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Ethyl ether																				Related Pages
										May 1994
Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)
**CAS number:** 60–29–7
**NIOSH REL:** The 1989 OSHA PEL may not be protective to workers.
**Current OSHA PEL:** 400 ppm (1,200 mg/m3) TWA
**1989 OSHA PEL:** 400 ppm (1,200 mg/m3) TWA, 500 ppm (1,500 mg/m3) STEL
**1993-1994 ACGIH TLV:** 400 ppm (1,210 mg/m3) TWA, 500 ppm (1,520 mg/m3) STEL
**Description of Substance:** Colorless liquid with a pungent, sweetish odor.
**LEL:**. . 1.9% (10% LEL, 1,900 ppm)
**Original (SCP) IDLH:** 19,000 ppm [LEL]
**Basis for original (SCP) IDLH:** The chosen IDLH is based on the lower explosive limit (LEL) of 19,000 ppm [NFPA 1975]. The toxicological data do not indicate that exposure to this concentration for 30 minutes would impede escape or cause irreversible health effects. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources [1973], the inhalation of 3.5% by volume (35,000 ppm) causes loss of consciousness within 30 to 40 minutes, and concentrations above 7.5% (75,000 ppm) are dangerous to life.
**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**Rabbit DogRatMouse
    Flury and Zernik 1935 Flury and Zernik 1935Schwetz and Becker 1970Schwetz and Becker 1970
    ----- -----73,0006,500
    106,000 76,000----------
    ? ?2 hr1.65 hr
    ? ?116,800 ppm (1.6)9,685 ppm (1.49)
    ? ?11,680 ppm969 ppm
 **Human data:** The lowest anesthetic limit is 19,000 ppm [Clayton and Clayton 1981]. It has been stated that the inhalation of 2,000 ppm if continued to equilibrium in the blood would cause dizziness in some persons [Henderson and Haggard 1943]. Concentrations in the workplace of 500 to 1,000 ppm or more have not resulted in demonstrable injury to health [Cook 1945]. It has been reported that the inhalation of 35,000 ppm causes loss of consciousness within 30 to 40 minutes, and concentrations above 75,000 ppm are dangerous to life [Pennsylvania 1973].
 
 **Revised IDLH:** 1,900 ppm [LEL] **Basis for revised IDLH:** Based on health considerations and acute inhalation toxicity data in humans [Clayton and Clayton 1981; cook 1945; Henderson and Haggard 1943], a value between 2,000 and 19,000 ppm would have been appropriate. However, the revised IDLH for ethyl ether is 1,900 ppm based strictly on safety considerations (i.e., being 10% of the lower explosive limit of 1.9%).
**REFERENCES:**
1. Clayton GD, Clayton FE, eds. [1981]. Patty’s industrial hygiene and toxicology. 3rd rev. ed. Vol. 2A. Toxicology. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., pp. 2491-2511.
2. Cook WA [1945]. Maximum allowable concentrations of industrial atmospheric contaminants. Ind Med *14*:936-949.
3. Flury F, Zernik F [1935]. Zusammenstellung der toxischen und letalen dosen für die gebräuchlichsten gifte und versuchstiere. Abder Hand Biol Arbeitsmethod *4*:1289-1422 (in German).
4. Henderson Y, Haggard HW [1943]. Noxious gases. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Reinhold Publishing Corporation, p. 195.
5. NFPA [1975]. Fire protection guide on hazardous materials. 6th ed. Boston, MA: National Fire Protection Association, p. 325M-79.
6. Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources [1973]. Hygienic information guide no. 44: ethyl ether. Harrisburg, PA: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Occupational Health ER7220.88P REV. 8-73.
7. Schwetz BA, Becker BA [1970]. Embryotoxicity and fetal malformations of rats and mice due to maternally administered ether. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol *17*:275 [Abstract].

			
							
								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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