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Dimethylformamide																				Related Pages
										May 1994
Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)
**CAS number:** 68–12–2
**NIOSH REL:** 10 ppm (30 mg/m3) TWA [skin]
**Current OSHA PEL:** 10 ppm (30 mg/m3) TWA [skin]
**1989 OSHA PEL:** Same as current PEL
**1993-1994 ACGIH TLV:** 10 ppm (30 mg/m3) TWA [skin]
**Description of Substance:** Colorless to pale-yellow liquid with a faint, amine-like odor.
**LEL**(@212 F): 2.2% (10% LEL(@212 F), 2,200 ppm)
**Original (SCP) IDLH:** 3,500 ppm
**Basis for original (SCP) IDLH:** The chosen IDLH is based on the statements by Clayton et al. [1963] that rats survived a 4-hour exposure to air saturated with dimethylformamide vapor [Smyth and Carpenter 1948] and inhalation of saturated vapors for 6 hours was lethal [Haskell Laboratory]. A.D. Little reports that the saturated concentration at 20 C is 3,550 ppm. Because exposures to rats for 4 hours were at saturated concentrations, 3,500 ppm is chosen as the IDLH.
**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
    Haskell Stasenkova 1961
    ----- 3,092
    5,000 -----
    6 hr 2 hr
    11,500 ppm (2.3) 4,947 ppm (1.6)
    1,150 ppm 496 ppm
 **Lethal dose data:**
 
 **Species**
    **Reference**
    **Route**
    **LD50** **(mg/kg)**
    **LDLo** **(mg/kg)**
    **Adjusted LD**
    **Derived value**Rat MouseRat
    Druckrey et al. 1967 Lobanova 1958Massmann 1956
    oral oraloral
    2,800 3,7003,500
    ----- ----------
    6,447 ppm 8,520 ppm8,059 ppm
    645 ppm 852 ppm806 ppm
 **Human data:** None relevant for use in determining the revised IDLH.
 
 **Revised IDLH:** 500 ppm **Basis for revised IDLH:** The revised IDLH for dimethylformamide is 500 ppm based on acute inhalation toxicity data in animals [Stasenkov 1961].
**REFERENCES:**
1. A.D. Little [?]. A.D. Little, Inc. Information supplied to NIOSH during Standards Completion Project.
2. Clayton JW Jr, Barnes JR, Hood DB, Schepers GWH [1963]. The inhalation toxicity of dimethylformamide (DMF). Am Ind Hyg Assoc J *24*:144-154.
3. Druckrey H, Preussmann R, Ivankovic S, Schmahl D [1967]. Organotrope carcinogene wirkungen bei 65 vershiedenen N-nitroso-verbindungen and BD-ratten. Zeitschrift für Krebsforschung *69*:103-201 (in German).
4. Haskell Laboratory [?]. Unpublished report. [From Clayton JW Jr, Barnes JR, Hood DB, Schepers GWH [1963]. The inhalation toxicity of dimethylformamide (DMF). Am Ind Hyg Assoc J *24*:144-154.]
5. Lobanova KP [1958]. Concerning the toxicity of dimethylformamide. Gig Tr Prof Zabol *23*(5):31-37 (in Russian).
6. Massmann W [1956]. Toxicological investigations on dimethylformamide. Br J Ind Med *13*:51-54.
7. Smyth HF Jr, Carpenter CP [1948]. Further experience with the range-finding test in the industrial toxicology laboratory. J Ind Hyg Toxicol *30*(1):63-68.
8. Stasenkova KP [1961]. Toxicity of dimethylformamide. Toksikol Nov Prom Khim Vesh *1*:54-69 (in Russian).

			
							
								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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