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Fluorine																				Related Pages
										May 1994
Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)
**CAS number:** 7782–41–4
**NIOSH REL:** 0.1 ppm (0.2 mg/m3) TWA
**Current OSHA PEL:** 0.1 ppm (0.2 mg/m3) TWA
**1989 OSHA PEL:** Same as current PEL
**1993-1994 ACGIH TLV:** 1 ppm (1.6 mg/m3) TWA, 2 ppm (3.1 mg/m3) STEL
**Description of Substance:** Pale-yellow to greenish gas with a pungent, irritating odor.
**LEL:** . . Nonflammable Gas
**Original (SCP) IDLH:** 25 ppm
**Basis for original (SCP) IDLH:** The chosen IDLH is based on the statement by AIHA [1965] that “2 men were able to tolerate 25 ppm very briefly but both developed sore throats and chest pains lasting 6 hours; 50 ppm could not be tolerated [Rickey 1959].”
**Existing short-term exposure guidelines:** National Research Council [NRC 1984] Emergency Exposure Guidance Levels (EEGLs):
10-minute EEGL: 15 ppm
30-minute EEGL: 10 ppm
60-minute EEGL: 7.5 ppm
**ACUTE TOXICITY DATA**
**Lethal concentration data:**

**Species**
    **Reference**
    **LC50** **(ppm)**
    **LCLo** **(ppm)**
    **Time**
    **Adjusted 0.5-hr** **LC (CF)**
    **Derived** **value**Rat MouseRabbitG. pig
    Keplinger and Suissa 1968 Keplinger and Suissa 1968Keplinger and Suissa 1968Keplinger and Suissa 1968
    185 150270170
    ----- ---------------
    1 hr 1 hr30 min1 hr
    231 ppm (1.25) 188 ppm (1.25)270 ppm (1.0)213 ppm (1.25)
    23 ppm 19 ppm27 ppm21 ppm
 **Human data:** It has been reported that 2 men were able to tolerate 25 ppm very briefly but both developed sore throats and chest pains that lasted 6 hours; 50 ppm could not be tolerated [Rickey 1959]. Volunteers tolerated 10 ppm for 15 minutes with a minimum of irritation [Ricca 1970]. Intermittent exposures to 10 ppm were repeated every 3 to 5 minutes for 15 minutes over 2 to 3 hours with only slight irritation of the eyes and skin noted [Ricca 1970]. Much irritation of the eyes have been noted at 100 ppm, but with no aftereffects after only 30 seconds [Grant 1974]. It has been observed that exposures up to 30 ppm for 5 to 30 minutes had no ill effects [Lyon 1962].
 
 **Revised IDLH:** 25 ppm [Unchanged] **Basis for revised IDLH:** Based on acute inhalation toxicity data in humans [Grant 1974; Lyon 1962; Ricca 1970; Rickey 1959], the original IDLH for fluorine (25 ppm) is not being revised at this time.
**REFERENCES:**
1. AIHA [1965]. Fluorine (revised 1965). In: Hygienic guide series. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J *26*:624-627.
2. Grant WM [1974]. Toxicology of the eye. 2nd ed. Springfield, IL: C.C. Thomas, p. 499.
3. Keplinger ML, Suissa LW [1968]. Toxicity of fluorine short-term inhalation. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J *29*:10-18.
4. Lyon JS [1962]. Observations on personnel working with fluorine at a gaseous diffusion plant. J Occup Med *4*:199-201.
5. NRC [1984]. Emergency and continuous exposure limits for selected airborne contaminants. Vol. 1. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, Committee on Toxicology, Board on Toxicology and Environmental Health Hazards, Commission on Life Sciences, National Research Council, pp. 77-88.
6. Ricca PM [1970]. A survey of the acute toxicity of elemental fluorine. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J *3*:22-29.
7. Rickey RP [1959]. Decontamination of large liquid fluorine spills. Arlington, VA: Edwards Air Force Base, ASTIA Document Service Center, Air Force Flight Test Center Technical Report 59-31.

			
							
								Page last reviewed:  December 4, 2014						Content
							source: 	National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health NIOSH Publications & Products
Immediately Dangerous To Life or Health (IDLH) Values
Table of IDLH Values
Criteria for Determining IDLH Values
Historical Documentation
Original (SCP) Values
Abbreviations for IDLH Documentation
Abbreviations for Journal Titles Follow NIOSH Facebook
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