Ferrous Chloride disposal is a major issue for manufacturers of steel sheet and titanium dioxide pigment. Hydrochloric acid is used in each of the proceeding manufacturing processes and liquid ferrous chloride is a resultant by-product. Currently, the steel sheet manufacturing process results in 340+ million gallons of ferrous chloride each year. Looking at just the beginning of the MSDS info as supplied by JT Baker, you can see that it’s not stuff you want to leave lying around:
Ferrous Chloride, 4-Hydrate
1. Product Identification
Synonyms: Iron (II) Chloride, Tetrahydrate; Iron Chloride, Tetrahydrate
CAS No.: 7758-94-3 (Anhydrous) 13478-10-9 (Tetrahydrate)
Molecular Weight: 198.81
Chemical Formula: FeCl2.4H2O
Product Codes: 2064
2. Composition/Information on Ingredients
Ingredient CAS No Percent Hazardous
————————————— ———— ———— ———
Ferrous Chloride 7758-94-3 99 – 100% Yes
3. Hazards Identification
Emergency Overview
————————–
DANGER! CORROSIVE. CAUSES SEVERE IRRITATION OR BURNS TO EVERY AREA OF CONTACT. HARMFUL IF SWALLOWED OR INHALED. AFFECTS THE LIVER.
J.T. Baker SAF-T-DATA(tm) Ratings (Provided here for your convenience)
———————————————————————————————————–
Health Rating: 2 – Moderate
Flammability Rating: 0 – None
Reactivity Rating: 1 – Slight
Contact Rating: 3 – Severe (Corrosive)
Lab Protective Equip: GOGGLES & SHIELD; LAB COAT & APRON; VENT HOOD; PROPER GLOVES
Storage Color Code: White (Corrosive)
———————————————————————————————————–
Potential Health Effects
———————————-
Inhalation:
Corrosive. Extremely destructive to tissues of the mucous membranes and upper respiratory tract. Symptoms may include burning sensation, coughing, wheezing, laryngitis, shortness of breath, headache, nausea and vomiting.
Ingestion:
Corrosive. Swallowing can cause severe burns of the mouth, throat, and stomach. Can cause sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea. Low systemic toxicity in small quantities but larger doses may cause systemic effects. Pink urine discoloration is a strong indicator of iron poisoning. Liver damage, coma and death may follow, sometimes delayed as long as three days.
Skin Contact:
Corrosive. May cause severe irritation, redness, pain, and skin burns.
Eye Contact:
Corrosive. Contact causes severe irritation, burns, redness, and pain.
Chronic Exposure:
Repeated ingestion may cause liver damage. Prolonged exposure of the eyes may cause discoloration.
Aggravation of Pre-existing Conditions:
No information found.
At Recharged Particles we’re working on a system to recover and recycle the HCl and turn the remaining Ferrous(Iron) materials into a new type of nano-particle magnetic material for use in high-tech industry.
The current systems of disposal include 1) spray drying which destroys the HCl and produces enormous quantities of Iron Oxide, 2) precipitation of the Iron Oxide and recycling of the HCl which again results in large quantities of Iron Oxide and 3) waste water treatment in sewage disposal plants where the Ferrous Chloride helps remove phosphates and sulfides.