Chemical Properties
An odorless, yellow-green powder. Low vapor pressure.
Uses
As pigment, wood preservative, insecticide, fungicide, rodenticide.
General Description
COPPER (II) ARSENITE is a fine, light-green powder. COPPER (II) ARSENITE is insoluble in water. COPPER (II) ARSENITE is very toxic by ingestion. COPPER (II) ARSENITE is used as an insecticide and fungicide.
Air & Water Reactions
Insoluble in water.
Reactivity Profile
COPPER (II) ARSENITE has weak oxidizing or reducing powers. Redox reactions can however still occur. The majority of compounds in this class are slightly soluble or insoluble in water. If soluble in water, then the solutions are usually neither strongly acidic nor strongly basic. These compounds are not water-reactive.
Health Hazard
Dust irritates eyes. Ingestion causes gastric disturbance, tremors, muscular cramps, and nervous collapse that may cause death.
Fire Hazard
Special Hazards of Combustion Products: Poisonous, volatile arsenic oxides may be formed in fires.
Potential Exposure
Formerly used in agriculture as insecticide, rodenticide, and fungicide. Also used in pigments and animal medications. Not currently registered for use in the United States
First aid
Do not contaminate yourself. Positive-pressure, SCBA is recommended in response situations that involve exposure to potentially unsafe levels of arsenicals or combustion products which may include arsine and arsenic trioxide fumes. Eyes: Immediately and gently flush eyes with plenty of warm or cold water (NO hot water) for at least 15 minutes, occasionally lifting the upper and lower eye lids. Get Medical aid immediately. Skin: Although it is poorly absorbed dermally, dermal contact should be avoided because arsenicals may irritate the skin. Wearing the appropriate PPE equipment and respirator for arsenicals. Immediately flush skin with plenty of soap and water for at least 15 minutes while removing contaminated clothing and shoes. Ingestion: Call poison control. Loosen all clothing. Never give anything by mouth to an unconscious person. Get medical aid. Do NOT induce vomiting. If conscious, alert, and able to swallow, aggressive decontamination with gastric lavage is recommended within 1 hour of ingestion of a life-threatening amount of poison. The effectiveness of activated charcoal in binding arsenic trioxide is questionable, but administration of a charcoal slurry is recommended pending further evaluation in cases of ingestion of unknown quantities (at 1 g/kg, usual adult dose 60-90 g, child dose 25-50 g). A soda can and straw may be of assistance when offering charcoal to a child. If victim is UNCONSCIO United States OR HAVING CONVULSIONS, do nothing except keep victim warm. Inhalation: Get medical aid. Wearing the appropriate PPE equipment and respirator for arsenicals, immediately remove the victim from the contaminated area to fresh air. If the victim is not breathing, administer artificial respiration. Do not use mouth-to-mouth method if victim ingested or inhaled the substance; give artificial respiration with the aid of a pocket mask equipped with a one-way valve or other proper respiratory medical device. If breathing is difficult, administer oxygen through bag/mask apparatus until medical help arrives. Do not leave victim unattended.
Shipping
UN1586 copper arsenite, Hazard Class: 6.1; Labels: 6.1-Poisonous materials. Use dry chemical, carbon dioxide; water spray; or foam extinguishers. If material or contaminated runoff enters waterways, notify downstream users of potentially contaminated waters. Notify local health and fire officials and pollution control agencies. From a secure, explosion-proof location, use water spray to cool exposed containers. If cooling streams are ineffective (venting sound increases in volume and pitch, tank discolors, or shows any signs of deforming), withdraw immediately to a secure position. If employees are expected to fight fires, they must be trained and equipped in OSHA 1910.156. The only respirators recommended for firefighting are SCBAs that have full facepieces and are operated in a pressure-demand or other positive-pressure mode.
Waste Disposal
Copper-containing soluble wastes can be concentrated through the use of ion exchange, reverse osmosis, or evaporators to the point where copper can be electrolytically removed and sent to a reclaiming firm. If recovery is not feasible, the copper can be precipitated through the use of caustics and the sludge deposited in a chemical waste landfill
