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Hazards Identification

Pictogram(s):

Signal:

Warning

GHS Hazard Statements:

H302: Harmful if swallowed [Warning Acute toxicity, oral]
H315: Causes skin irritation [Warning Skin corrosion/irritation]
H319: Causes serious eye irritation [Warning Serious eye damage/eye irritation]

Precautionary Statement Codes:

P264, P264+P265, P270, P280, P301+P317, P302+P352, P305+P351+P338, P321, P330, P332+P317, P337+P317, P362+P364, and P501

Hazard Classes and Categories:

Acute Tox. 4 *
Skin Irrit. 2
Eye Irrit. 2
Acute Tox. 4 (100%)
Skin Irrit. 2 (99.94%)
Eye Irrit. 2A (99.94%)
Skin Irrit. 2 (90.91%)
Skin Sens. 1B (90.91%)
Eye Irrit. 2 (90.91%)
Carc. 1B (100%)
Repr. 1B (90.91%)
Aquatic Acute 1 (90.91%)
Aquatic Chronic 1 (90.91%)
Acute toxicity - category 4
Eye irritation - category 2
Skin irritation - category 2
Acute toxicity (Oral) - Category 4
Acute toxicity (Inhalation: Dusts and mists) - Category 4
Serious eye damage/eye irritation - Category 1
Specific target organ toxicity - Single exposure - Category 1 (cardiovascular system), Category 3 (narcotic effects)
Hazardous to the aquatic environment (Acute) - Category 3
Hazardous to the aquatic environment (Long-term) - Category 3
Carcinogens, Flammable - 2nd degree

Hazards Summary:

Creosote is the name used for a variety of products: wood creosote, coal tar creosote, coal tar, coal tar pitch, and coal tar pitch volatiles. These products are mixtures of many chemicals created by high-temperature treatment of beech and other woods, coal, or from the resin of the creosote bush. Wood creosote is a colorless to yellowish greasy liquid with a smoky odor and burned taste. Coal tar creosote is a thick, oily liquid that is typically amber to black in color. Coal tar and coal tar pitch are usually thick, black, or dark-brown liquids or semisolids with a smoky odor. Wood creosote has been used as a disinfectant, a laxative, and a cough treatment, but is rarely used these ways today. Coal tar products are used in medicines to treat skin diseases such as psoriasis, and are also used as animal and bird repellents, insecticides, restricted pesticides, animal dips, and fungicides. Coal tar creosote is the most widely used wood preservative in the United States. Coal tar, coal tar pitch, and coal tar pitch volatiles are used for roofing, road paving, aluminum smelting, and coking.

Usage

Chemical Properties

Creosote is an oily liquid with a burning taste,obtained by distilling coal and woodtar, used as an antiseptic and wood preservative. Creosote oil is a yellow-to-green oily liquid that boils between 240 and 270 °C, is immiscible with water and soluble in alcohol,and is derived by the fractional distillation of coal tar, used as a wood preservative, fungicide and disinfectant. Also, coal-tar creosote.

Uses

Wood preservative, disinfectant, insecticide.

General Description

CREOSOTE contains creosote, an EPA designated hazardous substance. CREOSOTE often contains substantial amounts of naphthalene and anthracene. The primary hazard is the threat posed to the environment. Immediate steps should be taken to limit its spread to the environment. Since CREOSOTE is a liquid CREOSOTE can easily penetrate the soil and contaminate groundwater and nearby streams.

Air & Water Reactions

CREOSOTE may be air sensitive. Insoluble in water.

Reactivity Profile

Phenols, such as CREOSOTE, do not behave as organic alcohols, as one might guess from the presence of a hydroxyl (-OH) group in their structure. Instead, they react as weak organic acids. Phenols and cresols are much weaker as acids than common carboxylic acids (phenol has Ka = 1.3 x 10^[-10]). These materials are incompatible with strong reducing substances such as hydrides, nitrides, alkali metals, and sulfides. Flammable gas (H2) is often generated, and the heat of the reaction may ignite the gas. Heat is also generated by the acid-base reaction between phenols and bases. Such heating may initiate polymerization of the organic compound. Phenols are sulfonated very readily (for example, by concentrated sulfuric acid at room temperature). The reactions generate heat. Phenols are also nitrated very rapidly, even by dilute nitric acid. CREOSOTE is incompatible with strong oxidizers.

Hazard

Toxic by inhalation of fumes, skin, and eye irritant. Use may be restricted. Probable carcinogen.

Health Hazard

Vapors cause moderate irritation of nose and throat. Liquid causes severe burns of eyes and reddening and itching of skin. Prolonged contact with skin can cause burns. Ingestion causes salivation, vomiting, respiratory difficulties, thready pulse, vertigo, headache, loss of pupillary reflexes, hypothermia, cyanosis, mild convulsions.

Fire Hazard

Behavior in Fire: Heavy, irritating black smoke is formed.

Chemical Reactivity

Reactivity with Water No reaction; Reactivity with Common Materials: No reaction; Stability During Transport: Stable; Neutralizing Agents for Acids and Caustics: Not pertinent; Polymerization: Not pertinent; Inhibitor of Polymerization: Not pertinent.

Waste Disposal

Dissolve or mix the material with a combustible solvent and burn in a chemical incinerator equipped with an afterburner and scrubber. All federal, state, and local environmental regulations must be observed.