Key Points

Fire

• Flammable
• Reacts strongly with strong oxidants and non-violently with strong acids
• Emits toxic and irritating fumes on combustion
• In the event of a fire involving naphthalene, use coarse water spray and normal fire kit with breathing apparatus

Health

• Toxic by inhalation, ingestion and skin contact
• Possible carcinogen
• Inhalation and ingestion of naphthalene can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, headache, confusion, profuse sweating, fever, rapid heart rate, rapid breathing and agitation which may lead to convulsions and possibly coma
• Break down of red blood cells and their presence in urine may occur 3-5 days after exposure to naphthalene, particularly in some people who are more susceptible
• Urine may be dark brown or black in colour due to the presence of red blood cells
• Skin contact with naphthalene can cause skin irritation and possibly dermatitis
• Exposure of the eyes to naphthalene can result in eye irritation and damage and may cause clouding of the lens and the formation of cataracts

Environment

• Dangerous for the environment
• Inform Environment Agency of substantial incidents

 

All sections are available to download in PDF format below:

• Naphthalene - Full Document (PDF, 136 KB)
• General Information (PDF, 52 KB)
• Incident Management (PDF, 73 KB)
• Toxicological Overview (PDF, 62 KB)