Product Name: 2,4-D Dimethylamine Salt
Common Names: Weed Killer, Herbicide
CAS Number: 2008-39-1
Recommended Use: Broadleaf weed control, agricultural, turf, and lawn care
Manufacturer Contact: Emergency telephone numbers always printed on product label; details should include local poison control and specialist chemical response teams.
Hazard Class: Acute Toxicity (Oral and Dermal), Skin and Eye Irritant
Signal Word: Warning
Hazard Statements: Harmful if swallowed or in contact with skin. Causes skin irritation, serious eye damage. Potential to cause damage to organs on repeated exposure. Ecotoxic to aquatic life.
Pictograms: Corrosive, Exclamation Mark, Dead Fish and Tree
Precautionary Statements: Wear protective gloves and eyewear. Use in well-ventilated areas. Avoid breathing vapors or spray mists. Wash hands thoroughly after handling. Prevent vapor or spray contact with skin and eyes.
Chemical Name: 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, dimethylamine salt
Synonyms: DMA 2,4-D
Active Ingredient: 2,4-D Dimethylamine (30-45%)
Other Ingredients: Water, surfactants, inerts (up to 70%)
Impurities: Not exceeding relevant thresholds set by local regulatory agencies; specifics sometimes listed on technical data sheets.
Inhalation: Remove from exposure area to fresh air immediately. Get medical attention if symptoms develop, such as headache, dizziness, or breathing difficulty.
Skin Contact: Remove contaminated clothing. Wash skin thoroughly with soap and water. Call a doctor if irritation happens or persists.
Eye Contact: Rinse eyes with clean, gently flowing water for at least 15 minutes. Call a hospital or poison center if redness or burning doesn't go away.
Ingestion: Do not induce vomiting. Wash out mouth with plenty of water. Seek medical attention at once. Show physician the product container or label where possible.
Most Important Symptoms: Throat and nasal irritation, stomach upset, dizziness, skin rash.
Suitable Extinguishing Media: Water spray, foam, dry chemical, or CO₂
Unsuitable Extinguishing Media: Direct water jet (may spread fire, especially with larger spills)
Special Hazards: Product can emit toxic fumes of hydrogen chloride, oxides of nitrogen, and possibly dioxins if burned.
Protective Equipment: Full bunker gear including self-contained breathing apparatus; prevent runoff from entering waterways by containing firewater.
Advice to Firefighters: Fight fire from safe distance. Use water spray to cool containers. Make sure to avoid inhaling combustion products—smoke can travel with wind.
Personal Precautions: Wear chemical-resistant gloves, eye protection, and boots. Keep bystanders away from spill area. Avoid breathing spray mist.
Environmental Precautions: Avoid letting product enter drains, watercourses, or soil. Stop product from flowing into storm sewers and open water.
Methods for Cleanup: Absorb spill with earth, sand, or other non-combustible material. Place in labeled waste containers. Scrub area with detergent and water; collect washings.
Disposal: Collect product and absorbent material into tight containers. Dispose of in accordance with local, state, or federal regulations. Always contact environmental authorities for advice on large spill management.
Handling: Wear chemical resistant gloves. Don't eat, drink, or smoke while working with product. After handling, always wash your hands and forearms.
Storage Conditions: Store in original container, tightly closed. Place in cool, dry, and well-ventilated area, away from direct sunlight, heat, or open flames. Never store near food, animal feed, or drinking water. Secure shelves to avoid accidental dropping.
Incompatible Materials: Strong acids, bases, and oxidizers; avoid contact with copper, iron, aluminum containers.
Safe Storage Life: Stable for 2-3 years if stored correctly.
Occupational Exposure Limit (OEL): Not established for this salt; for technical 2,4-D, usually 10 mg/m³ (TWA).
Engineering Controls: Local exhaust ventilation recommended in indoor applications. Good general room ventilation is important.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Chemical splash goggles or face shield, long-sleeved chemical-resistant clothing, waterproof boots, gloves, and sometimes a NIOSH/MSHA-approved respirator.
Hygiene Practices: Change out of contaminated clothing and wash hands before eating, drinking, or using toilet facilities.
Environmental Controls: Use closed systems for mixing and loading. Avoid splashing product or generating mists.
