General Description
A colorless or white colored crystalline powder with a strong mothball-like odor. About the same density as water. Emits flammable vapors above 150°F. Used to make moth proofings, pharmaceuticals, and flavorings.
Reactivity Profile
Naphthalene, CAMPHOR(76-22-2), glycerol, or turpentine will react violently with chromic anhydride [Haz. Chem. Data 1967 p. 68].
Air & Water Reactions
Highly flammable. Slightly soluble in water.
Hazard
Evolves flammable and explosive vapors
when heated. Eye and upper respiratory tract irri-
tant, and anosmia. Questionable carcinogen.
Health Hazard
Fire may produce irritating and/or toxic gases. Contact may cause burns to skin and eyes. Contact with molten substance may cause severe burns to skin and eyes. Runoff from fire control may cause pollution.
Potential Exposure
Camphor, a natural product, is used as
a plasticizer for cellulose esters and ethers; it is used in lacquers and varnishes; and in explosives and pyrotechnics formulations. It is used as a moth repellent and as a medicinal.
Fire Hazard
Flammable/combustible material. May be ignited by friction, heat, sparks or flames. Some may burn rapidly with flare burning effect. Powders, dusts, shavings, borings, turnings or cuttings may explode or burn with explosive violence. Substance may be transported in a molten form at a temperature that may be above its flash point. May re-ignite after fire is extinguished.
First aid
If this chemical gets into the eyes, remove any
contact lenses at once and irrigate immediately for at least
15 minutes, occasionally lifting upper and lower lids. Seek
medical attention immediately. If this chemical contacts the
skin, remove contaminated clothing and wash immediately
with soap and water. Seek medical attention immediately.
If this chemical has been inhaled, remove from exposure,
begin rescue breathing (using universal precautions, including resuscitation mask) if breathing has stopped and CPR if
heart action has stopped. Transfer promptly to a medical
facility. When this chemical has been swallowed, get medical attention. Give large quantities of water and induce
vomiting. Do not make an unconscious person vomit.
Shipping
UN2717 Camphor, synthetic, Hazard Class: 4.1;
Labels: 4.1-Flammable solid. UN1130 camphor oil, Hazard
Class: 3; Labels: 3-Flammable liquid
Incompatibilities
May form explosive mixture with air.
Violent, possibly explosive, reaction with strong oxidizers,
especially chromic anhydride, potassium permanganate.
May accumulate static electrical charges, and may cause
ignition of its vapors.
Chemical Properties
Both optical isomers are found widely in nature, with
(+)-camphor being the more abundant. It is, for example, the main
component of oils obtained from the camphor tree C. camphora.
Camphor is produced by fractional distillation and crystallization of camphor
oil or, synthetically, by dehydrogenation of isoborneol over a copper catalyst.
Due to its characteristic penetrating, slightly minty odor, camphor is only used
in perfuming industrial products. It is far more important as a plasticizer.
Chemical Properties
Camphor is a colorless glassy solid. Penetrating, characteristic odor.
Chemical Properties
Camphor, C1oH160, also known as d-2-camphanone, Japan camphor, laurel camphor,Formosa camphor,and gumcamphor,is a terpene ketone. It is colourless solid with a characteristic odour that is obtained from the wood and bark of the camphor tree and is soluble in water and alcohol. It has two optically active forms (dextro and levo) and an optically inactive mixture (racemic) of these two forms. Camphor is used in pharmaceuticals,in disinfectants, in explosives,and to harden nitrocellulose plastics.
Waste Disposal
ncineration of a solution in a
flammable solven.
Physical properties
Colorless to white, flammable granules, crystals or waxy semi-solid with a strong, penetrating,
fragrant or aromatic odor. Odor threshold concentration is 0.27 ppm (quoted, Amoore and
Hautala, 1983).
History
The research and development process of camphor has gone through from the natural
product extraction to the modern chemical drug synthesis. For a long time,
the Chinese extracted camphor mainly from camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora),
root bark of bodinier cinnamon, and Yunnan camphor tree. With the development
of chemical industry, human beings started to use chemical synthesis
methods to obtain a large amount of camphor. At present, the chemical synthesis
process of camphor in China has been well developed. The synthetic camphor is
divided into industrial and pharmaceutical grades. The industrial grade camphor has
a content of up to 96% or higher, and the pharmaceutical grade camphor with high
purity can meet the standard of pharmacopeia.
