Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link Skip directly to A-Z link Skip directly to A-Z link


Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC twenty four seven. Saving Lives, Protecting People
					Search
		×
			NIOSH
			NIOSH
				All CDC
				Submit
			For a full list of topics:A-Z Index
			Advanced Search
		Advanced Search


The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)


Facebook
        Twitter
        LinkedIn
        Syndicate





Rotenone																				Related Pages
										May 1994
Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)
**CAS number:** 83-79-4
**NIOSH REL:** 5 mg/m3 TWA
**Current OSHA PEL:** 5 mg/m3 TWA
**1989 OSHA PEL:** Same as current PEL
**1993-1994 ACGIH TLV:** 5 mg/m3 TWA
**Description of substance:** Colorless to red, odorless, crystalline solid.
**LEL: . .** Unknown
**Original (SCP) IDLH*:** Unknown [*Note: “Effective” IDLH = 5,000 mg/m3 — see discussion below.]
**Basis for original (SCP) IDLH:** ACGIH [1971] reported that Lehman [1949], on the basis of his own work and a literature survey, estimated the fatal human oral dose to be about 200 grams. Accordingly, this is a relatively nontoxic compound for humans, and thus respirators have been assigned based on the assigned protection factor afforded by each device up to 1,000  ́ the OSHA PEL of 5 mg/m3 (i.e., 5,000 mg/m3); only the “most protective” respirators are permitted for use in concentrations exceeding 5,000 mg/m3.
**Short-term exposure guidelines:** None developed
**ACUTE TOXICITY DATA:**
**Lethal dose data:**

**Species**
    **Reference**
    **Route**
    **LD50** **(mg/kg)**
    **LDLo** **(mg/kg)**
    **Adjusted LD**
    **Derived value**Rat
    Kenaga 1979
    oral
    60
    -----
    420 mg/m3
    42 mg/m3Rat
    Lehman 1951
    oral
    132
    -----
    924 mg/m3
    92 mg/m3Rat
    Lightbody & Matthews 1936
    oral
    25
    -----
    175 mg/m3
    18 mg/m3Mouse
    Soloway 1976
    oral
    2.8
    -----
    20 mg/m3
    2.0 mg/m3**Human data:** The fatal oral dose has been reported to be 200 grams [Lehman 1949]. [Note: An oral dose of 200 grams is equivalent to a worker being exposed to about 130,000 mg/m3 for 30 minutes, assuming a breathing rate of 50 liters per minute and 100% absorption.]
 
 **Revised IDLH:** 2,500 mg/m3 **Basis for revised IDLH:** No inhalation toxicity data are available on which to base an IDLH for rotenone. Therefore, the revised IDLH for rotenone is 2,500 mg/m3 based on acute oral toxicity data in humans [Lehman 1949] and being 500 times the NIOSH REL and OSHA PEL (500 is an assigned protection factor for respirators and was used arbitrarily during the Standards Completion Program for deciding when the "most protective" respirators should be used for particulates).**REFERENCES:**
1. ACGIH [1971]. Rotenone (commercial). In: Documentation of the threshold limit values for substances in workroom air. 3rd ed. Cincinnati, OH: American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, p. 224.
2. Kenaga EE [1979]. Acute and chronic toxicity of 75 pesticides to various animal species. Down to Earth 35:25-31.
3. Lehman AJ [1949]. Pharmacological considerations of insecticides. Q Bulletin Assoc Food Drug Off U.S. 13(2):65-70.
4. Lehman AJ [1951]. Chemicals in foods: a report to the Association of Food and drug Officials on current developments. Part II. Pesticides. Section I. Introduction. Q Bulletin Assoc Food Drug Off U.S. 15(4):122-123.
5. Lightbody DH, Matthews JA [1936]. Toxicology of rotenone. Ind Eng Chem 28:809-811.
6. Soloway SB [1976]. Naturally occurring insecticides. Environ Health Perspect 14:109-117.

			
							
								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
Pinterest
Twitter
YouTube
 NIOSH Homepage NIOSH A-Z
Workplace Safety & Health Topics
Publications and Products
Programs
Contact NIOSH


About CDC
					Contact Us
					800-232-4636
 Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn Youtube Pinterest Snapchat
 CONTACT CDC
				Contact Us
							Call 800-232-4636
							Email Us
			ABOUT CDC
				About CDC
							Jobs
							Funding
			POLICIES
				Accessibility
							External Links
							Privacy
							Policies
							No Fear Act
							FOIA
							OIG
							Nondiscrimination
							Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
			CONNECT WITH US
				Facebook
								Twitter
								Instagram
								LinkedIn
							Youtube
								Pinterest
								Snapchat
								Email
			LANGUAGES
				Español
							繁體中文
							Tiếng Việt
							한국어
							Tagalog
							Русский
							العربية
							Kreyòl Ayisyen
							Français
							Polski
							Português
							Italiano
							Deutsch
							日本語
							فارسی
							English


U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
			Accessibility
			External Links
			Privacy
			Policies
			No Fear Act
			FOIA
			Nondiscrimination
			OIG
			Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
			USA.gov


Exit Notification/Disclaimer Policy Close
 Links with this icon  indicate that you are leaving the CDC website. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website.
					Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.
					You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link.
					CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website. Website Disclaimers
 Cancel Continue