Hydrogen Fluoride

Background

Hydrogen fluoride is a chemical compound (made up of two or more elements) that has the element fluorine. It can be a colorless gas or a fuming liquid, which means it creates gas vapors.

It can also be dissolved in water. When hydrogen fluoride is dissolved in water, it may be called hydrofluoric acid.

Hydrogen fluoride can be made when other compounds with fluoride, such as ammonium fluoride, are mixed with water.

Where it is found

Hydrogen fluoride is used to make refrigerants (liquid used in refrigerators), herbicides, pharmaceuticals, high-octane gasoline, and fluorescent light bulbs. It is also used to make materials like aluminum, metals, plastics, etching glass, and electrical components.

60% of the hydrogen fluoride used in manufacturing is to make refrigerants.

How it works

Hydrogen fluoride goes easily and quickly through the skin and into the tissues in the body. When it touches tissues in the body, it damages the cells and causes them to not work properly.

Signs and symptoms

The effects of hydrogen fluoride poisoning depend on the amount, how someone was exposed, and how long they were exposed. It also depends on the person's age and if the person had any medical conditions.

Showing these signs and symptoms does not necessarily mean that a person has been exposed to hydrogen fluoride. Other chemicals can also cause these effects.

Breathed in

Hydrogen fluoride gas, even at low levels, can irritate the eyes and respiratory tract (mouth, throat, lungs, nose). Breathing in hydrogen fluoride at high levels can cause death from an irregular heartbeat or from fluid buildup in the lungs.

Skin contact

Depending on the amount of hydrogen fluoride and how long it touches the skin, hydrogen fluoride may cause the following:

• Severe pain at the point of contact
• Rash
• Deep, slow-healing burns

Even small splashes of high levels of hydrogen fluoride in it can lead to death.

Skin contact with hydrogen fluoride may not cause immediate pain or visible skin damage. Severe pain may be the only symptom for a few hours. Visible damage may not appear until 12 to 24 hours after the exposure.

Swallowed

Swallowing only a small amount of high levels of hydrogen fluoride will affect major internal organs and may lead to death.

Hydrogen fluoride exposure can also lead to severe electrolyte problems (not having enough or having too many minerals in your body).

Exposure

In a natural disaster, storage facilities or containers could be damaged and let out hydrogen fluoride. This could happen at an industrial site or even a retail location.

You could be exposed to hydrogen fluoride if it is used for chemical terrorism.

If you work in a job that uses hydrogen fluoride, you may be exposed in the workplace. You may also be exposed to hydrogen fluoride as part of a hobby.

What to do if you are exposed

Evacuate or shelter in place

Get fresh air by leaving the area where the hydrogen fluoride is. Moving to an area with fresh air is a good way to reduce the possibility of death from hydrogen fluoride.

If hydrogen fluoride was released outside, move away from the area. If hydrogen fluoride was released indoors, get out of the building.

Emergency teams may tell you to evacuate or shelter in place.

Take off your clothes

Remove the clothing as quickly as possible. Cut clothes off instead of pulling it over the head. If you are helping others, do not touch unsafe areas and take off the clothes quickly.

Wash your body

As quickly as possible, wash any hydrogen fluoride from your skin with a lot of water.

If your eyes are burning or your vision is blurred, rinse your eyes with plain water.

If you wear contacts, remove them and put them with the dirty clothing. Do not put the contacts back in your eyes (even if they are not disposable contacts).

If you wear eyeglasses, wash them with soap and water. You can put your eyeglasses back on after you wash them.

Throw your clothes away

After you have washed yourself, place your clothing inside a plastic bag. Do not touch unsafe areas of the clothing. If you have to touch unsafe areas, or you aren't sure where they are, use tongs, tool handles, or similar objects.

Anything that touches the dirty clothing should also be placed in the bag. If you wear contacts, put them in the plastic bag, too.

Tie the bag, and then put that bag inside another plastic bag. Throwing away your clothes this way helps protect you and others from any chemicals that might be on your clothes.

When the local or state health department or emergency team arrive, tell them what you did with your clothes. The health department or emergency team will arrange for further disposal. Do not handle the plastic bags yourself.

Seek medical attention immediately. Dial 911 and explain what has happened.

Treatment

Seek medical treatment as soon as possible if exposed.

Your doctor may recommend or use products to help lower the effects of poisoning. Gels, solutions, and medications with calcium gluconate (a calcium sugar) are used to treat hydrogen fluoride poisoning.

Long-term health effects

People who survive after being severely injured by breathing in hydrogen fluoride may suffer chronic (long-term) lung disease.

Skin damage caused by high levels of hydrogen fluoride may take a long time to heal and may cause severe scarring. Fingertip injuries from hydrogen fluoride may cause continuous pain, bone loss, and injury to the nail bed.

Eye exposure to hydrogen fluoride may cause long-term or permanent vision problems, blindness, or total break down of the eye.

Swallowing hydrogen fluoride can damage the esophagus (throat) and stomach. The damage may get worse for several weeks and cause the esophagus (throat) to slowly get smaller.

More information

People can contact one of the following:

• Regional poison control center: 1-800-222-1222
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Public Response Hotline
  • Phone: 800-CDC-INFO
  • Teletypewriter (TTY): 888-232-6348
  • E-mail inquiries: cdcinfo@cdc.gov