As with dermal exposure, pulmonary edema may be delayed for several hours, even up to two days. This is likely in patients with burns of the face and neck. Pulmonary edema that does not respond to medical treatment may be fatal. Gastrointestinal tract . If HF is ingested, severe burns to the mouth, esophagus, and stomach can result, with severe pain, bleeding, vomiting, diarrhea, and collapse of blood pressure.
Systemic effects can also occur.
Hydrofluoric acid can cause severe eye burns, with destruction or opacification of the cornea. Blindness may result from severe or untreated exposures. Immediate first aid and specialized medical care are necessary. The fluoride ion is considered the major concern from a chronic toxicity standpoint. Long-term, exposure to high levels of fluoride salts in water can cause mottling of teeth in children, fluorosis of bone, and sometimes osteosclerosis in adults and children.