Appearance: Clear to pale yellow liquid
Odor: Slight ammonia-like or fishy smell
pH: 6.5 - 8.5
Boiling Point: Above 100°C (for water-based formulations)
Solubility: Readily soluble in water
Flash Point: Not combustible (water-based solutions)
Vapor Density: Heavier than air
Relative Density: 1.135 - 1.175 g/cm³
Decomposition Temperature: Decomposes on strong heating, releasing toxic fumes.
Viscosity: Similar to water
Explosive Properties: Product not explosive
Oxidizing Properties: Not an oxidizer
Chemical Stability: Stable under normal use and storage conditions. Decomposes slowly above 80°C.
Reactivity: Reacts with strong acids and bases, releasing heat and possibly toxic fumes.
Hazardous Reactions: Risk of forming hazardous gases like ammonia and chlorinated organics if exposed to certain chemicals.
Hazardous Decomposition Products: Hydrogen chloride, ammonia, dioxins, nitrogen oxides
Conditions to Avoid: Heating above recommended storage temperature, contamination with incompatible substances, direct sunlight for prolonged periods.
Incompatible Materials: Acids, oxidizing agents, metals such as aluminum, copper, and galvanized surfaces.
Acute Toxicity (Oral): LD50 rat: 500-1000 mg/kg
Acute Toxicity (Dermal): LD50 rabbit: >2000 mg/kg
Acute Toxicity (Inhalation): LC50 rat: >1.79 mg/L (4 hr)
Skin Irritation: Can cause redness, swelling, and, with repeated contact, burns or rashes.
Eye Effects: Can cause severe irritation and potential damage over time.
Chronic Effects: Long-term exposure can affect liver and kidneys, and possibly increase risk of developing neurological issues.
Carcinogenicity: EPA classifies 2,4-D as not likely to be carcinogenic to humans at doses below toxic thresholds.
Mutagenicity: Not mutagenic at normal use levels in animal studies.
Other Health Effects: Can aggravate skin conditions and may produce allergic skin responses in sensitive individuals.
Environmental Fate: Moderately persistent in soil (half-life: 1-2 weeks), mobile in soil and capable of leaching to groundwater in sandy soils.
Aquatic Toxicity: Highly toxic to fish and other aquatic organisms; LC50 (96 hr) for rainbow trout: 100 mg/L
Bioaccumulation: Low potential, not persistent in animal tissue.
Degradation: Decomposed by soil microbes and light.
Terrestrial Impact: Toxic to non-target plants, risk of drift onto desirable plant species.
Waste Treatment Methods: Triple-rinse empty packaging and dispose as hazardous waste.
Recommended Disposal: Incinerate under controlled conditions whenever possible.
Do Not: Reuse container; puncture and dispose of per local requirements for hazardous chemical residues.
Contaminated Spill Material: Handle as chemical waste; disposed via licensed chemical waste contractor.
Disposal in Sewer: Not permitted; must never enter watercourses or storm drains.
UN Number: UN 3082
Proper Shipping Name: Environmentally Hazardous Substance, Liquid, N.O.S. (2,4-D Dimethylamine Salt)
Transport Hazard Class: 9 (Miscellaneous Dangerous Goods)
Packing Group: III
Marine Pollutant: Yes
Transport Labels: Environmentally Hazardous, keep away from aquatic environments.
Special Precautions: Carriers should avoid breakage and rough handling. Spills in transit require emergency response procedures to contain the contaminated cargo, soil, or spill area. Check with local, regional, and international guidelines on safe carriage.
OSHA Status: Hazardous chemical; subject to standard workplace controls.
Inventory Listings: Listed in US EPA FIFRA, TSCA, EU REACH, Canadian DSL inventory registries.
EPA Registration: Registered pesticide, restricted in some jurisdictions; periodic review and labeling changes required by law.
SARA Title III: Section 313 (Toxic Chemicals) - Yes (reportable)
Other Regulations: Classified as hazardous under GHS and local country regulations. Proper labeling, safe storage, and PPE use required by regulation in all workplaces and transport systems.
Emergency Planning: Covered by emergency planning and community right-to-know act, usually with local reporting to fire chiefs or LEPCs for storage over threshold amounts.
