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Cresol (o, m, p isomers)																				Related Pages
										May 1994
Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)
**CAS numbers:** 95­48­7 (o­isomer), 108­39­4 (m­isomer), 106­44­5 (p­isomer)
**NIOSH REL:** 2.3 ppm (10 mg/m3) TWA
**Current OSHA PEL:** 5 ppm (22 mg/m3) TWA [skin]
**1989 OSHA PEL:** Same as current PEL
**1993­1994 ACGIH TLV:** 5 ppm (22 mg/m3) TWA [skin]
**Description of Substance:** White crystals with a sweet, tarry odor.
**LEL**(@300 F): 1.4% (10% LEL(@300 F), 1,400 ppm)
**Original (SCP) IDLH:** 250 ppm
**Basis for original (SCP) IDLH:** The only quantitative acute inhalation toxicity data available are those cited by Patty [1963]. Patty [1963] reported that rats exposed for 8 hours to a saturated concentration of cresol vapors survived the exposure [Smyth 1956]. The chosen IDLH is based on the isomer with the highest vapor pressure, that of o­cresol, which yields a saturated concentration of 323 ppm at 25 C. The chosen IDLH appears to be conservative because no rats died as a result of this exposure which was for 8 hours. Based on the rat oral LD50 of 207 mg/kg for p­cresol [Biofax 1969 cited by NIOSH 1976], an IDLH of 250 ppm is reasonable.
**Short­term exposure guidelines:** None developed
**ACUTE TOXICITY DATA**
**Lethal dose data:**

**Species**
    **Reference**
    **Route**
    **LD50** **(mg/kg)**
    **LDLo** **(mg/kg)**
    **Adjusted LD**
    **Derived** **value**CresolsRatMouseMouse
    Back et al. 1972Back et al. 1972 Kuroki et al. 1982
    oraloraloral
    1,454861760
    ---------------
    2,262 ppm1,339 ppm1,182 ppm
    226 ppm134 ppm118 ppmo-CresolRatRatMouse
    Biofax 1969bDeichmann and Witherup 1944Gig Tr Prof Zabol 1974
    oraloraloral
    1211,350344
    ---------------
    188 ppm2,100 ppm535 ppm
    19 ppm210 ppm54 ppmm-CresolRatRatMouse
    Biofax 1969aDeichmann and Witherup 1944Gig Tr Prof Zabol 1974
    oraloraloral
    2422,020828
    ---------------
    376 ppm3,142 ppm1,288 ppm
    38 ppm314 ppm129 ppmp-CresolRatRatMouse
    Biofax 1969cDeichmann and Witherup 1944Gig Tr Prof Zabol 1974
    oraloraloral
    2071,800344
    ---------------
    322 ppm2,800 ppm535 ppm
    32 ppm280 ppm54 ppm
 **Other animal data:** Rats exposed to a saturated concentration of cresol vapors (about 150 to 380 ppm) survived the exposure for 8 hours [Smyth 1956].
 **Human data:** None relevant for use in determining the revised IDLH.
 
 **Revised IDLH:** 250 ppm [Unchanged] **Basis for revised IDLH:** Based on acute inhalation toxicity data in animals [Smyth 1956], the original IDLH for cresol (250 ppm) is not being revised at this time.
**REFERENCES:**
1. Back KC, Thomas AA, MacEwen JD [1972]. Reclassification of materials listed as transportation health hazards. Wright­Patterson Air Force Base, OH: 6570th Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory, Report No. TSA­20­72­3, pp. A­330 to A­331.
2. Biofax [1969a]. Data sheet 3­5/69. Northbrook, IL: Biofax Industrial Bio­Test Laboratories, Inc.
3. Biofax [1969b]. Data sheet 4­5/69. Northbrook, IL: Biofax Industrial Bio­Test Laboratories, Inc.
4. Biofax [1969c]. Data sheet 5­5/69. Northbrook, IL: Biofax Industrial Bio­Test Laboratories, Inc.
5. Deichmann WB, Witherup S [1944]. Phenol Studies. VI. The acute and comparative toxicity of phenol and o-, m-, and p­cresols for experimental animals. J Pharmacol Exp Ther *80*:233­240.
6. Gig Tr Prof Zabol [1974]; *18*(2):58­59 (in Russian).
7. Kuroki K, Murakami Y, Osumi T, Kimura T [1982]. A study on acute toxicity of formalin­guaiacol. Kyushu Shika Gakkai Zasshi (Journal of the Kyushu Dental Society) *36*(6):932­939 (in Japanese).
8. NIOSH [1976]. GO64750. p­Cresol. In: Registry of toxic effects of chemical substances, 1976 ed. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Public Health Service, Center for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHEW (NIOSH) Publication No. 76­191, p. 353.
9. Patty FA, ed. [1963]. Industrial hygiene and toxicology. 2nd rev. ed. Vol. II. Toxicology. New York, NY: Interscience Publishers, Inc., p. 1390.
10. Smyth HF Jr [1956]. Improved communication: hygienic standards for daily inhalation. Am Ind Hyg Assoc Q *17*(2):129­185.
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								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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