| precautionary statement codes | P203, P273, P280, P318, P391, P405, and P501 |
| hazards summary | Silver is a naturally occurring element. It is found in the environment combined with other elements such as sulfide, chloride, and nitrate. Pure silver is "silver" colored, but silver nitrate and silver chloride are powdery white and silver sulfide and silver oxide are dark-gray to black. Silver is often found as a by-product during the retrieval of copper, lead, zinc, and gold ores. Silver is used to make jewelry, silverware, electronic equipment, and dental fillings. It is also used to make photographs, in brazing alloys and solders, to disinfect drinking water and water in swimming pools, and as an antibacterial agent. Silver has also been used in lozenges and chewing gum to help people stop smoking.Silver nitrate, used in burn therapy, is a reported inducer of methemoglobinemia. In the past, acute renal failure was reported in film developers after exposure to soluble silver compounds. Argria is a blue-gray discoloration of the skin or mucous membranes. it has been described in humans mainly after injection or ingestion of silver-containing medications. Argyria has also been described in workers exposed to high levels of silver inhaled as dusts or mists: silver reclamation, photographic processing (silver nitrate), silver refineries, varnish spraying, and silver polishing. Soluble silver compounds include nitrates, acetates, sulfates, and salts of Na, K, and ammonium. Insoluble silver compounds include chlorides, bromides, iodides, hydroxides, carbonates, and phosphates. The major hazards encountered in the use and handling of silver stem from its toxicologic properties. Toxic by all routes (ie, inhalation, ingestion, and dermal contact), exposure to silver (as a finely divided metal, or in solution) may occur from its use in electroplating, as a component of photographic materials, in the manufacture of jewelry, mirrors, coinage, pigments, antiseptics, and in brazing and welding. Effects from exposure may include skin or eye irritation, mild bronchitis, metal fume fever, and argyria, a blue-gray discoloration of the skin, mucous membranes, and eyes. Also, hepatic damage has been implicated with soluble silver salts. The OSHA PEL is set at a TWA of 0.01 mg/cu m. Safe levels should be maintained by the use of engineering controls (eg, local exhaust ventilation, or process enclosure). In activities where over-exposure to silver may occur, workers should wear impervious clothing, gloves, face protection, and a self-contained breathing apparatus. Such clothing and equipment should be removed before leaving the worksite. Skin that becomes contaminated with silver should be promptly washed. Eating and smoking should be prohibited in silver work areas. Finely divided silver dust is flammable. Also, explosive compounds may form when silver mixes with acetylene, ammonia, or hydrogen peroxide. Before shipping silver, consult with the regulatory requirements of the US Department of Transportation. If powdered silver or solutions of silver are spilled, first ventilate the area, then collect the spilled material (solutions are first absorbed in vermiculite, dry sand, or earth) and place in sealed containers for reclamation. Before implementing land disposal of silver waste, consult with environmental regulatory agencies for guidance. |
