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Activity: Insecticide, Former US EPA List 3 Inert
Structure:

Adverse Effects:
Anemia
Blood
Body Weight Decrease
Bone
Brain
Endocrine: Pituitary
Endocrine: Thyroid
Genotoxic
Kidney
Chemical Weapon Precursor for the production of Sarin-family nerve agents

Anemia (click on for all fluorinated pesticides)

Effects of Overexposure. Inhalation of dust or mist may cause severe mucous membrane irritation, burns and, with prolonged or repeated exposure, may cause fluorosis. Eye and skin exposure causes irritation and burns. Product may be absorbed through the skin and produce signs of fluorosis such as weight loss, brittleness of bones, anemia, weakness and stiffness of joints. Ingestion is harmful due to acid burns and fluoride poisoning. Internal bleeding may develop. Effects may not be immediately apparent, especially with dilute solutions.
Ref: Material Safety Data Sheet for Sodium bifluoride. Rev. March 29, 1996. Chemtech Products, Inc., St. Louis MO 63131
http://www.fluorideaction.org/pesticides/sodium.bifluoride.msds.1996.pdf

CHRONIC EXPOSURE - Hydrogen fluoride and hydrofluoric acid are extreme irritants to any part of the body that they contact. The main route of exposure to hydrogen fluoride is inhalation, followed by dermal contact for acute exposure and ingestion for chronic exposure. Symptoms of the chronic effects of hydrofluoric acid include weight loss, malaise, anemia, leukopenia, discoloration of teeth, and osteosclerosis.
Ref: Hazardous Substances Data Bank for SODIUM HYDROGEN DIFLUORIDE CASRN: 1333-83-1
http://www.fluorideaction.org/pesticides/sodium.bifluoride.toxnet.htm

Blood (click on for all fluorinated pesticides)

CHRONIC EXPOSURE - Hydrogen fluoride and hydrofluoric acid are extreme irritants to any part of the body that they contact. The main route of exposure to hydrogen fluoride is inhalation, followed by dermal contact for acute exposure and ingestion for chronic exposure. Symptoms of the chronic effects of hydrofluoric acid include weight loss, malaise, anemia, leukopenia, discoloration of teeth, and osteosclerosis.
Ref: Hazardous Substances Data Bank for SODIUM HYDROGEN DIFLUORIDE CASRN: 1333-83-1
http://www.fluorideaction.org/pesticides/sodium.bifluoride.toxnet.htm

• Definition of Leukopenia: an abnormal lowering of the white blood cell count

Body Weight Decrease (click on for all fluorinated pesticides)

Effects of Overexposure. Inhalation of dust or mist may cause severe mucous membrane irritation, burns and, with prolonged or repeated exposure, may cause fluorosis. Eye and skin exposure causes irritation and burns. Product may be absorbed through the skin and produce signs of fluorosis such as weight loss, brittleness of bones, anemia, weakness and stiffness of joints. Ingestion is harmful due to acid burns and fluoride poisoning. Internal bleeding may develop. Effects may not be immediately apparent, especially with dilute solutions.
Ref: Material Safety Data Sheet for Sodium bifluoride. Rev. March 29, 1996. Chemtech Products, Inc., St. Louis MO 63131
http://www.fluorideaction.org/pesticides/sodium.bifluoride.msds.1996.pdf

CHRONIC EXPOSURE o Hydrogen fluoride and hydrofluoric acid are extreme irritants to any part of the body that they contact. The main route of exposure to hydrogen fluoride is inhalation, followed by dermal contact for acute exposure and ingestion for chronic exposure. Symptoms of the chronic effects of hydrofluoric acid include weight loss, malaise, anemia, leukopenia, discoloration of teeth, and osteosclerosis.
Ref: Hazardous Substances Data Bank for SODIUM HYDROGEN DIFLUORIDE CASRN: 1333-83-1
http://www.fluorideaction.org/pesticides/sodium.bifluoride.toxnet.htm

Bone (click on for all fluorinated pesticides)

Effects of Overexposure. Inhalation of dust or mist may cause severe mucous membrane irritation, burns and, with prolonged or repeated exposure, may cause fluorosis. Eye and skin exposure causes irritation and burns. Product may be absorbed through the skin and produce signs of fluorosis such as weight loss, brittleness of bones, anemia, weakness and stiffness of joints. Ingestion is harmful due to acid burns and fluoride poisoning. Internal bleeding may develop. Effects may not be immediately apparent, especially with dilute solutions.
Ref: Material Safety Data Sheet for Sodium bifluoride. Rev. March 29, 1996. Chemtech Products, Inc., St. Louis MO 63131
http://www.fluorideaction.org/pesticides/sodium.bifluoride.msds.1996.pdf

