Selenious acid

Synonyms

Hydrogen selenite; Monohydrated selenium dioxide; Selenite; [ChemIDplus] UN3283

Category

Other Inorganic Compounds

Description

Deliquescent solid; [Merck Index] Colorless or white hygroscopic solid; [HSDB] Colorless or white odorless crystalline solid; [MSDSonline]

Sources/Uses

Used as a reagent for alkaloids, an oxidizing agent, and a medication; A gun-blueing agent (Super Blue or Gun Blue) contains 4% selenious acid and 2.5% cupric sulfate in hydrochloric acid; [HSDB]

Comments

A corrosive substance that can cause injury to the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract; Inhalation may cause pulmonary edema; May cause skin sensitization; May cause impairment of the CNS and liver; [ICSC] Can cause irritation and burns to skin; After a suicidal ingestion of Gun Blue, the patient had pulmonary edema and acute tubular necrosis; Selenium levels in tissues were 9-90 times normal; In another poisoning case, a 2 year old girl ingested about 11 mL of gun blueing agent; Plasma selenium levels were 20 times normal 5 hours after ingestion, but she survived; [HSDB]; A corrosive substance that can cause injury to the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract; Inhalation may cause chemical pneumonitis; [MSDSonline] See "Selenium."

Biomedical References

0.2 mg/m3, as Se

0.2 mg/m3, as Se

0.02 mg/m3, as Se, inhalable fraction

1 mg/m3, as Se

Explanatory Notes

VP = 2 mm Hg at 15 deg C; [Merck Index] The Guide in the Emergency Response Guidebook is for "Selenium compound, solid, n.o.s."

Yes

Yes

Other CNS neurotoxin

Hepatoxic (a) from occupational exposure (secondary effect) or (b) in animal studies or in humans after ingestion

Yes

Skin burns

Diseases

Occupational diseases associated with exposure to this agent:

• Contact dermatitis, allergic