Sulfuric acid poisoning

Sulfuric acid is a very strong chemical that is corrosive. Corrosive means it can cause severe burns and tissue damage when it comes into contact with the skin or mucous membranes. This article discusses poisoning from sulfuric acid.

This article is for information only. Do NOT use it to treat or manage an actual poison exposure. If you or someone you are with has an exposure, call your local emergency number (such as 911), or your local poison center can be reached directly by calling the toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States.

Poisonous Ingredient

Sulfuric acid

Where Found

Sulfuric acid is found in:

• Car battery acid
• Certain detergents
• Chemical munitions
• Some fertilizers
• Some toilet bowl cleaners

  Toilet bowl cleaners

  Toilet bowl cleaners and deodorizers are substances used to clean and remove odors from toilets. Poisoning may occur if someone swallows toilet bowl...

   

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Note: This list may not be all-inclusive.

Symptoms

Initial symptoms include severe pain on contact.

Symptoms from swallowing may also include:

• Breathing difficulty due to throat swelling

  Breathing difficulty

  Breathing difficulty may involve:Difficult breathingUncomfortable breathingFeeling like you are not getting enough air

   

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• Burns in the mouth and throat
• Drooling
• Fever
• Rapid development of low blood pressure
• Severe pain in the mouth and throat
• Speech problems
• Vomiting, with blood
• Vision loss

Symptoms from breathing in the poison may include:

• Bluish skin , lips, and fingernails

  Bluish skin

  Cyanosis is a bluish color to the skin or mucous membrane that is usually due to a lack of oxygen in the blood.

   

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• Breathing difficulty
• Body weakness
• Chest pain (tightness)

  Chest pain

  Chest pain is discomfort or pain that you feel anywhere along the front of your body between your neck and upper abdomen.

   

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• Choking

  Choking

  Choking is when someone is having a very hard time breathing because food, a toy, or other object is blocking the throat or windpipe (airway). A cho...

   

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• Coughing
• Coughing up blood

  Coughing up blood

  Coughing up blood is the spitting up of blood or bloody mucus from the lungs and throat (respiratory tract). Hemoptysis is the medical term for cough...

   

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• Dizziness

  Dizziness

  Dizziness is a term that is often used to describe 2 different symptoms: lightheadedness and vertigo. Lightheadedness is a feeling that you might fai...

   

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• Low blood pressure
• Rapid pulse

  Rapid pulse

  A bounding pulse is a strong throbbing felt over one of the arteries in the body. It is due to a forceful heartbeat.

   

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• Shortness of breath

  Shortness of breath

  Breathing difficulty may involve:Difficult breathingUncomfortable breathingFeeling like you are not getting enough air

   

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Symptoms from skin or eye contact may include:

• Skin burning, drainage, and pain
• Eye burning, drainage, and pain
• Vision loss

Home Care

DO NOT make a person throw up. Seek medical help right away.

If the chemical is on the skin or in the eyes, flush with lots of water for at least 15 minutes.

If the chemical was swallowed, immediately give the person water or milk. DO NOT give water or milk if the person is having symptoms that make it hard to swallow. These may include vomiting, convulsions, or a decreased level of alertness.

If the person breathed in the poison, immediately move him or her to fresh air.

Before Calling Emergency

Get the following information, if possible:

• Person's age, weight, and condition
• Name of the product (as well as the ingredients and strength if known)
• Time it was swallowed
• Amount swallowed

Take the container with you to the emergency room.

Poison Control

Your local poison center can be reached directly by calling the toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. This hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.

This is a free and confidential service. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

What to Expect at the Emergency Room

The health care provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including:

• Temperature
• Pulse
• Breathing rate
• Blood pressure

Symptoms will be treated as appropriate. The person may receive:

• Blood tests
• Breathing support -- including oxygen, endotracheal intubation (tube through the nose or mouth into the trachea) and ventilator (breathing machine)
• Bronchoscopy -- a camera moves down the throat to see burns in the airways and lungs
• Endoscopy -- a camera moves down the throat to see burns in the esophagus and the stomach
• EKG (electrocardiogram or heart tracing)
• Eye irrigation
• Fluids through a vein (IV)
• Medicines to treat symptoms
• Surgery to repair any tissue damage
• Surgical removal of burned skin (skin debridement)
• Washing of the skin (irrigation), perhaps every few hours for several days

Outlook (Prognosis)

How well a person does depends on how fast the poison is diluted and neutralized. Extensive damage to the mouth, throat, eyes, lungs, esophagus, nose, and stomach is possible. The ultimate outcome depends on how much damage there is.

Damage continues to occur to the esophagus and stomach for several weeks after the poison is swallowed. Treatment may require the removal of part of the esophagus and stomach.

If the poison enters the lungs, serious damage may occur, both immediately and long-term.

Swallowing the poison may cause death. It may occur as long as a month after the poisoning.