Product Name: Potassium Hydroxide
Other Names: Caustic potash, Lye, KOH
Recommended Use: Industrial and laboratory chemical, soap manufacture, chemical synthesis, alkaline batteries, water treatment
Chemical Formula: KOH
CAS Number: 1310-58-3
Supplier: Listed chemical distributors; company address and contact details should be checked for current sourcing
Emergency Contact: Local emergency services, CHEMTREC (US) 1-800-424-9300, or local equivalent
Relevant Restrictions: Intended for trained professionals, not suitable for household use without safety training
Classification: Corrosive to skin and eyes, serious eye damage; classified under GHS as corrosive
Signal Word: Danger
Hazard Statements: Causes severe skin burns, eye damage, respiratory irritation; harmful if swallowed
Pictograms: Corrosive (GHS05), Exclamation mark (GHS07) for irritation and burns
Precautionary Statements: Avoid all contact with skin, eyes, and clothing; never inhale dust or mist; ensure area is ventilated
Health Effects: Skin or eye contact leads to severe burns; inhalation irritates mouth, nose, throat, and lungs; ingestion dangerous or fatal, risk of perforation of gastrointestinal tract
Other Hazards: Reacts with moisture or acids, generating heat; can cause violent exothermic reactions
Chemical Name: Potassium Hydroxide
Synonyms: Lye, Caustic potash
Concentration: Usually 50–100% for solid or concentrated solution
Other Components: Trace impurities (sodium, chloride, carbonate), depending on production
Product State: Pellets, flakes, sticks, or solution
Ingredient Formula: KOH
Relevant Purity: Technical or analytical grade; check label for details
Inhalation: Remove person to fresh air right away; seek urgent medical attention if coughing, breathing trouble, or irritation develops
Skin Contact: Take off contaminated clothes, rinse skin with water for at least 20 minutes; chemical burns often need hospital care
Eye Contact: Flush eyes with running water for at least 20 minutes, lifting eyelids often, get medical attention as permanent damage is possible
Ingestion: Never induce vomiting; rinse mouth, provide small water to drink if conscious; risk of internal burns or perforation means hospital care is vital
Notes to Doctor: Treat as strong alkali burns; monitor for airway swelling and tissue damage
Suitable Extinguishing Media: Use dry powder, CO2, or foam for containment of adjacent fires; Potassium hydroxide itself does not burn but releases heat with water
Unsuitable Extinguishing Media: Do not use water jets as violent exothermic reaction and splatter occur
Hazardous Combustion Products: Decomposition produces potassium oxide fumes; these are corrosive and irritant
Fire-Fighter Protection: Wear full chemical protective suit, self-contained breathing apparatus; avoid breathing vapors
Special Hazards: Containers may rupture from heat as water splits and steam expands
Personal Protection: Wear chemical-resistant gloves, goggles, face shield, and apron; restrict area, keep unauthorized people away
Environmental Considerations: Avoid run-off entering drains, soil, or waterways; risk of serious aquatic damage
Spill Containment: Scoop up material with non-sparking, corrosion-resistant tools; neutralize residues with dilute acid, plenty of water
Waste Handling: Collect in secure, labeled containers for hazardous waste disposal; never wash large quantities into drains
Cleaning Up: Ventilate area well; dispose contaminated objects appropriately
Safe Handling: Use only in well-ventilated areas; keep containers tightly sealed when not in use; avoid direct contact and inhalation
Preventive Steps: Always add potassium hydroxide to water slowly, never the reverse, to control heat release
Compatible Materials: Store in corrosion-resistant containers (stainless steel, certain plastics), keep away from acids, metals, moisture, and food
Storage Conditions: Keep cool, dry, secure in original packaging; segregate from incompatible substances, label clearly
Transfer Information: Use closed systems or local ventilation to minimize exposure; never use aluminum, tin, or zinc equipment
