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Isopropyl ether																				Related Pages
										May 1994
Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)
**CAS number:** 108–20–3
**NIOSH REL:** 500 ppm (2,100 mg/m3) TWA
**Current OSHA PEL:** 500 ppm (2,100 mg/m3) TWA
**1989 OSHA PEL:** Same as current PEL
**1993-1994 ACGIH TLV:** 250 ppm (1,040 mg/m3) TWA, 310 ppm (1,300 mg/m3) STEL
**Description of substance:** Colorless liquid with a sharp, sweet, ether-like odor.
**LEL:** . . 1.4% (10% LEL, 1,400 ppm)
**Original (SCP) IDLH:** 10,000 ppm
**Basis for original (SCP) IDLH:** The chosen IDLH is based on the UCC [1968] report that breathing the vapors in a state approaching saturation in room air killed all rats in a 10-minute exposure. [Note: Based on a vapor pressure of 119 mmHg [Patty 1963], the saturated concentration of isopropyl ether in air at 20°C is about 157,000 ppm.] Breathing 8,000 ppm was not fatal after a 4-hour exposure, but 16,000 ppm killed 6 of 6 animals exposed for the same period of time [UCC 1968].
**Short-term exposure guidelines:** None developed
**ACUTE TOXICITY DATA:**
**Lethal concentration data:**

**Species**
    **Reference**
    **LC50** **(ppm)**
    **LCLo** **(ppm)**
    **Time**
    **Adjusted 0.5-hr** **LC (CF)**
    **Derived value**Rat
    Pavlova et al. 1963
    38,138
    -----
    ?
    ?
    ?Rabbit
    Pavlova et al. 1963
    30,840
    -----
    ?
    ?
    ?Rabbit
    Pavlova et al. 1963
    28,486
    -----
    ?
    ?
    ?Rat
    UCC 1968
    LC100: 157,000
    -----
    10 min
    105,190 ppm (0.67)
    10,519 ppmMammal
    UCC 1968
    LC100: 16,000
    -----
    4 hr
    32,000 ppm (2.0)
    3,200 ppm**Lethal dose data:**
 
 **Species**
    **Reference**
    **Route**
    **LD50** (mg/kg)
    **LDLo** (mg/kg)
    **Adjusted LD**
    **Derived value**Rabbit
    Machle et al. 1939
    oral
    -----
    5,000-6,500
    8,235-10,706 ppm
    824-1,071 ppmRat
    UCC 1968
    oral
    8,470
    -----
    13,951 ppm
    1,395 ppm**Other animal data:** It has been reported that animals survived a 4-hour exposure to 8,000 ppm [UCC 1968].
 **Human data:** Volunteers exposed to 800 ppm for 5 minutes reported irritation of the eyes and nose [Silverman et al. 1946].
 
 **Revised IDLH:** 1,400 ppm [LEL] **Basis for revised IDLH:** Based on health considerations and acute inhalation toxicity data in animals [UCC 1968], a value of about 3,200 ppm would have been appropriate for isopropyl ether. However, the revised IDLH for isopropyl ether is 1,400 ppm based strictly on safety considerations (i.e., being 10% of the lower explosive limit of 1.4%).**REFERENCES:**
1. Machle W, Scott EW, Treon J [1939]. The physiological response to isopropyl ether and to a mixture of isopropyl ether and gasoline. J Ind Hyg Toxicol *21*:72-96.
2. Patty FA, ed. [1963]. Industrial hygiene and toxicology. 2nd rev. ed. Vol. II. Toxicology. New York, NY: Interscience Publishers, Inc., p. 1662.
3. Pavlova LP, Lagunova VV, Imanov RM [1963]. Determination of the maximal permissible concentration of diisopropyl ether in the air of working zone. Gig Tr Prof Zabol *19*(10):55-57 (in Russian).
4. Silverman L, Schulte HF, First MW [1946]. Further studies on sensory response to certain industrial solvent vapors. J Ind Hyg Toxicol *28*:262-266.
5. UCC [1968]. Toxicology studies: isopropyl ether. New York, NY: Union Carbide Corporation.

			
							
								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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