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Ethanolamine																				Related Pages
										May 1994
Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)
**CAS number:** 141–43–5
**NIOSH REL:** 3 ppm (8 mg/m3) TWA, 6 ppm (15 mg/m3) STEL
**Current OSHA PEL:** 3 ppm (6 mg/m3) TWA
**1989 OSHA PEL:** 3 ppm (8 mg/m3) TWA, 6 ppm (15 mg/m3) STEL
**1993-1994 ACGIH TLV:** 3 ppm (7.5 mg/m3) TWA, 6 ppm (15 mg/m3) STEL
**Description of Substance:** Colorless, viscous liquid or solid (below 51 F) with an unpleasant, ammonia-like odor.
**LEL**(@284 F): 3.0% (10% LEL(@284 F), 3,000 ppm)
**Original (SCP) IDLH:** 1,000 ppm
**Basis for original (SCP) IDLH:** The chosen IDLH is based on the statement by AIHA [1968] that the saturated concentration (less than 1,316 ppm) at room temperature should not be immediately hazardous to life. However, AIHA [1968] also reported that sprays and mists evolving from these compounds at elevated temperatures may be dangerous.
**Existing short-term exposure guidelines:** National Research Council [NRC 1984] Emergency Exposure Guidance Levels (EEGLs):
1-hour EEGL: 50 ppm
24-hour EEGL: 3 ppm
**ACUTE TOXICITY DATA**
**Lethal concentration data:**

**Species**
    **Reference**
    **LC50** **(ppm)**
    **LCLo** **(ppm)**
    **Time**
    **Adjusted 0.5-hr** **LC (CF)**
    **Derived** **value**G. pig
    Treon et al. 1957
    LC67: 233
    -----
    1 hr
    291 ppm (1.25)
    29 ppm
 **Lethal dose data:**
 
 **Species**
    **Reference**
    **Route**
    **LD50** **(mg/kg)**
    **LDLo** **(mg/kg)**
    **Adjusted LD**
    **Derived** **value**Rat G. pigRatMouseRabbitRabbitMouseRat
    Hartung and Cornish 1968 Sidorov et al. 1968Sidorov et al. 1968Sidorov et al. 1968Sidorov et al. 1968Sidorov and Timofievskaya 1979Timofievskaya 1962Vernot et al. 1977
    oral oraloraloraloraloraloraloral
    3,320 6202,0501,4751,0001,0007001,720-1,970
    ----- -----------------------------------
    9,150 ppm 1,709 ppm5,650 ppm4,065 ppm2,776 ppm2,756 ppm1,920 ppm4,740-5,429 ppm
    915 ppm 171 ppm565 ppm407 ppm278 ppm276 ppm192 ppm474-543 ppm
 **Other animal data:** Cats exposed for 2 hours to vapors of ethanolamine at concentrations reaching 970 ppm displayed vomiting tendencies; mice had no adverse effects from the same exposures [Sidorov et al. 1968]. A single 8-hour exposure to "concentrated vapors" did not kill any of six rats [UCC 1970]. Guinea pigs survived a 15-minute exposure to ethanolamine at 193 ppm [Treon et al. 1957].
 **Human data:** None relevant for use in determining the revised IDLH.
 
 **Revised IDLH:** 30 ppm **Basis for revised IDLH:** The revised IDLH for ethanolamine is 30 ppm based on acute inhalation toxicity data in animals [Treon et al. 1957].
**REFERENCES:**
1. AIHA [1968]. Ethanolamines. In: Hygienic guide series. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J *29*:312-315.
2. Hartung R, Cornish HH [1968]. Cholinesterase inhibition in the acute toxicity of alkyl-substituted 2-aminoethanol. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol *12*:486-494.
3. 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. 17-25.
4. Sidorov KK, Gorban GM, Tikhonova GP [1968]. Comparative toxicological characteristics of some regenerable absorbers of carbon dioxide. Kosm Biol Aviak Med *2*:289-292 (in Russian).
5. Sidorov KK, Timofievskaya LA [1979]. Data for use in setting the MAC for monoethanolamine in the working environment. Gig Tr Prof Zabol *23*(9):55 (in Russian).
6. Timofievskaya LA [1962]. Toxicological characteristics of monoethanolamine. Toksikol Nov Prom Khim Vesh *4*:81-91 (in Russian).
7. Treon JF, Cleveland FP, Stemmer KL, Cappel J, Larson EE, Shaffer F [1957]. Toxicity of monoethanolamine in air. Cincinnati, OH: Kettering Laboratory.
8. UCC [1970]. Ethanolamines. New York, NY: Union Carbide Corporation, Chemicals and Plastics, p. 30.
9. Vernot EH, MacEwen JD, Haun CC, Kinkead ER [1977]. Acute toxicity and skin corrosion data for some organic and inorganic compounds and aqueous solutions. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol *42*:417-423.

			
							
								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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