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Phosgene																				Related Pages
										May 1994
Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)
**CAS number:** 75–44–5
**NIOSH REL:** 0.1 ppm (0.4 mg/m3) TWA,
0.2 ppm (0.8 mg/m3) 15-minute CEILING
**Current OSHA PEL:** 0.1 ppm (0.4 mg/m3) TWA
**1989 OSHA PEL:** Same as current PEL
**1993-1994 ACGIH TLV:** 0.1 ppm (0.40 mg/m3) TWA
**Description of substance:** Colorless gas with a suffocating odor like musty hay.
**LEL:** . . Nonflammable Gas
**Original (SCP) IDLH:** 2 ppm
**Basis for original (SCP) IDLH:** The chosen IDLH is based on the statement by Jacobs [1967] that 1 part in 200,000 (5 ppm) is probably lethal for exposures of 30 minutes. Gross et al. [1965] indicated that concentrations as low as 0.5 ppm for 2 hours caused definite pathological changes in the lungs of rats sacrificed 96 hours post exposure; the investigators believed some abnormalities were present 3 months after rats had been exposed at 2 ppm for 80 minutes. An IDLH of 2 ppm is used for phosgene to prevent irreversible adverse health effects.
**Existing short-term exposure guidelines:** National Research Council [NRC 1984] Emergency Exposure Guidance Levels (EEGLs):
1-hour EEGL: 0.2 ppm
24-hour EEGL: 0.02 ppm
**ACUTE TOXICITY DATA:**
**Lethal concentration data:**

**Species**
    **Reference**
    **LC50 (ppm)**
    **LCLo (ppm)**
    **Time**
    **Adjusted 0.5-hr LC (CF)**
    **Derived value**Human HumanHumanMammalHumanCatRatMouseRabbitG. pigDogMonkeyHumanMammal
    Diller 1978 Diller 1978Diller 1978Flury 1928Izmerov et al. 1982Izmerov et al. 1982NDRC 1946NDRC 1946NDRC 1946NDRC 1946NDRC 1946NDRC 1946Tab Biol Per 1933Tab Biol Per 1933
    500 -------------------------3404382433161,022145----------
    ----- 330508846------------------------------502.7
    1 min 2.83 hr17 min5 min30 min15 min30 min30 min30 min30 min20 min1 min5 min30 min
    160 ppm (0.32) 5.3 ppm (1.78)25 ppm (0.82)28 ppm (0.55)88 ppm (1.0)37 ppm (0.79)340 ppm (1.0)438 ppm (1.0)243 ppm (1.0)316 ppm (1.0)981 ppm (0.96)46 ppm (0.32)28 ppm (0.55)2.7 ppm (1.0)
    16 ppm 0.5 ppm2.5 ppm2.8 ppm8.8 ppm3.7 ppm34 ppm44 ppm24 ppm32 ppm98 ppm4.6 ppm2.8 ppm0.3 ppm**Other animal data:** It has been reported that concentrations as low as 0.5 ppm for 2 hours caused definite pathological changes in the lungs of rats sacrificed 96 hours post exposure; the investigators believed some abnormalities were present 3 months after the rats had been exposed at 2 ppm for 80 minutes [Gross et al. 1965].
 **Other human data:** It has been calculated that based on acute toxicity data in humans, the lethal dose for a 30-minute exposure would be about 17 ppm [Diller 1978]. It has been stated that 25 ppm for 30 to 60 minutes is dangerous and brief exposure to 50 ppm may be rapidly fatal [Henderson and Haggard 1943]. It has also been stated that 5 ppm is probably lethal for a 30-minute exposure [Jacobs 1967].
 
 **Revised IDLH:** 2 ppm [Unchanged] **Basis for revised IDLH:** Based on acute inhalation toxicity data in humans [Diller 1978; Jacobs 1967], the original IDLH for phosgene (2 ppm) is not being revised at this time.**REFERENCES:**
1. Diller WF [1978]. Medical phosgene problems and their possible solution. J Occup Med *20*:189-193.
2. Flury F [1928]. Moderne gewerbliche vergiftungen in pharmakologisch-toxikologischer hinsicht (Pharmacological-toxicological aspects of intoxicants in modern industry). Arch Exp Pathol Pharmakol *138*:65-82 (translated).
3. Gross P, Rinehart WE, Hatch T [1965]. Chronic pneumonitis caused by phosgene. Arch Environ Health *10*:768-775.
4. Henderson Y, Haggard HW [1943]. Noxious gases. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Reinhold Publishing Corporation, pp. 137-138.
5. Izmerov NF, Sanotsky IV, Sidorov KK [1982]. Toxicometric parameters of industrial toxic chemicals under single exposure. Moscow, Russia: Centre of International Projects, GKNT, p. 99.
6. Jacobs MB [1967]. The analytical toxicology of industrial inorganic poisons. New York, NY: Interscience Publishers, pp. 648-649.
7. NDRC [1946]. Summary technical report of division 9, NDRC. Vol 1. Chemical warfare agents and related chemical problems. Parts I-II. Washington, DC: National Defence Research Committee, pp. 1-385.
8. NRC [1984]. Emergency and continuous exposure limits for selected airborne contaminants. Vol. 2. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, Committee on Toxicology, Board on Toxicology and Environmental Health Hazards, Commission on Life Sciences, National Research Council, pp. 69-86.
9. Tab Biol Per [1933]; *3*:231 (in German).

			
							
								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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