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Osmium tetroxide (as Os)																				Related Pages
										May 1994
Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)
**CAS number:** 20816–12–0
**NIOSH REL:** 0.002 mg/m3 (0.0002 ppm) TWA,
0.006 mg/m3 (0.0006 ppm) STEL
**Current OSHA PEL:** 0.002 mg/m3 TWA
**1989 OSHA PEL:** 0.002 mg/m3 (0.0002 ppm) TWA,
0.006 mg/m3 (0.0006 ppm) STEL
**1993-1994 ACGIH TLV:** 0.0016 mg/m3 (0.0002 ppm) TWA,
0.0047 mg/m3 (0.0006 ppm) STEL
**Description of substance:** Colorless, crystalline solid or pale-yellow mass with an unpleasant, acrid, chlorine-like odor.
**LEL:** . . Noncombustible Solid
**Original (SCP) IDLH:** 1 mg Os/m3
**Basis for original (SCP) IDLH:** The chosen IDLH is based on the statement by AIHA [197] that 1 mg/m3 has been suggested as tolerable for 30 minutes [Flury and Zernik 1931]. No other data on acute inhalation toxicity are available which would be useful in determining the IDLH. AIHA [1968] reported that McLaughlin et al. [1946] found that workers exposed to 0.1 to 0.6 mg/m3 suffered from lacrimation and disturbances of vision and in some cases, headache, conjunctivitis, and cough.
**Short-term exposure guidelines:** None developed
**ACUTE TOXICITY DATA:**
**Lethal concentration data:**

**Species**
    **Reference**
    **LC50**
    **LCLo**
    **Time**
    **Adjusted 0.5-hr** **LC (CF)**
    **Derived value**Rabbit
    Brunot 1933
    -----
    1,316 mg/m3
    30 min
    987 mg Os/m3 (1.0)
    99 mg Os/m3Rat
    Shell 1961
    -----
    423 mg/m3
    4 hr
    317 mg Os/m3 (2.0)
    32 mg Os/m3Mouse
    Shell 1961
    -----
    423 mg/m3
    4 hr
    317 mg Os/m3 (2.0)
    32 mg Os/m3**Human data:** It has been suggested that 1 mg/m3 is tolerable for 30 minutes [Flury and Zernik 1931]. Workers exposed to 0.1 to 0.6 mg/m3 suffered from lacrimation and disturbances of vision and in some cases, headache, conjunctivitis, and cough [McLaughlin et al. 1946].
 
 **Revised IDLH:** 1 mg Os/m3 [Unchanged] **Basis for revised IDLH:** Based on acute inhalation toxicity data in humans [Flury and Zernik 1931; McLaughlin et al. 1946], the original IDLH for osmium tetroxide (1 mg Os/m3) is not being revised at this time.**REFERENCES:**
1. AIHA [1968]. Osmium and its compounds. In: Hygienic guide series. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J *29*:621-623.
2. Brunot FR [1933]. The toxicity of osmium tetroxide (osmic acid). J Ind Hyg *15*:136-143.
3. Flury F, Zernik F [1931]. Schädliche gase dämpfe, nebel, rauch- und staubarten. Berlin, Germany: Verlag von Julius Springer, p. 254 (in German).
4. McLaughlin AIG, Milton R, Perry KMA [1946]. Toxic manifestations of osmium tetroxide. Br J Ind Med *3*:183-186.
5. Shell [1961]. Unpublished report. San Ramon, CA: Shell Chemical Co., p. 8.

			
							
								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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