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Methyl formate																				Related Pages
										May 1994
Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)
**CAS number:** 107–31–3
**NIOSH REL:** 100 ppm (250 mg/m3) TWA, 150 ppm (375 mg/m3) STEL
**Current OSHA PEL:** 100 ppm (250 mg/m3) TWA
**1989 OSHA PEL:** 100 ppm (250 mg/m3) TWA, 150 ppm (375 mg/m3) STEL
**1993-1994 ACGIH TLV:** 100 ppm (246 mg/m3) TWA, 150 ppm (368 mg/m3) STEL
**Description of substance:** Colorless liquid with a pleasant odor.
**LEL:** . . . 4.5% (10% LEL, 4,500 ppm)
**Original (SCP) IDLH:** 5,000 ppm
**Basis for original (SCP) IDLH:** The chosen IDLH is based on the
statement by ACGIH [1971] that 5,000 ppm was considered the maximum concentration guinea pigs could tolerate for 60 minutes without serious disturbances [Schrenk et al. 1936].
**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**G. pig
    Schrenk et al. 1936
    -----
    50,000
    20 min
    43,500 ppm (0.87)
    4,350 ppm**Lethal dose data:**
 
 **Species**
    **Reference**
    **Route**
    **LD50 (mg/kg)**
    **LDLo (mg/kg)**
    **Adjusted LD**
    **Derived value**Rabbit
    Munch 1972
    oral
    1,622
    -----
    4,542 ppm
    454 ppm**Other animal data:** It has been stated that 5,000 ppm was considered the maximum concentration that guinea pigs could tolerate for 60 minutes without serious disturbances [Schrenk et al. 1936].
 **Human data:** No adverse effects were found in humans after exposure to 1,500 ppm for 1 minute [Schrenk et al. 1936].
 
 **Revised IDLH:** 4,500 ppm **Basis for revised IDLH:** The revised IDLH for methyl formate is 4,500 ppm based on acute inhalation toxicity data in animals [Schrenk et al. 1936]. Also, this value is 10% of the lower explosive limit of 4.5%.**REFERENCES:**
1. ACGIH [1971]. Methyl formate. In: Documentation of the threshold limit values for substances in workroom air. 3rd ed. Cincinnati, OH: American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, pp. 165-166.
2. Munch JC [1972]. Aliphatic alcohols and alkyl esters: narcotic and lethal potencies to tadpoles and to rabbits. Ind Med Surg *41*:31-33.
3. Schrenk HH, Yant WP, Chornyak J, Patty FA [1936]. Acute response of guinea pigs to vapors of some new commercial organic compounds. XIII. Methylformate. Public Health Rep *51*:1329-1335.

			
							
								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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