ToxFAQs™ for Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH)
Spanish: Hidróxido
de Sodio
CAS#: 1310-73-2
PDF Versionpdf icon[140 KB]
This fact sheet answers the most frequently asked health questions about sodium hydroxide. For more information, call the ATSDR Information Center at 1-800-232-4636. This fact sheet is one in a series of summaries about hazardous substances and their health effects. It is important you understand this information because this substance may harm you. The effects of exposure to any hazardous substance depend on the dose, the duration, how you are exposed, personal traits and habits, and whether other chemicals are present.
Highlights
Sodium hydroxide is a manufactured chemical. It is present in several domestic cleaning products. Very low levels can produce irritation of the skin and eyes. Exposure to the solid or concentrated liquid can cause severe burns in the eyes, skin, and gastrointestinal tract which may ultimately lead to death. This substance has been found in at least 49 of the 1,585 National Priorities List sites identified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
What is sodium hydroxide?
At room temperature, sodium hydroxide
is a white crystalline odorless solid that absorbs moisture
from the air. It is a manufactured substance. When dissolved
in water or neutralized with acid it liberates substantial
heat, which may be sufficient to ignite combustible materials.
Sodium hydroxide is very corrosive. It is generally used as
a solid or a 50% solution. Other common names include caustic
soda and lye.
Sodium hydroxide is used to manufacture
soaps, rayon, paper, explosives, dyestuffs, and petroleum
products. It is also used in processing cotton fabric, laundering
and bleaching, metal cleaning and processing, oxide coating,
electroplating, and electrolytic extracting. It is commonly
present in commercial drain and oven cleaners.
What happens to sodium hydroxide when it enters the environment?
- Sodium hydroxide released to the atmosphere breaks down readily by reacting with other chemicals.
- Sodium hydroxide separates in water to sodium cations
(positively charged sodium atoms) and hydroxide anions (negatively
charged oxygen and hydrogen atoms), which ultimately decrease
the acidity of the water.
- If released to soil, sodium hydroxide will separate into
sodium cations and hydroxide anions when it comes into contact
with moisture.
- Sodium hydroxide does not accumulate in the food chain.
How might I be exposed to sodium hydroxide?
- Small amounts of sodium hydroxide are sometimes used in
drain and oven cleaners. Using these products may expose
you to sodium hydroxide.
- Workers employed in industries where sodium hydroxide
is produced or used may be exposed to this compound.
How can sodium hydroxide affect my health?
Sodium hydroxide is very corrosive and
can cause severe burns in all tissues that come in contact
with it. Inhalation of low levels of sodium hydroxide as dusts,
mists or aerosols may cause irritation of the nose, throat,
and respiratory airways. Inhalation of higher levels can produce
swelling or spasms of the upper airway leading to obstruction
and loss of measurable pulse; inflammation of the lungs and
accumulation of fluid in the lungs may also occur.
Ingestion of solid or liquid sodium hydroxide
can cause spontaneous vomiting, chest and abdominal pain,
and difficulty swallowing. Corrosive injury to the mouth,
throat, esophagus, and stomach is very rapid and may result
in perforation, hemorrhage, and narrowing of the gastrointestinal
tract. Case reports indicate that death results from shock,
infection of the corroded tissues, lung damage, or loss of
measurable pulse.
Skin contact with sodium hydroxide can
cause severe burns with deep ulcerations. Pain and irritation
are evident within 3 minutes, but contact with dilute solutions
may not cause symptoms for several hours. Contact with the
eye may produce pain and irritation, and in severe cases,
clouding of the eye and blindness.
Long-term exposure to sodium hydroxide in the air may lead to ulceration of the nasal passages and
chronic skin irritation
We do not know if exposure to sodium hydroxide could affect reproduction in humans.
How likely is sodium hydroxide to cause cancer?
There have been reports of cancer of
the esophagus 15 to 40 years after the formation of narrow
points caused by corrosion induced by sodium hydroxide. However,
these cancers were most likely the result of tissue destruction
and scar formation rather than a direct carcinogenic action
of sodium hydroxide itself.
The Department of Health and Human Services
(DHHS), the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC),
and the EPA have not classified sodium hydroxide for carcinogenicity
in humans.
Some reports indicate that cancer of
the esophagus may develop many years after exposure to sodium
hydroxide levels that are high enough to cause tissue damage.
But this does not mean that sodium hydroxide itself is a cancer
agent. The cancer could have arisen during repair of the damaged
tissue.
How can sodium hydroxide affect children?
There are no studies on the health effects
of children exposed to sodium hydroxide. The effects seen
in children accidently exposed to sodium hydroxide are similar
to the effects observed in adults.
We do not know if exposure to sodium
hydroxide can result in birth defects or other developmental
effects in people.
How can families reduce the risk of exposure to sodium hydroxide?
Products containing sodium hydroxide should be stored out of the reach of children.
Cleaners containing sodium hydroxide should not be stored in containers that may appear attractive
to children, such as soda bottles.
Is there a medical test to show whether I've been exposed to sodium hydroxide?
There are no clinical tests that show that you have been exposed to sodium hydroxide.
Has the federal government made recommendations to protect human health?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets a limit of 2 milligrams of sodium hydroxide per cubic meter of air (2 mg/m3) in the workplace for an 8-hour work shift, 40-hour work week.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows sodium hydroxide as a food additive in levels not to exceed 1%.
References
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry (ATSDR). 2002. Managing Hazardous Materials Incidents.
Volume III. Medical Management Guidelines for Acute
Chemical Exposures: Sodium Hydroxide. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service.
Where can I get more information?
If you have questions or concerns, please contact your community or state health or environmental quality department or:
For more information, contact:
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Office of Innovation and Analytics, Toxicology Section
4770 Buford Highway
Chamblee, GA 30341-3717
Phone: 1-800-CDC-INFO 888-232-6348 (TTY)
Email: Contact CDC-INFO
ATSDR can also tell you the location of occupational and environmental health clinics. These clinics specialize in recognizing, evaluating, and treating illnesses resulting from exposure to hazardous substances.