Engineering Controls: Fume hoods, local exhaust ventilation, and spill containment trays prevent exposure; closed handling systems work best in labs and production
Occupational Exposure Limits: ACGIH TLV: 2 mg/m³ ceiling (aerosol)
Personal Protective Equipment: Chemical goggles, face shield, acid-resistant gloves (neoprene, nitrile, PVC), protective clothing
Respiratory Protection: Respirators with P100 or higher filters needed if dust/aerosol present or ventilation lacks
Workplace Hygiene: Wash hands and arms after handling; never eat, drink, or smoke in areas with chemical use
Appearance: White solid pellets, flakes, or clear colorless solution
Odor: Odorless
pH: Highly alkaline (13-14 in solution)
Melting Point: 360 °C (680 °F)
Boiling Point: 1327 °C (2421 °F)
Density: 2.13 g/cm³ (solid); check solution labels for concentration
Solubility: Easily dissolves in water (exothermic), insoluble in most organic solvents
Vapor Pressure: Negligible at room temperature
Other Properties: Absorbs moisture and CO₂ from air, forms slippery solution
Chemical Stability: Stable in dry, sealed containers; reacts on contact with water or moisture
Reactivity: Reacts strongly with acids, organic materials, some metals (such as aluminum, zinc), generating hydrogen gas
Hazardous Reactions: Generates heat and corrosive mists when diluted improperly; exothermic splitting of water can cause splashing
Incompatible Substances: Acids, ammonium salts, halogenated organics, strong oxidizers
Hazardous Decomposition: Potassium oxide, hydrogen gas in combination with some metals
Acute Toxicity: Ingestion: Severe burning, pain, tissue damage, possible death; Skin/Eye: Rapid onset of burns, possible blindness
Chronic Toxicity: Long-term exposure scars skin, damages respiratory tract, tooth erosion
Routes of Exposure: Skin, eyes, inhalation, accidental oral contact
Symptoms: Redness, blisters, ulceration, loss of vision, respiratory struggle, mouth/throat pain
Sensitization: Not known to be allergenic but repeated burns sensitize skin
Acute Environmental Effects: High toxicity to aquatic life at low concentrations; alters pH causing death to aquatic organisms
Persistence/Degradability: Not persistent; neutralized by acids, forms salts, ionic in water
Mobility in Soil: High solubility leads to rapid mixing and migration in water; raises soil and water alkalinity sharply
Bioaccumulation: Not likely; potassium is common in environment, hydroxide converted quickly
Hazardous Potential: Effluent containing potassium hydroxide disrupts biological wastewater treatment processes and threatens wildlife
Waste Disposal: Collect in tightly closed, corrosion-resistant containers; use approved hazardous waste facilities
Neutralization: Small amounts can be neutralized with dilute acid, under controlled conditions, then copiously diluted
Regulatory Framework: Comply with local and federal hazardous waste rules; never pour large amounts into drains or environment
Contaminated Packaging: Treat as hazardous; rinse carefully before recycling or disposal in accordance with regulations
UN Number: 1813 (Potassium hydroxide, solid); 1814 (Potassium hydroxide, solution)
Proper Shipping Name: Potassium hydroxide, solid or solution
Transport Hazard Class: 8 (corrosive substances)
Packing Group: II
Label Required: Corrosive (8)
Special Precautions: Keep dry, separated from incompatible cargo (acids, metals, foodstuffs); Emergency Response Guide 154 (US DOT)
Mode of Transport: Road, rail, air, maritime with appropriate labeling and documentation
OSHA: Classified as hazardous; falls under OSHA hazard communication requirements (29 CFR 1910.1200)
EU Reach: Listed, registration required as a hazardous chemical
WHMIS (Canada): E – Corrosive Material
SARA Title III: Subject to reporting under certain thresholds
RCRA: Listed as hazardous waste when disposed
TSCA: Listed on the Toxic Substances Control Act Inventory
EINECS: 215-181-3
Other Notable Laws: Compliance required for storage, labeling, handling, and waste as defined by local, state or national authorities
