Hydrogen fluoride - HF
This page presents information about hydrogen fluoride - or hydrofluoric acid - (HF), appropriate detection means - Hydrogen fluoride gas detector - and respiratory protective equipment (gas mask or powered air purifying respirator with E-P3 combined filter).
Hydrogen fluoride (HF) properties
Hydrogen fluoride (HF) - also known as hydrofluoric acid - can be found in its gaseous form or under its liquid state at ambient temperature. It is mainly used in the petrochemical industry as an alkylation catalyst but also in the pharmaceutical industry (pharmaceutical products synthesis), on construction sites (building facade cleaning) and in surface treatment (pickling) or uranium treatment.
| CAS | TWA (8 hours) | STEL (15 minutes) | LEL | IP | Density / Air | Filter / SCBA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7664-39-3 | 1.8 ppm | 3 ppm | - | 15.98 eV | 0.7 | E-P3 |
Hydrogen fluoride effects on health
Hydrogen fluoride (HF) is a colorless gas featuring a pungent smell. This gas is very toxic by inhalation (R26), if swallowed (R28) or in contact with the skin (R27). It reacts with water to form hydrofluoric acid, which is very corrosive and extremely dangerous for the environment – it changes water pH. Even if this gas is not flammable, it reacts with almost any metal in presence of humidity and produce hydrogen (H2) – and highly flammable gas.
Hydrogen fluoride effects on health (HF)