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Carbon tetrachloride
May 1994
Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)
CAS number: 56–23–5
NIOSH REL: 2 ppm (12.6 mg/m3) 60-minute STEL; NIOSH considers carbon tetrachloride to be a potential occupational carcinogen as defined by the OSHA carcinogen policy [29 CFR 1990].
Current OSHA PEL: 10 ppm TWA, 25 ppm CEILING,
200 ppm 5-min MAXIMUM PEAK in any 4 hours
1989 OSHA PEL: 2 ppm (12.6 mg/m3) TWA
1993-1994 ACGIH TLV: 5 ppm (31 mg/m3) TWA, 10 ppm (63 mg/m3) STEL [skin], A3
Description of Substance: Colorless liquid with a characteristic ether-like odor.
LEL: . . Noncombustible Liquid
Original (SCP) IDLH: 300 ppm
Basis for original (SCP) IDLH: ACGIH [1971] reported that a severe case of human poisoning has been observed after a 3-hour exposure to concentrations ranging from 75 to 600 ppm and averaging about 210 ppm [Barnes and Jones 1967]. AIHA [1961] reported that exposures for 0.5 to 1 hour to 1,000 to 2,000 ppm have caused human fatalities from acute kidney damage [Fassett]. Kirk-Othmer [1964] reported that a 30-minute exposure to about 300 ppm causes symptoms of intoxication. Based on these data, an IDLH of 300 ppm is chosen.
Short-term exposure guidelines: None developed
ACUTE TOXICITY DATA
Lethal concentration data:
| Species | Reference | LC50(ppm) | LCLo(ppm) | Time | Adjusted 0.5-hrLC (CF*) | Derivedvalue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HumanG. pig
Cat Mammal Rat Mouse Human Dog |
AAPCO 1966Clayton 1967
Flury and Zernik 1935 Gig Tr Prof Zabol 1980 NPIRI 1974 Svirbely et al. 1947 Tab Biol Per 1933 von Oettingen 1949 |
———-
—– 5,400 8,000 9,526 —– —– |
1,00020,000
38,110 —– —– —– 50,000 14,620 |
?2 hr
2 hr ? 4 hr 8 hr 5 min 8 hr |
?32,807 ppm (1.64)
62,500 ppm (1.64) ? 16,800 ppm (2.10) 25,625 ppm (2.69) 26,374 ppm (0.53) 39,328 ppm (2.69) |
?3,281 ppm
6,250 ppm ? 1,680 ppm 2,563 ppm 2,637 ppm 3,933 ppm |
*Note: Conversion factor (CF) was determined with “n” = 2.8 [ten Berge et al. 1986].
Other human data: A severe case of poisoning was observed after a 3-hour exposure to concentrations ranging from 75 to 600 ppm and averaging about 210 ppm [Barnes and Jones 1967]. It has been reported that exposures to 1,000 to 2,000 ppm for 0.5 to 1 hour have caused human fatalities from acute kidney damage [AIHA 1961]. It has also been reported that a 30-minute exposure to about 300 ppm causes symptoms of intoxication [Kirk-Othmer 1964].
| Revised IDLH: 200 ppmBasis for revised IDLH: The revised IDLH for carbon tetrachloride is 200 ppm based on acute inhalation toxicity data in humans [AIHA 1961; Barnes and Jones 1967; Kirk-Othmer 1964]. [Note: NIOSH recommends as part of its carcinogen policy that the “most protective” respirators be worn for carbon tetrachloride at concentrations above 2 ppm.] |
REFERENCES:
1. AAPCO [1966]. Pesticide chemicals official compendium. Topeka, KS: Association of American Pesticide Control Officials, Inc., p. 198.
2. ACGIH [1971]. Carbon tetrachloride. In: Documentation of the threshold limit values for substances in workroom air. 3rd ed. Cincinnati, OH: American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, pp. 43-44.
3. AIHA [1961]. Carbon tetrachloride (revised 1961). In: Hygienic guide series. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J 22:507-509.
4. Barnes R, Jones RC [1967]. Carbon tetrachloride poisoning. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J 29:557-560.
5. Clayton JW Jr [1967]. Fluorocarbon toxicity and biological action. Fluor Chem Rev 1(2):197-252.
6. Fassett DW [?]. Personal communication to AIHA from the Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY. [From: AIHA [1961]. Carbon tetrachloride (revised 1961). In: Hygienic guide series. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J 22:507-509.]
7. Flury F, Zernik F [1935]. Zusammenstellung der toxischen und letalen dosen für die gebräuchlichsten gifte und versuchstiere. Abder Hand Biol Arbeitsmethod 4:1289-1422 (in German).
8. Gig Tr Prof Zabol [1980]; 24(3):17-20 (in Russian).
9. Kirk-Othmer [1964]. Carbon tetrachloride. In: Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. 2nd ed. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 5:128-139.
10. NPIRI [1974]. Raw materials data handbook, physical and chemical properties, fire hazard and health hazard data. Vol. 1. Organic solvents. Bethlehem, PA: National Printing Ink Research Institute, p. 16.
11. Svirbely JL, Highman B, Alford WC, von Oettingen WF [1947]. The toxicity and narcotic action of mono-chloro-mono-bromo-methane with special reference to inorganic and volatile bromide in blood, urine and brain. J Ind Hyg Toxicol 29:382-389.
12. Tab Biol Per [1933]; 3:231 (in German).
13. ten Berge WF, Zwart A, Appelman LM [1986]. Concentration-time mortality response relationship of irritant and systematically acting vapours and gases. J Haz Mat 13:301-309.
14. von Oettingen WF [1949]. Studies on the relationship between the toxic action of chlorinated methanes and their chemical and physicohemical properties. NIH Bulletin 191:1-85.