-- CHRONIC EXPOSURE o Hydrogen fluoride and hydrofluoric acid are extreme irritants to any part of the body that they contact. The main route of exposure to hydrogen fluoride is inhalation, followed by dermal contact for acute exposure and ingestion for chronic exposure. Symptoms of the chronic effects of hydrofluoric acid include weight loss, malaise, anemia, leukopenia, discoloration of teeth, and osteosclerosis.
-- MUSCULOSKELETAL 0.2.15.1 ACUTE EXPOSURE - Acute exposure may cause decalcification and corrosion of the bone beneath the area of dermal burn. 0.2.15.2 CHRONIC EXPOSURE - Fluorosis is characterized by skeletal changes such as increased bone density of the spin and pelvis, calcification of ligaments, and hyperostosis although clinical fluorosis is unlikely before 10 years of exposure to fluoride.
Ref: Hazardous Substances Data Bank for SODIUM HYDROGEN DIFLUORIDE CASRN: 1333-83-1
http://www.fluorideaction.org/pesticides/sodium.bifluoride.toxnet.htm

Brain (click on for all fluorinated pesticides)

In addition to cardiovascular, neuromuscular and gastrointestinal derangements, acute fluoride poisoning causes major adverse effects on two other organ systems, the brain and the kidneys. The more critical dysfunctions are those of the brain. Toxic signs occasionally include headache, excessive salivation, nystagmus and dilated pupils. Transient convulions have been described, but lethargy, stupor and coma are far more common, and death is often ascribed to respiratory failure, presumably of central origin. Whatever the causes of these brain derangements, it is noteworthy that coma and respiratory arrest may develop in the presence of a normal blood pressure. Apparently the central neural effects of fluoride are not solely secondary to an inadequate cerebral circulation. /Fluoride/ [Gosselin, R.E., R.P. Smith, H.C. Hodge. Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products. 5th ed. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins, 1984.,p. III-187]
Ref: Hazardous Substances Data Bank for SODIUM HYDROGEN DIFLUORIDE CASRN: 1333-83-1
http://www.fluorideaction.org/pesticides/sodium.bifluoride.toxnet.htm

Endocrine: Pituitary (click on for all fluorinated pesticides)

ENDOCRINE 0.2.16.2 CHRONIC EXPOSURE - Fluoride exposure can cause moderate functional changes in the hypophysis-thyroid gland system without any clinical manifestations. [FAN note: Hypophysis = Pituitary gland]
Ref: Hazardous Substances Data Bank for SODIUM HYDROGEN DIFLUORIDE CASRN: 1333-83-1
http://www.fluorideaction.org/pesticides/sodium.bifluoride.toxnet.htm

Endocrine: Thyroid (click on for all fluorinated pesticides)

ENDOCRINE 0.2.16.2 CHRONIC EXPOSURE - Fluoride exposure can cause moderate functional changes in the hypophysis-thyroid gland system without any clinical manifestations. [FAN note: Hypophysis = Pituitary gland]
Ref: Hazardous Substances Data Bank for SODIUM HYDROGEN DIFLUORIDE CASRN: 1333-83-1
http://www.fluorideaction.org/pesticides/sodium.bifluoride.toxnet.htm

Genotoxic (click on for all fluorinated pesticides)

Abstract: The L5178Y mouse lymphoma cell forward-mutation assay was used to test for the mutagenic activity of sodium and potassium fluoride at the thymidine kinase locus. Mutants were detected by colony formation in soft agar in the presence of trifluorothymidine. Mutagenic and toxic responses were observed in the concentration range of 300-600 micrograms/ml with both sodium and potassium fluoride. Approximately 3-fold increases in mutant frequency were observed for concentrations in the 500-700 micrograms/ml range that reduced the relative total growth to approximately 10% in the absence or presence of a rat-liver S9 activation system. A sample of 30% sodium fluoride-70% sodium bifluoride (NaHF2) induced a similar mutagenic response but was more toxic with respect to the fluoride concentration. A specificity for fluoride ions in causing mutagenesis was indicated by the fact that much higher concentrations of sodium or potassium chloride were necessary to cause toxicity and increases in the mutant frequency. The possible involvement of chromosomal changes was signaled by the predominant increase in the small colony class of mutants.
Ref: Caspary WJ et al. (1987). Mutagenic activity of fluorides in mouse lymphoma cells. Mutat Res. Mar;187(3):165-80.

-- GENOTOXICITY - DNA damage and chromosome aberrations have been reported in insect studies.
Ref: Hazardous Substances Data Bank for SODIUM HYDROGEN DIFLUORIDE CASRN: 1333-83-1
http://www.fluorideaction.org/pesticides/sodium.bifluoride.toxnet.htm

Kidney (click on for all fluorinated pesticides)

In addition to cardiovascular, neuromuscular and gastrointestinal derangements, acute fluoride poisoning causes major adverse effects on two other organ systems, the brain and the kidneys. The more critical dysfunctions are those of the brain. Toxic signs occasionally include headache, excessive salivation, nystagmus and dilated pupils. Transient convulions have been described, but lethargy, stupor and coma are far more common, and death is often ascribed to respiratory failure, presumably of central origin. Whatever the causes of these brain derangements, it is noteworthy that coma and respiratory arrest may develop in the presence of a normal blood pressure. Apparently the central neural effects of fluoride are not solely secondary to an inadequate cerebral circulation. /Fluoride/ [Gosselin, R.E., R.P. Smith, H.C. Hodge. Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products. 5th ed. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins, 1984.,p. III-187]
Ref: Hazardous Substances Data Bank for SODIUM HYDROGEN DIFLUORIDE CASRN: 1333-83-1
http://www.fluorideaction.org/pesticides/sodium.bifluoride.toxnet.htm