containers highly hazardous
Component: Picric Acid
Concentration: Usually 99% or higher in pure form
Impurities: May contain minor traces of dinitrophenol or other nitro derivatives depending on source
Synonyms: 2,4,6-Trinitrophenol
Inhalation: Move affected person to fresh air immediately, call medical personnel, monitor breathing and administer oxygen if available
Skin Contact: Remove contaminated clothing, wash skin with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes, seek medical attention as burns may appear delayed
Eye Contact: Rinse eyes cautiously with water, remove contact lenses if present, flush eyes for several minutes, call emergency help
Ingestion: Do not induce vomiting, rinse mouth thoroughly, seek emergency medical help immediately
Special Advice to Doctor: Treat symptoms, monitor for delayed onset of methemoglobinemia, renal, or hepatic injury
Suitable Extinguishing Media: Flood burning area with large amounts of water using remote hoses, keep containers cool with water spray
Unsuitable Media: Avoid dry chemical, CO2, or foam extinguishing agents, as these may increase risk of detonation
Fire Hazards: Highly explosive when dry, strong oxidizer enhancing intensity of any fire
Hazardous Decomposition Products: Nitrogen oxides, carbon oxides, and potentially toxic fumes
Protective Equipment: Firefighters require full protective gear, face shield, self-contained breathing apparatus, maintain safe distance; evacuate non-essential personnel
Personal Precautions: Evacuate area, restrict access, avoid inhalation or physical contact, remove ignition sources
Spill Response: Wet down dry powders prior to handling, use non-sparking tools for cleanup, collect with moist absorbent material, avoid dust formation
Spill Control: Prevent material from entering drains or sewers, notify proper authorities in the event of substantial spills
Decontamination: Wash affected surfaces with copious water, ventilate area thoroughly, ensure all residues remain hydrated to avoid explosion risk
Safe Handling: Only experienced, trained personnel should handle, always keep material moist (usually stored under water or with a wetting agent), avoid impact, friction, or static electricity
Storage: Store in cool, ventilated areas, away from all sources of ignition, acids, bases, and strong reducing agents, use only approved explosive magazines or similar secure facilities
Container Requirements: Use containers with tight water-seal to prevent drying, label containers with expiry and inspection schedules
Incompatibilities: Avoid contact with metals (forms shock-sensitive metal picrates), reducing agents, combustible materials
Occupational Exposure Limits: TLV (ACGIH) 0.1 mg/m3 (inhalable fraction), skin notation
Engineering Controls: Local exhaust ventilation, isolation of handling area, explosion-proof electrical equipment
Personal Protective Equipment: Chemical-resistant gloves (nitrile or neoprene), protective goggles, face shield, laboratory coat, impervious apron
Respiratory Protection: Use only approved respirators (full-face, supplied air) in situations where dust, mist, or vapors may be generated, regular air monitoring advised
Appearance: Yellow crystalline solid, distinctive sharp odor
Odor Threshold: Low, easily detectable
Melting Point: 122.5°C (252.5°F)
Boiling Point: Decomposes before boiling
Solubility: Slow in cold water, more rapid in hot water, soluble in alcohol, ether
Density: 1.763 g/cm3
Vapor Pressure: Negligible at normal conditions
Stability in Water: Stable but forms highly explosive salts with metals in contact with plumbing
Explosive Properties: Sensitive to heat, friction, shock, especially when dehydrated
Chemical Stability: Stable only in wet or moist condition
Reactivity: Vigorous or explosive decomposition if heated, dried, or subjected to friction or shock
Hazardous Reactions: Forms highly sensitive metallic picrate salts on contact with copper, lead, iron, or zinc
Avoid: All sources of static, open flame, high temperature, acids, alkalis, reducing and combustible materials
Hazardous Decomposition: Toxic gases including nitrogen oxides, phenol derivatives; partial combustion produces dense smoke
Routes of Exposure: Inhalation, skin, eye, ingestion
Acute Effects: Severe irritation or burns to skin, eyes, and mucous membranes, methemoglobinemia, headache, dizziness, kidney and liver damage
Chronic Effects: Dermatitis, skin sensitization, cyanosis, liver and kidney toxicity
Carcinogenicity: Not classed as carcinogenic by IARC/NTP, but no safe threshold due to toxicity
LD50 (oral, rat): Approx. 200 mg/kg
Symptoms: Nausea, impaired vision, discolored urine, anemia, fatigue, respiratory distress at high exposures
Target Organs: Liver, kidneys, blood
Aquatic Toxicity: Highly toxic to fish and invertebrates, rapid lethal effects in aquatic ecosystems
Persistence and Degradability: Relatively persistent in environment, breaks down slowly; risk of contamination in water bodies
Bioaccumulation Potential: May accumulate in aquatic species or sediment
Other Harmful Effects: Can disrupt local biota even at very low concentrations, risk of forming toxic derivatives in contaminated soils
Waste Handling: Do not pour down the drain or discard in regular trash, collect as hazardous waste
Disposal Method: Contact licensed hazardous waste contractor, must be buried at approved facility or incinerated under strictly controlled conditions with special monitoring
Container Disposal: Triple rinse with water, treat rinse as hazardous waste, deface container labels
Regulatory Constraints: Disposal governed by local, regional, and national hazardous waste regulations due to explosive and toxic hazard
UN Number: 1344
Shipping Name: Picric Acid, wet with not less than 10% water, by mass
Transport Hazard Class: 1.1D (Explosives)
Packing Group: I
Labels Required: Explosive, Toxic
Special Precautions: Only licensed and trained personnel, specific packaging and storage; burning, explosion, or spillage triggers emergency notification protocols during transit
OSHA: Covered under Hazard Communication Standard; listed as highly hazardous chemical
EPA: Classified as hazardous waste (RCRA), reporting thresholds apply, SPCC planning required above certain amounts
Department of Transportation: Regulated as an explosive substance; strict control on route, storage, and vehicle security
Other Regulation: Subject to DEA reporting for large quantites, reaches across chemical safety, workplace health, and environmental protection agencies depending on national or regional jurisdiction, strict inventory control and frequent audits necessary
