Hydrogen chloride toxicity

Dyer, R.F., and V.H.Esch. 1976. Polyvinyl chloride toxicity in fires. Hydrogen chloride toxicity in fire fighters. JAMA 235(4) 393-397. 

Most hafnium compounds requite no special safety precautions because hafnium is nontoxic under normal exposure. Acidic compounds such as hafnium tetrachloride hydroly2e easily to form strongly acidic solutions and to release hydrogen chloride fumes, and these compounds must be handled properly. Whereas laboratory tests in which soluble hafnium compounds were injected into animals did show toxicity, feeding test results indicated essentially no toxicity when hafnium compounds were taken orally (33,34). 

Caution Because tellurium compounds have toxic effects similar to those of arsenic compounds care should be taken not to bring tellurium tetrachloride and its reaction products into contact with the skin. Avoid breathing fumes and dust of tellurium compounds. In addition, hydrogen chloride is evolved in Step A, and pyrophoric Raney nickel is used in Step B. Therefore all manipulations described in this procedure must be carried out in an efficient fume hood. 

The most important class of stabilisers are the lead compounds which form lead chloride on reaction with hydrogen chloride evolved during decomposition. As a class the lead compounds give rise to products of varying opacity, are toxic and turn black in the presence of certain sulphur-containing compounds but are good heat stabilisers. 

Fire Hazards - Flash Point (deg. F) 252 OC Flammable Limits in Air (%) Not pertinent Fire Extinguishing Agents Water Fire Extinguishing Agents Not To Be Used Not pertinent Special Hazards of Combustion Products Toxic fumes include oxides of phosphorous, sulfur and hydrogen chloride Behavior in Fire Containers may rupture Ignition Temperature (deg. F) 338 Electrical Hazard No data Burning Rate No data. 

---