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Dioxane																				Related Pages
										May 1994
Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)
**CAS number:** 123–91–1
**NIOSH REL:** 1 ppm (3.6 mg/m3) 30-minute CEILING; NIOSH considers dioxane to be a potential occupational carcinogen as defined by the OSHA carcinogen policy [29 CFR 1990].
**Current OSHA PEL:** 100 ppm (360 mg/m3) TWA [skin]
**1989 OSHA PEL:** 25 ppm (90 mg/m3) TWA [skin]
**1993-1994 ACGIH TLV:** 25 ppm (90 mg/m3) TWA [skin]
**Description of Substance:** Colorless liquid or solid (below 53 F) with a mild, ether-like odor.
**LEL:**. . 2.0% (10% LEL, 2,000 ppm)
**Original (SCP) IDLH:** 2,000 ppm
**Basis for original (SCP) IDLH:** The chosen IDLH is based on the acute inhalation toxicity data cited by AIHA [1960] in which a lethal concentration of 1,000 to 3,000 ppm for 3 hours is reported for guinea pigs, and on the lethal concentration of 2,085 ppm (8 hours) for mice [Klimmer 1937] reported by Spector [1956]. ACGIH [1971] reported that guinea pigs could tolerate 2,000 ppm for several hours without serious symptoms [Yant et al. 1930]. Therefore, exposure of workers to 2,000 ppm for 30 minutes probably would not impede escape or cause any irreversible health effects.
**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 MouseCatMouseRat
    AIHA 1960 Izmerov et al. 1982Klimmer 1937Klimmer 1937Kosm Biol Aviak Med 1977
    ----- 10,109----------12,568
    1,000-3,000 -----12,0222,085-----
    3 hr 2 hr7 hr8 hr2 hr
    1,800-5,400 ppm (1.8) 16,174 ppm (1.6)28,853 ppm (2.4)5,213 ppm (2.5)20,109 ppm (1.6)
    180-540 ppm 1,617 ppm2,885 ppm521 ppm2,011 ppm
 **Other animal data:** Guinea pigs can tolerate 2,000 ppm by inhalation for several hours without serious symptoms; higher concentrations produced eye, nose, and lung irritation [Yant et al. 1930].
 **Human data:** None relevant for use in determining the revised IDLH.
 
 **Revised IDLH:** 500 ppm **Basis for revised IDLH:** The revised IDLH for dioxane is 500 ppm based on acute inhalation toxicity data in animals [AIHA 1960; Klimmer 1937]. [Note: NIOSH recommends as part of its carcinogen policy that the "most protective" respirators be worn for dioxane at concentrations above 1 ppm.]
**REFERENCES:**
1. ACGIH [1971]. Dioxane. In: Documentation of the threshold limit values for substances in workroom air. 3rd ed. Cincinnati, OH: American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, p. 94.
2. AIHA [1960]. Dioxane. In: Hygienic guide series. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J *21*:533-534.
3. Izmerov NF, Sanotsky IV, Sidorov KK [1982]. Toxicometric parameters of industrial toxic chemicals under single exposure. Moscow, Russia: Centre of International Projects, GKNT, p. 63.
4. Klimmer O [1937]. Dissertation: Beitrag zur toxikologischen wirkung technischer losungsmittel (in German). Germany: Pharmakologischen Institut der Universitat Wurzburg.
5. Kosm Biol Aviak Med [1977]; *11*(6):53-57 (in Russian).
6. Spector WS, ed. [1956]. Handbook of toxicology. Vol. I. Acute toxicities of solids, liquids and gases to laboratory animals. Philadelphia, PA: W.B. Saunders Co., pp. 334-335.
7. Yant WP, Schrenk HH, Patty FA, Waite CP [1930]. Acute response of guinea pigs to vapors of some new commercial organic compounds. VI. Dioxan. Public Health Rep *45*(2):2023-2032.

			
							
								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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