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Lithium hydride																				Related Pages
										May 1994
Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)
**CAS number:** 7580–67–8
**NIOSH REL:** 0.025 mg/m3 TWA
**Current OSHA PEL:** 0.025 mg/m3 TWA
**1989 OSHA PEL:** Same as current PEL
**1993-1994 ACGIH TLV:** 0.025 mg/m3 TWA
**Description of substance:** Odorless, off-white to gray, translucent, crystalline mass or white powder.
**LEL** :. . Noncombustible Solid
**Original (SCP) IDLH*:** 55 mg/m3 [*Note: “Effective” IDLH = 50 mg/m3 — see discussion below.]
**Basis for original (SCP) IDLH:** The chosen IDLH of 55 mg/m3 is based on the statement by Patty [1963] that “animals exposed to 5 to 55 mg/m3 for periods up to 4 hours experienced intense irritation, coughing and sneezing, inflammation of the conjunctiva, partial sloughing of mucosal epithelium of trachea, and some pulmonary emphysema. No mortality occurred (however) as a result of any level of exposure [Spiegl et al. 1956].” Spiegl et al. [1956], however, found that 2 of 10 animals died from a 4-hour exposure at 22 mg/m3; Spiegl et al. [1956] stated, though, that the mortality among rats, rabbits, guinea pigs, and mice exposed to levels of from 5 to 55 mg/m3 for 1 day was low and probably unrelated to the exposure. A statement by ACGIH [1971] (i.e., that industrial experience has shown that a reduction in atmospheric concentration to 25 μg/m3 is required to attain just a sneezing level), indicates that 22 mg/m3 is too low to be the IDLH. Respirators have been selected on the basis of the assigned protection factor afforded by each device up to 2,000  ́ OSHA PEL of 0.025 mg/m3 (i.e., 50 mg/m3); only the “most protective” respirators are permitted for use in concentrations exceeding 50 mg/m3.
**Short-term exposure guidelines:** None developed
**ACUTE TOXICITY DATA:**
**Lethal concentration data:**

**Species**
    **Reference**
    **LC50**
    **LCLo**
    **Time**
    **Adjusted 0.5-hr LC (CF)**
    **Derived value**Rat
    Spiegl et al. 1956
    LC20: 22 mg/m3
    -----
    4 hr
    44 mg/m3 (2.0)
    4.4 mg/m3**Human data:** It has been recommended that 0.5 mg/m3 is the maximum tolerable concentration for brief period of exposure [AIHA 1964].
 
 **Revised IDLH:** 0.5 mg/m3**Basis for revised IDLH:** The revised IDLH for lithium hydride is 0.5 mg/m3 based on acute inhalation toxicity data in humans [AIHA 1964].**REFERENCES:**
1. ACGIH [1971]. Lithium hydride. In: Documentation of the Threshold Limit Values for Substances in Workroom Air, 3rd edition. Cincinnati, OH: American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, p. 147.
2. AIHA [1964]. Lithium hydride. In: Hygienic guide series. Akron, OH: American Industrial Hygiene Association.
3. Patty FA, ed. [1963]. Industrial hygiene and toxicology. 2nd rev. ed. Vol. II. Toxicology. New York, NY: Interscience Publishers, Inc., p. 1070.
4. Spiegl CJ, Scott JK, Steinhardt H, Leach LJ, Hodge HC [1956]. Acute inhalation toxicity of lithium hydride. AMA Arch Ind Health *14*:468-470.

			
							
								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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