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Formic acid																				Related Pages
										May 1994
Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)
**CAS number:** 64–18–6
**NIOSH REL:** 5 ppm (9 mg/m3) TWA
**Current OSHA PEL:** 5 ppm (9 mg/m3) TWA
**1989 OSHA PEL:** Same as current PEL
**1993-1994 ACGIH TLV:** 5 ppm (9.4 mg/m3) TWA, 10 ppm (19 mg/m3) STEL
**Description of Substance:** Colorless liquid with a pungent, penetrating odor.
**LEL(90% solution):** 18% (10% LEL (90% solution), 18,000 ppm)
**Original (SCP) IDLH:** 30 ppm
**Basis for original (SCP) IDLH:** Because no data on acute inhalation toxicity are available on which to base an IDLH for formic acid, the chosen IDLH is based on an analogy with formaldehyde, which has an IDLH of 30 ppm.
**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 Mouse
    Gig Tr Prof Zabol 1963 Gig Tr Prof Zabol 1963
    7,853 3,246
    ----- -----
    15 min 15 min
    6,204 ppm (0.79) 2,564 ppm (0.79)
    620 ppm 256 ppm
 **Lethal dose data:**
 
 **Species**
    **Reference**
    **Route**
    **LD50** **(mg/kg)**
    **LDLo** **(mg/kg)**
    **Adjusted LD**
    **Derived value**Rat MouseDog
    Gig Tr Prof Zabol 1963 Gig Tr Prof Zabol 1963von Oettingen 1959
    oral oraloral
    1,100 7004,000
    ----- ----------
    4,031 ppm 2,565 ppm14,659 ppm
    403 ppm 256 ppm1,466 ppm
 **Human data:** Workers exposed to about 15 ppm have complained of nausea [Fahy and Elkins 1954].
 
 **Revised IDLH:** 30 ppm [Unchanged] **Basis for revised IDLH:** Based on acute inhalation toxicity data in animals [Gig Tr Prof Zabol 1963], a value of about 250 ppm would have been appropriate for formic acid. However, the original IDLH for formic acid (30 ppm) is not being revised at this time.
**REFERENCES:**
1. Fahy JP, Elkins HB [1954]. Unpublished data. [From: ACGIH [1986]. Formic acid. In: Documentation of the threshold limit values and biological exposure indices. 5th ed. Cincinnati, OH: American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, p. 279.].
2. Gig Tr Prof Zabol [1963]; *23*(12):49 (in Russian).
3. von Oettingen WF [1959]. The aliphatic acids and their esters toxicity and potential dangers. AMA Arch Ind Health *20*:517-531.

			
							
								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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