Indications
Camphor is a ketone which, when applied in 1% to 3% concentration, has mild
antipruritic effects through its anesthetic and counterirritant properties. Counterirritants
are substances that, by inducing other sensations such as coolness or warmth,
‘‘crowd out’’ the perception of pain or itch. Camphor is used in various OTC topical
analgesic products in concentrations as high as 9%.
Brand name
Anbesol;Cresophene;Dasin;Ddd;Endrine;Makatussin;Mentol sedans sulfamidad;Nasello;Resol;Root bark oil;Spirit of camphor;Tcp;Tetesept;Topic.
World Health Organization (WHO)
Camphor, an aromatic crystalline substance with mild local
anaesthetic activity, is available in preparations for both external application and
inhalation. The use of such preparations has precipitated convulsions in
susceptible infants. This has led several regulatory authorities to require the
inclusion of appropriate warnings on labelling.
Pharmacology
Camphor is toxic to human. Overdose of camphor can cause irritability, drowsiness,
muscle spasms, vomiting, convulsions, epilepsy, and other symptoms. The lethal
dose of camphor is 50–500 mg/kg (oral administration). In general, 2 g of camphor
can cause serious toxicity, and 4 g of camphor will produce fatal toxicity.
Camphor can cause a cold sensation similar to mint when applied to human skin.
In addition, it has a slightly local anesthetic effect. It can act on the gastrointestinal
mucosa to produce a certain degree of stimulating effect. An appropriate dose of
camphor can make people feel warm and comfortable in the stomach, but high dose
of camphor will cause nausea and vomiting reaction. The effect of camphor on the
central nervous system is obvious. It can act on the motor area of cerebral cortex and
brain stem to produce the epilepsy-like seizures.
It is generally believed that camphor may have some therapeutic effects on
patients with acute heart failure or recurrent collapse. A low dose (50 mg) may treat
mild heart fatigue and other illnesses. The oxidized camphor metabolite has a more
obvious cardiotonic, hypertensive, and respiratory excitement effects.
Camphor can be absorbed by the body after oral administration easily through
the mucous, subcutaneous, and muscle. The in vivo metabolism of camphor occurs
mainly in the liver. It is firstly oxidized into camphorol and then goes through phase
II metabolism to produce glucuronide conjugate with glucuronic acid. Finally, the
vast majority of glucuronide conjugate is excreted from the urine.
Clinical Use
Camphor is mainly used for the treatment of pruritic skin diseases, fibrous tissue
inflammation, neuralgia, and influenza.
Toxicology
Camphor is a very toxic compound which can prove fatal for infants and children on ingestion even in very small doses. Camphor products are toxic and especially dangerous to young children. Mouthing or eating camphor can cause seizures. Applying balms or ointments in large amounts and adding it to the water of a room humidifier may also cause children to seize. The onset of symptoms may occur very quickly - as early as 5 to 20 minutes.
Carcinogenicity
Camphor was not teratogenic to rats or
rabbits when administered orally during the
fetal period of organogenesis at doses up
to 1000mg/kg body weight (bw)/day or
681mg/kg bw/day, respectively.9 Signs of
maternal toxicity included clonic convulsions,
reduced motility, and reduced body weight gain
in rats and reduced food consumption and body
weight gain in rabbits.
Source
Major component in pine oil (quoted, Verschueren, 1983). Also present in a variety of
rosemary shoots (330–3,290 ppm) (Soriano-Cano et al., 1993), anise-scented basil leaves (1,785
ppm) (Brophy et al., 1993), Iberian savory leaves (2,660 ppm) (Arrebola et al., 1994), African blue
basil shoots (7,000 ppm), Greek sage (160–5,040 ppm), Montane Mountain mint (3,395–3,880
ppm), yarrow leaves (45–1,780 ppm), and coriander (100–1,300 ppm) (Duke, 1992).
storage
Color Code—Red: Flammability Hazard: Store ina flammable materials storage area. Prior to working withcamphor you should be trained on its proper handling andstorage. Before entering confined space where this chemicalmay be present, check to make sure that an explosive concentration does not exist. Camphor must be stored to avoidcontact with oxidizers, such as permanganates, nitrates, peroxides, chlorates, and perchlorates, and especially chromicanhydride since violent reactions occur. Store in tightlyclosed containers in a cool, well-ventilated area away fromheat, sparks, or flame. Sources of ignition, such as smokingand open flames are prohibited where camphor is used, handled, or stored in a manner that could create a potential fireor explosion hazard.
