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Sulfuric acid																				Related Pages
										May 1994
Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)
**CAS number:** 7664–93–9
**NIOSH REL:** 1 mg/m3 TWA
**Current OSHA PEL:** 1 mg/m3 TWA
**1989 OSHA PEL:** Same as current PEL
**1993-1994 ACGIH TLV:** 1 mg/m3 TWA, 3 mg/m3 STEL
**Description of substance:** Colorless to dark-brown, oily, odorless liquid.
**LEL:** . . Noncombustible Liquid
**Original (SCP) IDLH:** 80 mg/m3
**Basis for original (SCP) IDLH:** The chosen IDLH is based on the statement by ACGIH [1971] that guinea pigs died after 2.75 hours of exposure at 87 mg/m3 [Treon et al. 1950].
**Existing short-term exposure guidelines:** National Research Council [NRC 1984] Emergency Exposure Guidance Levels (EEGLs):
10-minute EEGL: 5 mg/m3
30-minute EEGL: 2 mg/m3
60-minute EEGL: 1 mg/m3
**ACUTE TOXICITY DATA:**
**Lethal concentration data:**

**Species**
    **Reference**
    **LC50**
    **LCLo**
    **Time**
    **Adjusted 0.5-hr** **LC (CF)**
    **Derived value**G. pig
    Amdur et al. 1952a
    50 mg/m3
    -----
    8 hr
    125 mg/m3 (2.5)
    13 mg/m3Rat
    Izmerov et al. 1982
    510 mg/m3
    -----
    2 hr
    816 mg/m3 (1.6)
    82 mg/m3Mouse
    Izmerov et al. 1982
    320 mg/m3
    -----
    2 hr
    512 mg/m3 (1.6)
    51 mg/m3G. pig
    Raule 1954
    18 mg/m3
    -----
    ?
    ?
    ?G. pig
    Treon et al. 1950
    -----
    87 mg/m3
    2.75 hr
    154 mg/m3 (1.77)
    15 mg/m3**Lethal dose data:**
 
 **Species**
    **Reference**
    **Route**
    **LD50** **(mg/kg)**
    **LDLo** **(mg/kg)**
    **Adjusted LD**
    **Derived value**Rat
    Smyth et al. 1969
    oral
    2,140
    -----
    14,980 mg/m3
    1,498 mg/m3**Human data:** In exposures of 5 to 15 minutes, some volunteers found 5 mg/m3 to be very objectionable, while others found it less so [Amdur et al. 1952b]. The lethal oral dose has been reported to be 135 mg/kg [Arena 1970]. [Note: An oral dose of 135 mg/kg is equivalent to a worker being exposed to about 6,300 mg/m3 for 30 minutes, assuming a breathing rate of 50 liters per minute and 100% absorption.]
 
 **Revised IDLH:** 15 mg/m3**Basis for revised IDLH:** The revised IDLH for sulfuric acid is 15 mg/m3 based on acute inhalation toxicity data in humans [Amdur et al. 1952b] and animals [Amdur et al. 1952a; Treon et al. 1950]. This may be a conservative value due to the lack of relevant acute toxicity data for workers exposed to concentrations above 5 mg/m3.**REFERENCES:**
1. ACGIH [1971]. Sulfuric acid. In: Documentation of the threshold limit values for substances in workroom air. 3rd ed. Cincinnati, OH: American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, pp. 239-240.
2. Amdur MO, Schulz RZ, Drinker P [1952a]. Toxicity of sulfuric acid mist to guinea pigs. AMA Arch Ind Hyg Occup Med *5*:318-329.
3. Amdur MO, Silverman L, Drinker P [1952b]. Inhalation of sulfuric acid mist by human subjects. AMA Arch Ind Hyg Occup Med *6*(4):305-313.
4. Arena JM [1970]. Poisoning, toxicology, symptoms, treatments. 2nd ed. Springfield, IL: C.C. Thomas, p. 73.
5. Izmerov NF, Sanotsky IV, Sidorov KK [1982]. Toxicometric parameters of industrial toxic chemicals under single exposure. Moscow, Russia: Centre of International Projects, GKNT, p. 107.
6. NRC [1984]. Emergency and continuous exposure limits for selected airborne contaminants. Vol. 1. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, Committee on Toxicology, Board on Toxicology and Environmental Health Hazards, Commission on Life Sciences, National Research Council, pp. 107-112.
7. Raule A [1954]. Occupational diseases caused by sulfuric acid. Med Lav *45*:590-599 (in Italian).
8. Smyth HF Jr, Carpenter CP, Weil CS, Pozzani UC, Striegel JA, Nycum JS [1969]. Range-finding toxicity data: list VII. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J *30*(5):470-476.
9. Treon JF, Dutra FR, Cappel J, Sigmon H, Younker W [1950]. Toxicity of sulfuric acid mist. AMA Arch Ind Hyg Occup Med *2*:716-734.

			
							
								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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