Sodium Azide

Background

Sodium azide is a fast acting, potentially deadly chemical that is an odorless white solid.

When it is mixed with water or an acid, sodium azide changes quickly to a toxic gas with a sharp smell. It also changes into a toxic gas (hydrazoic acid) when it comes in contact with solid metals. For example, when it is poured into a drain pipe containing lead or copper.

The smell of the gas may not be sharp enough to give people a good enough warning of the danger.

Where it is found

Sodium azide is best known as the chemical found in automobile airbags. The automobile impact causes an electrical charge which makes sodium azide explode and change to nitrogen gas inside the airbag.

Sodium azide is used as a chemical preservative (product that makes things last longer) in hospitals and laboratories. Accidents have occurred in these settings. In one case, sodium azide was poured into a drain, where it exploded and the toxic gas was inhaled (breathed in).

Sodium azide is used in agriculture (farming) for pest control.

Sodium azide is also used in detonators and other explosives.

How it works

Breathing the gas that is formed from sodium azide causes the most harm. However, ingesting (swallowing) sodium azide can be toxic (harmful) as well.

The gas formed from sodium azide is most dangerous in enclosed places where the gas will be trapped. The toxic gas quickly spreads in open spaces, making it less harmful outdoors. The gas formed from sodium azide is less dense (lighter) than air, so it will rise.

Sodium azide prevents the cells of the body from using oxygen. When this happens, the cells die. The heart and the brain use a lot of oxygen. Therefore, sodium azide is more harmful to the heart and the brain than to other organs.

Signs and symptoms

The level of sodium azide poisoning depends on the amount, route (how someone was exposed), and for how long. It also depends on the person's age and if they had any medical conditions when they were exposed.

People can be exposed to sodium azide by breathing it, absorbing it through their skin, or eating foods with it.

Exposure to a small amount may have some or all of the following symptoms within minutes:

• Clear drainage from the nose (from gas or dust exposure)
• Cough (from gas or dust exposure)
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Nausea and vomiting
• Rapid (fast) breathing
• Rapid (fast) heart rate
• Red eyes (from gas or dust exposure)
• Restlessness
• Weakness
• Skin burns and blisters (from explosion or direct skin contact)

Exposure to a large amount of sodium azide by any route may cause these other health effects as well:

• Convulsions
• Low blood pressure
• Loss of consciousness
• Lung injury
• Respiratory failure leading to death
• Slow heart rate

Showing these signs and symptoms does not necessarily mean that a person has been exposed to sodium azide.

Exposure

If sodium azide is in water, you could be exposed to sodium azide by drinking the water.

If sodium azide came into contact with food, you could be exposed to sodium azide by eating the food.

If sodium azide is in the air, you could be exposed by breathing in the dust or the gas.

Sodium azide can also enter the body and cause symptoms through skin contact. An explosion with sodium azide can cause burn injury and expose people to the toxic gas, hydrozoic acid.

What to do if you are exposed

Get away

Get fresh air by leaving the area where the sodium azide was released. Moving to an area with fresh air is a good way to reduce the chances of death from sodium azide.

If the sodium azide was released outside, move away from the area where the sodium azide was released. Stay low to the ground, because sodium azide gas rises. If sodium azide was released indoors, get out of the building.

When sodium azide is swallowed, it mixes with stomach acid and forms the toxic gas, hydrozoic acid. If a person who has swallowed sodium azide is vomiting, stay away from the person. Also stay away from the stomach contents (vomit) to avoid exposure to the toxic gas. Seek medical attention right away.

If you are near a sodium azide release, emergency teams may tell you to evacuate or "shelter in place" inside.

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.

Wash your body

Wash any sodium azide from your skin with lots of soap and water. Washing with soap and water will protect you from any chemicals on your body.

If your eyes are burning or your vision is blurred, rinse your eyes with plain water for 10 to 15 minutes.

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 can't avoid touching unsafe areas, or you aren't sure where the unsafe areas are, wear rubber gloves. You can also use tongs, tool handles, sticks, or similar objects to put the clothing in the bag.

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.

Treatment

No specific antidote (cure) exists for sodium azide poisoning. The most important thing is for people exposed to seek medical treatment as soon as possible.

Sodium azide poisoning is treated with supportive medical care in a hospital setting.

Long-term health effects

Survivors of serious sodium azide poisoning may have heart and brain damage.

More information

You 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