Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link Skip directly to A-Z link Skip directly to A-Z link


Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC twenty four seven. Saving Lives, Protecting People
					Search
		×
			NIOSH
			NIOSH
				All CDC
				Submit
			For a full list of topics:A-Z Index
			Advanced Search
		Advanced Search


The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)


Facebook
        Twitter
        LinkedIn
        Syndicate





Mercury compounds [except (organo) alkyls] (as Hg)																				Related Pages
										May 1994
Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)
**CAS number:** 7439–97–6 (Metal)
**NIOSH REL:** Hg Vapor: 0.05 mg/m3 TWA [skin];
Other: 0.1 mg/m3 CEILING [skin]
**Current OSHA PEL:** 0.1 mg/m3 CEILING
**1989 OSHA PEL:** Hg Vapor: 0.05 mg/m3 CEILING [skin];
Other non-alkyl compounds: 0.1 mg/m3 CEILING [skin]
**1993-1994 ACGIH TLV:** Hg Vapor: 0.05 mg/m3 TWA [skin];
Aryl & inorganic compounds: 0.1 mg/m3 TWA [skin]
**Description of substance:** Varies
**Original (SCP) IDLH:** 28 mg Hg/m3
**Basis for original (SCP) IDLH:** The chosen IDLH is based on the statement by Patty [1963] and AIHA [1966] that “severe damage has been produced in the kidneys, liver, brain, heart, lungs, and colon of rabbits exposed for a single 4-hour period to mercury vapor at an average concentration of 28.8 mg/m3; mild damage to most of these organs occurred from 1 hour of exposure [Ashe et al. 1953].”
**Existing short-term exposure guidelines:** National Research Council [NRC 1984] Emergency Exposure Guidance Levels (EEGLs):
24-hour EEGL: 0.2 mg/m3
**ACUTE TOXICITY DATA:**
**Lethal concentration data:**

**Species**
    **Reference**
    **LC50**
    **LCLo**
    **Time**
    **Adjusted 0.5-hr** **LC (CF)**
    **Derived value**Hg Rabbit
    Ashe et al. 1953
    -----
    29 mg/m3
    30 hr
    113 mg Hg/m3 (3.91)
    11 mg Hg/m3**Lethal dose data:**
 
 **Species**
    **Reference**
    **Route**
    **LD50** **(mg/kg)**
    **LDLo** **(mg/kg)**
    **Adjusted LD**
    **Derived value**Hg2Cl2Rat
    Worthing 1991
    oral
    210
    -----
    1,250 mg Hg/m3
    125 mg Hg/m3HgCl2H2N Rat
    Trakhtenberg et al. 1981
    oral
    86
    -----
    482 mg Hg/m3
    48 mg Hg/m3HgCl2H2N Mouse
    Trakhtenberg et al. 1981
    oral
    68
    -----
    381 mg Hg/m3
    38 mg Hg/m3**Other animal data:** Severe damage has been produced in the kidneys, lungs, and colon of rabbits exposed for a single 4-hour period to mercury vapor at an average of 28.8 mg/m3; mild damage to most of the organs occurred after 1 hour of exposure [Ashe et al. 1953].
 **Human data:** None relevant for use in determining the revised IDLH.
 
 **Revised IDLH:** 10 mg Hg/m3**Basis for revised IDLH:** The revised IDLH for mercury compounds [except mercury (organo) alkyls] is 10 mg Hg/m3 based on acute inhalation toxicity data in animals [Ashe et al. 1953].**REFERENCES:**
1. AIHA [1966]. Mercury and its inorganic compounds (revised 1966). In: Hygienic guide series. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J *27*:310-313.
2. Ashe WF, Largent EJ, Dutra FR, Hubbard DM, Blackstone M [1953]. Behavior of mercury in the animal organism following inhalation. AMA Arch Ind Hyg Occup Med *7*:23-24.
3. 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. 89-94.
4. Patty FA, ed. [1963]. Industrial hygiene and toxicology. 2nd rev. ed. Vol. II. Toxicology. New York, NY: Interscience Publishers, Inc., p. 1094.
5. Trakhtenberg EM, Kozshun NN, et al. [1981]. New data on toxicity of inorganic compounds of mercury. Gig Tr Prof Zabol *25*(7):27-30 (in Russian).
6. Worthing CR, ed. [1991]. Mercurous chloride. In: The pesticide manual. A world compendium. 9th ed. Farnham, Surrey, United Kingdom: The British Crop Protection Council, p. 552.

			
							
								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
Pinterest
Twitter
YouTube
 NIOSH Homepage NIOSH A-Z
Workplace Safety & Health Topics
Publications and Products
Programs
Contact NIOSH


About CDC
					Contact Us
					800-232-4636
 Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn Youtube Pinterest Snapchat
 CONTACT CDC
				Contact Us
							Call 800-232-4636
							Email Us
			ABOUT CDC
				About CDC
							Jobs
							Funding
			POLICIES
				Accessibility
							External Links
							Privacy
							Policies
							No Fear Act
							FOIA
							OIG
							Nondiscrimination
							Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
			CONNECT WITH US
				Facebook
								Twitter
								Instagram
								LinkedIn
							Youtube
								Pinterest
								Snapchat
								Email
			LANGUAGES
				Español
							繁體中文
							Tiếng Việt
							한국어
							Tagalog
							Русский
							العربية
							Kreyòl Ayisyen
							Français
							Polski
							Português
							Italiano
							Deutsch
							日本語
							فارسی
							English


U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
			Accessibility
			External Links
			Privacy
			Policies
			No Fear Act
			FOIA
			Nondiscrimination
			OIG
			Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
			USA.gov


Exit Notification/Disclaimer Policy Close
 Links with this icon  indicate that you are leaving the CDC website. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website.
					Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.
					You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link.
					CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website. Website Disclaimers
 Cancel Continue