Effective Date: April 17, 2000
Material Safety Data Sheet
For Emergency Call: CHEMTREC -- (800) 424-9300
1. CHEMICAL PRODUCT AND COMPANY IDENTIFICATION
Product Name: Urea
CAS Number: 57-13-6
Chemical Name: Urea
Chemical Family: Amides
Synonyms and Common Trade Names: Carbamide
Carbonyldiamine
Carbonyl Diamide
Company Identification
Manufacturer's Name: CF Industries, Inc.
Address: One Salem Lake Drive, Long Grove, Illinois, 60047-8402
Telephone: (847) 438-9500
2. COMPOSITION/INFORMATION ON INGREDIENTS
Typical
Weight
Component Name CAS Number
Percentage
Urea 96.6-97.6 57-13-6
Biuret (H2NCONHCONH2) 1.0-1.5 108-19-0
Water 0.1-0.4 7732-18-5
Urea reaction products with formaldehyde 1.3-1.5 68611-64-3
(primarily methylenediurea)
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Effective Date: April 17, 2000
3. HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION
Emergency Overview
When heated, decomposes to carbon dioxide and ammonia; if
burned, emits small amounts of nitrogen oxides. Can cause
redness and irritation of skin and eyes.
White granules with either no odor or having a slight odor of
ammonia (in presence of moisture).
Potential Health Effects
Eyes: Contact may cause eye irritation including stinging, watering and redness.
Skin: Contact may cause irritation including redness, itching and pain. No harmful effects from skin
absorption.
Inhalation (Breathing): Urea dust may cause irritation of the nose, throat, and respiratory tract.
Ingestion (Swallowing): Low degree of toxicity by ingestion. May cause irritation of the digestive
tract if ingested. Nausea and vomiting may occur after exposure to large volumes.
Signs and Symptoms: Effects of overexposure may include irritation of the nose, throat and
digestive tract, nausea, vomiting, coughing and shortness of breath.
Cancer: Inadequate data available.
Target Organs: Inadequate data available.
Developmental: Inadequate data available.
Other Comments: None known.
Medical Conditions Aggravated by Exposure: Conditions aggravated by exposure may include
skin disorders and respiratory (asthma-like) disorders.
4. FIRST AID
Eyes: Hold eyelids open and flush eyes immediately with water for at least 15 minutes. Seek
medical attention if necessary.
Skin: Wash affected areas with soap and water for at least 15 minutes while removing contaminated
clothing and shoes. Wash clothing before reuse. Thoroughly clean shoes before reuse. Get medical
attention if symptoms occur.
Inhalation: Move to fresh air and rest. If cough or difficulty in breathing develops, administer oxygen
by qualified personnel. Seek medical attention if necessary.
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Effective Date: April 17, 2000
Ingestion: Rinse mouth and drink plenty of water. Induce vomiting if exposed to high volumes of a
low concentration. Seek medical attention if necessary.
Notes to Physician: None
5. FIRE FIGHTING MEASURES
Urea is not flammable.
Flash Point (test method): Not applicable
Flammable Limits: Not applicable
Explosive Limits: Not applicable
Autoignition Temperature: Not applicable
Extinguishing Media: Use water, carbon dioxide, foam, or dry chemical.
NFPA Fire Rating: Flammability 0
Health Hazard 1
Reactivity 0
Specific Hazard Not applicable
Key: Least = 0, Slight = 1, Moderate = 2, High = 3, Extreme = 4
Special Firefighting Procedures: Fire fighters should use NIOSH approved self-contained breathing
apparatus and full protective equipment when fighting chemical fires.
Unusual Fire and Explosive Hazards: Urea forms hazardous decomposition products, including
ammonia. Refer to Section 10 for details.
6. ACCIDENTAL RELEASE MEASURES
Recover any reusable product, taking care not to generate excess dust. Use caution as product may
be slippery when wet. Keep product out of sewage and drainage systems and all bodies of water as it
may be toxic to aquatic organisms. Clean up spills immediately.
Place contaminated materials in disposable containers and dispose of in a manner consistent with
applicable regulations. Contact local environmental or health authorities for approved disposal of this
material.
Neutralizing Chemicals: Not applicable
7. HANDLING AND STORAGE
Handling: The use of respiratory protection is advised when dust concentrations exceed any
established exposure limits (see Section 8).
Storage: Keep dry. Urea will absorb moisture from air. If storage piles become wet, surrounding
floor may be slippery. Reacts with hypochlorites to form nitrogen trichloride, which explodes
spontaneously in air. Reacts with nitric acid to form urea nitrate that decomposes explosively when
heated.
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Effective Date: April 17, 2000
8. EXPOSURE CONTROLS/PERSONAL PROTECTION
Engineering Controls: Use process enclosure, general dilution ventilation, or local exhaust
systems, where necessary, to maintain airborne dust concentrations below the OSHA standard.
Personal Protective Equipment
Eyes: No personal protective equipment normally required. If dusting of dry product or splashing of
solutions is possible, use chemical safety goggles and/or full-face shield.
Skin: No personal protective equipment normally required. If dusting of dry product or splashing of
solutions is possible, wear protective gloves and clothing.
Respiratory: Protection is not normally required. Wear a dust mask or other appropriate respiratory
protection during operations that generate airborne dust concentrations exceeding the relevant
standards or when effective engineering controls are not feasible . A respiratory protection program
that meets OSHA's 29 CFR 1910.134 requirements must be followed whenever workplace conditions
warrant a respirator's use.
*
Exposure Guidelines
Although standards for urea have not been established, the following nuisance dust standards are
applicable.
3 3
ACGIH TLV: 10 mg/m ?inhalable particulate; 3 mg/m ?respirable particulate
3 3
OSHA PEL: 15 mg/m TWA (total) (7); 5 mg/m TWA (respirable)
*
TLV = Threshold Limit Values; PEL = Permissible Exposure Limits;
TWA = 8-hour Time-weighted Average
9. PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
Appearance: White granules
Odor: Odorless or slight ammonia odor
Odor threshold level: Not available
Physical state: Solid
pH: 7.2 (10% water solution)
Vapor pressure: Not applicable
Vapor density (air = 1): Not applicable
Boiling point: Not applicable
Melting point: Decomposes at 270.8癋 (132.7癈)
Solubility in water: 119 g per 100 g water at 77癋 (25癈)
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Specific gravity (H20 = 1): 1.34 at 68癋 (20癈); (heavier than water)
Evaporation rate (butyl acetate = 1): Not applicable
Viscosity: 1.78 mPas (46% solution) at 68癋 (20癈); 1.81 mPas (46% solution) at 278.60癋 (137癈);
1.90 mPas (saturated solution) at 68癋 (20癈)
Percentage volatile by volume (%): Not applicable
Molecular weight: 60.06
Molecular formula: NH2CONH2
10. STABILITY AND REACTIVITY
Stability (thermal, light, etc.): Stable under normal conditions of storage and handling.
Incompatibility (materials to avoid): Nitric acid, sodium nitrite, nitrosyl perchlorate, gallium
perchlorate, hypochlorites, phosphorus pentachloride.
Hazardous Decomposition Products: When heated above melting point, decomposes to ammonia
and carbon dioxide. If burned, emits small amounts of nitrogen oxides.
Hazardous Polymerization: Will not occur
Conditions to Avoid: Decomposes when heated above melting point.
11. TOXICOLOGICAL INFORMATION
Urea
Rat LD50 = 15 g/kg
Mouse LD50 = 11.5 g/kg
Urea dust at 22 mg/m3 caused mild irritation (species not specified)
In a repeated dose toxicity study, urea at 10%, 20%, and 40% in ointment was applied to the back
skin of rats for 4 weeks. No dose-dependent toxicity was observed. There were no consistent
treatment-related effects on standard haematological parameters, clinical chemistry, organ weights or
organ histopathology, including the testicles, prostate, seminal vesicles, ovaries and the uterus.
In a chronic toxicity and carcinogenicity screening study conducted in mice over 12 months, urea was
administered at 0.45%, 0.9%, and 4.5% in the diet. No pathology was reported immediately following
treatment period. After 4 months, testes, prostate, and uterus were histologically examined for
occurrence of tumors in the survivors. Although there was a statistically increased incidence of
interstitial cell adenomas of the testes in the high dose group, its biological significance was deemed
questionable, since the lesion may occur in 100% of controls.
In a single oral dose study in mice, 2,000 mg/kg administered on day 10 of pregnancy was not
teratogenic. Urea in water was given in 2 doses 12 hours apart by gavage to rats during pregnancy
for 14 days and the dams were allowed to deliver. No hypertrophy or other kidney changes were
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Effective Date: April 17, 2000
detected nor were any teratogenic effects noted. Urea caused developmental effects in chick
embryos when injected into eggs.
Urea was negative in tests of bacterial mutagenicity and demonstrated low clastogenic potential in
non-bacterial mutagenicity tests. Chromosome breakage has been observed in some laboratory
tests using extremely high concentrations of urea. At near lethal doses, urea was mutagenic in in-
vivo non-bacterial tests in mice.
Urea is not recognized as a carcinogen by IARC, NTP, or OSHA.
Biuret
Oral rat LD50 > 5 g/kg
Dermal rat LD50 > 2 g/kg
Biuret is not recognized as a carcinogen by IARC, NTP, or OSHA.
12. ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION
Urea can be toxic to domestic animals and has caused poisonings when it was applied unevenly on
pastures as a fertilizer. Large amounts of urea can damage plant seedlings and inhibit germination.
At high concentrations, urea can be toxic to aquatic life. As a readily available source of nitrogen,
urea can also foster excessive growth of algae or microorganisms in water systems. Notify local
health and wildlife officials and operators of nearby water intakes upon contamination.
Ecotoxicity Information: The cell multiplication toxicity threshold values for bacteria, green algae,
and protozoa are >10,000, >10,000, and 29 mg/L, respectively. The critical range for the creek chub
is 16,000 to 30,000 mg/L in Detroit river water.
Environmental Fate Information: Particulate-phase urea is physically washed out of the
atmosphere by dry and wet deposition. In the soil, urea degrades rapidly, usually within 24 hours;
however, degradation may be slower depending on soil type, moisture content, and urea formulation.
The ultimate degradation products are carbon dioxide and ammonia. The soil mobility is high based
on an organic carbon partition coefficient of 8. In water, biodegradation to carbon dioxide and
ammonia is the major fate pathway. The biodegradation rate increases with increasing temperature
and presence of phytoplankton. Oxidation of urea by nitrifying bacteria can increase biological
oxygen demand. Bioaccumulation of urea is very low. The 72-hour bioconcentration factor (BCF) for
carp is reported to be 1.
13. DISPOSAL CONSIDERATIONS
Urea is not considered a hazardous waste under Federal Hazardous Waste Regulations 40 CFR 261.
Consult local or state environmental regulatory agencies for acceptable disposal procedures and
locations. Follow standard disposal procedures.
14. TRANSPORT INFORMATION
Urea is not listed as a hazardous material by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Transport
Canada (TC), International Maritime Organization (IMO), and the United Nations (UN).
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Effective Date: April 17, 2000
15. REGULATORY INFORMATION
OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration): This material is considered to be
hazardous as defined by the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard.
SARA TITLE III (Superfund Amendment and Reauthorization Act of 1986): No federal
requirements. User should contact local and state regulatory agencies for information on additional
or more stringent reporting requirements.
Sections 311/312: This product has been reviewed according to the U.S. EPA "Hazard Categories"
promulgated under Sections 311 and 312 of SARA Title III and is considered, under applicable
definitions, to meet the following categories:
Immediate Health
DOT (Department of Transportation): Please refer to Section 14 (Transport Information) for
guidance concerning transportation.
PROPOSITION 65: Not listed
This material has not been identified as a carcinogen by NTP, IARC, or OSHA.
16. Documentary Information and DISCLAIMER OF EXPRESSED AND IMPLIED WARRANTIES
Issue Date: 4/17/00
Previous Issue Date: 06/01/96
The information in this MSDS is based on data available to us as of the revision date given herein,
and believed to be correct. Judgments as to the suitability of information herein for the individual
user's own use or purposes are the responsibility of the individual user. Although reasonable care
has been taken in the preparation of such information, CF Industries extends no warranties, makes
no representations (other than those warranties and representations required by law), and assumes
no responsibility as to the accuracy or suitability of such information for application to the individual
user's purpose or the consequences of its use for such purpose.
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