UN/NA Number Reference
DOT Class 4.3 Dangerous When Wet placard

UN 1340: Phosphorus pentasulfide

49 CFR 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table·ERG 2024

DOT Classification and Shipping

UN 1340 is assigned the proper shipping name Phosphorus pentasulfide in the U.S. DOT Hazardous Materials Table (49 CFR 172.101). It is classified as a Class 4.3 Dangerous When Wet material, Packing Group II. Required label(s): 4.3.

Packing group indicates the degree of danger within a hazard class: PG I is high danger, PG II medium, PG III low. The proper shipping name, hazard class, UN number, and packing group together form the basic shipping description that must appear on shipping papers and, where required, on the package and placard.

Emergency Response (ERG Guide 139)

Hazards: Produces toxic and flammable gases on water contact. TOXIC. May be fatal.

Fire: DO NOT use water. Dry chemical, dry sand.

Spill: Fully encapsulating suit. Keep material dry. Cover with dry earth.

Chemical and Physical Properties

Phosphorus pentasulfide, free from yellow and white phosphorus appears as a greenish yellow solid with an odor of rotten eggs that may paralyze the sense of smell at hazardous concentrations in air. Density 2.04 g / cm3. It is used for making lube oil additives, insecticides, flotation agents, safety matches, blown asphalt, and other products and chemicals.

CAS Number: 1314-80-3
Molecular Formula: P4S10
Molecular Weight: 444.6 g/mol
Color / Form: Gray to yellow-green crystals
Odor: Odor of rotten eggs
Boiling Point: 957 F
Melting Point: 527 °F (USCG, 1999)
Autoignition: 288 °F (USCG, 1999)
Specific Gravity: 2.03 (sinks in water)
Vapor Pressure: 1 mmHg at 572 F
Water Solubility: Reacts with water

Regulatory Data

CERCLA RQ (40 CFR 302.4)
100 lb
OSHA PEL
1 1 mg/m 3 (ST) 3 mg/m 3
NIOSH REL
TWA 1 mg/m 3 ST 3 mg/m 3
IDLH
250 mg/m 3
RCRA Waste Code(s)
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A release of this material at or above its CERCLA reportable quantity (100 lb) requires immediate notification to the National Response Center at 800-424-8802.

Special Provisions

49 CFR 172.102 special provision codes for this entry: A20, B59, IB4, T3, TP33, W31, W40. These codes modify the general requirements (packaging, quantity limits, exceptions) for this specific material. Look up each code in 49 CFR 172.102 for the full text.

Need the full interactive record? Open UN 1340 in the SpillNerd lookup tool for the live database entry with placard graphics, GHS pictograms, full segregation tables, and synonym search. For another material, use the UN number and chemical lookup.

Reference data compiled from the DOT Hazardous Materials Table (49 CFR 172.101), the 2024 Emergency Response Guidebook, and public chemical databases (PubChem, NIOSH, EPA). Always verify the correct shipping description against the current regulation and the manufacturer's SDS Section 14 before shipping.