Also refer to 2000 Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG2000) Guide 154.

Health Hazards

Sodium fluoride is irritating to the skin, eyes, and lungs and by ingestion and care must be taken to avoid raising a dust. Prolonged exposure or ingestion can lead to hypocalcemia (lowered levels of calcium in the blood) or hypokalemia (low levels of blood potassium). Either of these can lead to neurological or heart problems. Bone and tooth damage can arise as a result of fluorosis. In a fire, sodium fluoride can also releases toxic gases.

Risk and Safety Phrases.

INDUSTRIAL/COMMERCIAL USES

The major commercial use of sodium fluoride is in the fluoridation of drinking water and in dentifrices. It also has uses in fluxes, in aluminum recovery, steel manufacture and in the manufacture of vitreous enamels. It is also used in wood preservatives and paper manufacture.

COMMENTS

Sodium fluoride is used in the manufacture of G-type nerve agents in the same way as hydrogen fluoride. It is usually prepared by the reaction of sodium hydroxide or sodium carbonate with hydrofluoric acid. Hydrofluoric is made on a large scale or can be made and sodium hydroxide and carbonate are also made on a large scale. For example, in 2002, European manufacture of sodium carbonate in 2002 was approximately 1.5 million tonnes and 5.6 million tonnes of sodium hydroxide was also manuafctured that year.