Key Points

Fire

• Non-flammable under normal conditions, but may ignite other flammable materials
• Highly reactive
• Releases toxic and irritating fumes when heated
• In the event of fire involving nitric acid, use fine water spray and liquid-tight chemical protective suit with breathing apparatus
• Gas-tight protective suits with breathing apparatus are required for fuming nitric acid

Health

• Exposure can occur through ingestion, inhalation, or absorption through the skin or eyes
• Highly corrosive
• Short-term inhalation may result in a dry throat and nasal passages, cough, chest pain, shortness of breath, headache and difficulty breathing
• Long-term inhalation may lead to the development of lung diseases such as bronchitis and can cause tooth erosion
• Short-term ingestion can cause burns to the lips, tongue, mouth, throat and stomach. Swelling of the airways can cause difficulty breathing and swallowing
• Skin exposure can result in severe burns, blisters and permanent scarring
• Exposure of the eyes can result in severe injury leading to permanent blindness
• Nitric acid or nitric acid solutions are not considered to cause cancer
• Nitric acid is not thought to cause damage to the unborn child

Environment

• Avoid release into the environment
• Inform Environment Agency of substantial release incidents

 

All sections are available to download in PDF format below: