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Bromoform																				Related Pages
										May 1994
Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)
**CAS number:** 75-25-2
**NIOSH REL:** 0.5 ppm (5 mg/m3) TWA [skin]
**Current OSHA PEL:** 0.5 ppm (5 mg/m3) TWA [skin]
**1989 OSHA PEL:** Same as current PEL
**1993-1994 ACGIH TLV:** 0.5 ppm (5.2 mg/m3) TWA [skin]
**Description of substance:** Colorless to yellow liquid with a chloroform-like odor.
**LEL:** Noncombustible Liquid
**Original (SCP) IDLH:** Unknown [*Note: “Effective” IDLH = 1,000 ppm — see discussion below.]
**Basis for original (SCP) IDLH:** Grant [1974] reported that bromoform is a heavy liquid which resembles chloroform physically, chemically, and pharmacologically but is more toxic to the liver and more irritant on inhalation, causing tearing and salivation [Fairhall 1957]. AIHA [1965] reported that a concentration of chloroform immediately dangerous to life or health has not been established, but that a concentration of 14,000 to 16,000 ppm will cause rapid loss of consciousness in man [Patty 1963]. Lower concentrations of chloroform (4,100 ppm or less) may cause disorientation serious enough to result in falls or other mechanical accidents [Patty 1963]. However, for this draft technical standard, respirators have been selected on the basis of the assigned protection factor afforded by each device up to 2,000 x the OSHA PEL of 0.5 ppm (i.e., 1,000 ppm); only the “most protective” respirators are permitted for use in concentrations exceeding 1,000 ppm.
**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 ValueRat
    Izmerov et al. 1982
    -----
    4,282
    4 hr
    8,564 ppm (2.0)
    856 ppmMammal
    Lublinov and Rabolnikova 1974
    1,151 -----
    ?
    ?
    ?Dog
    Patty 1963
    -----
    7,000
    1 hr
    8,750 ppm (1.25)
    875 ppm**Lethal dose data:**
 Species
    Reference
    Route
    LD50(mg/kg)
    LDLo(mg/kg)
    Adjusted LD
    Derived ValueMouse
    Bowman et al. 1978
    oral
    -----
    1,400
    932 ppm
    93 ppmRat
    Chu et al. 1980
    oral
    -----
    1,147
    764 ppm
    76 ppm**Human data:** It has been reported that 14,000 to 16,000 ppm will cause rapid loss of consciousness [Patty 1963]. The reported lethal oral dose is 143 mg/kg [Deichmann and Gerarde 1969]. [Note: An oral dose of 143 mg/kg is equivalent to a 70-kg worker being exposed to about 635 ppm for 30 minutes, assuming a breathing rate of 50 liters per minute and 100% absorption.]
 **Revised IDLH:** 850 ppm **Basis for revised IDLH:** The revised IDLH for bromoform is 850 ppm based on acute inhalation toxicity data in animals [Izmerov et al. 1982]. This may be a conservative value due to the lack of relevant acute toxicity data for workers exposed to concentrations between 850 and 14,000 ppm.**REFERENCES:**
AIHA [1965]. Bromoform. In: Hygienic guide series. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J *26*:637.
Bowman FJ, Borzellica JF, Munson AE [1978]. Short communication: the toxicity of some halomethanes in mice. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol *44*:213-215.
Chu I, Secours V, Marino I, Villeneuve DC [1980]. The acute toxicity of four trihalomethanes in male and female rats. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol *52*:351-353.
Deichmann WB, Gerarde HW [1969]. Bromoform. In: Toxicology of drugs and chemicals. New York, NY: Academy Press, Inc., pp. 141-142.
Fairhall LT [1957]. Industrial toxicology. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins Company, pp. 170-171.
Grant WM [1974]. Toxicology of the eye. 2nd ed. Springfield, IL: C.C. Thomas, p. 203.
Izmerov NF, Sanotsky IV, Sidorov KK [1982]. Toxicometric parameters of industrial toxic chemicals under single exposure. Moscow, Russia: Centre of International Projects, GKNT, p. 28.
Lublinov ET, Rabolnikova LB [1974]. Acute toxicity data of some bromohydrocarbons. Gig Tr Prof Zabol *18*(4):55-57 (in Russian).
Patty FA, ed. [1963]. Industrial hygiene and toxicology. 2nd rev. ed. Vol. II. Toxicology. New York, NY: Interscience Publishers, Inc., p. 1261.

			
							
								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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