Sodium borate, pentahydrate

Synonyms

Borax pentahydrate; Sodium borate pentahydrate; Sodium tetraborate pentahydrate; [NIOSH]

Category

Metalloid Compounds (Boron)

Description

Colorless or white, odorless crystals or free-flowing powder; Begins to lose water of hydration at 252 degrees F; [NIOSH]

Sources/Uses

Used as a preservative, antiseptic and fungicide; also used to manufacture glazes, enamels, soldering fluxes and cleaning compounds and to fireproof textiles and wood; [ACGIH] Boric acid and borates as tablets or powder are used to kill larvae in barns and other insects in houses. Rarely, they are sprayed as herbicides. [EPA: Recognition of Pesticide Poisonings]

Comments

The basis for the TLV for inorganic borate compounds is irritation of the nose and respiratory tract. Studies of workers exposed to sodium borate dusts found no evidence of pulmonary function or reproductive impairment. [ACGIH]

Biomedical References

Insufficient data

2 mg/m3, inhalable fraction

6 mg/m3, inhalable fraction

5 mg/m3, inhalable fraction

Explanatory Notes

TLV is for "Borate compounds, inorganic" for "all forms of sodium borate and boric acid." [ACGIH]

Yes

Not Classifiable

Processes

Industrial Processes with risk of exposure:

• Farming (Pesticides)
• Soldering
• Textiles (Printing, Dyeing, or Finishing)
• Using Disinfectants or Biocides