Ammonium persulfate

Synonyms

Ammonium peroxydisulfate; Ammonium persulfate; Diammonium peroxydisulfate; Diammonium peroxydisulphate; Diammonium persulfate; Persulfate d'ammonium [French]; [ChemIDplus] UN1444; Other "Persulfates" are sodium persulfate (7775-27-1) and potassium persulfate (7727-21-1). [ACGIH]

Category

Inorganic Oxidizing Agents

Description

Odorless crystals or white powder; [ACGIH]

Sources/Uses

Used as a bleaching and deodorizing agent, an echant for printed circuit boards, and in food preserving and electroplating; [Hawley] Occupational asthma reported in hairdresser; [Malo] Allergic contact dermatitis in hairdressers and bakers; [Marks]

Comments

"Ammonium persulfate, used to 'boost' peroxide hair bleaches, causes contact urticaria and anaphylactoid reactions." [Marks, p. 177] Both ammonium persulfate and benzoyl peroxide are used to bleach flour. [Marks, p. 324] Used as a reducer and retarder in the development of photographs; [Kanerva, p. 1637] It may induce either Type I reactions (urticaria, anaphylaxis, and asthma) or Type IV reactions (allergic contact dermatitis). [Kanerva, p. 1513] A skin, eye, and respiratory tract irritant; A skin sensitizer; May cause urticaria and asthma; [ICSC] Frequent skin rashes are reported in workers exposed to persulfates (S2O8). Rats inhaling 4-20 mg/m3 of ammonium persulfate 23.5 hours/day for 7 days show signs of lung inflammation and loss of body weight. The TLV is proposed to reduce irritation of skin, throat, and respiratory tract. [ACGIH] Danger of sensitization of skin and airways; [MAK]

Biomedical References

Insufficient data

0.1 mg/m3, as persulfate (S2O8)

Yes

Yes

Diseases

Occupational diseases associated with exposure to this agent:

• Asthma, occupational
• Contact dermatitis, allergic
• Contact urticaria

Processes

Industrial Processes with risk of exposure:

• Dressing Hair
• Electroplating
• Photographic Processing
• Semiconductor Manufacturing