List of highly toxic gases

(Redirected from Toxic gases)

Many gases have toxic properties, which are often assessed using the LC50 (median lethal concentration) measure. In the United States, many of these gases have been assigned an NFPA 704 health rating of 4 (may be fatal) or 3 (may cause serious or permanent injury), and/or exposure limits (TLV, TWA/PEL, STEL, or REL) determined by the ACGIH professional association. Some, but by no means all, toxic gases are detectable by odor, which can serve as a warning. Among the best known toxic gases are carbon monoxide, chlorine, nitrogen dioxide and phosgene.

Definitions

edit
  • Toxic: a chemical that has a median lethal concentration (LC50) in air of more than 200 parts per million (ppm) but not more than 2,000 parts per million by volume of gas or vapor, or more than 2 milligrams per liter but not more than 20 milligrams per liter of mist, fume or dust, when administered by continuous inhalation for 1 hour (or less if death occurs within 1 hour) to albino rats weighing between 200 and 300 grams each.[1][2]
  • Highly Toxic: a gas that has a LC50 in air of 200 ppm or less.[2]
  • NFPA 704: Materials that, under emergency conditions, can cause serious or permanent injury are given a Health Hazard rating of 3. Their acute inhalation toxicity corresponds to those vapors or gases having LC50 values greater than 1,000 ppm but less than or equal to 3,000 ppm. Materials that, under emergency conditions, can be lethal are given a Health Hazard rating of 4. Their acute inhalation toxicity corresponds to those vapors or gases having LC50 values less than or equal to 1,000 ppm.

List

edit
Chemical name[3] Chemical
formula
CAS number NIOSH
IDLH
(ppm)
OSHA PEL / NIOSH REL / ACGIH TLV[4] NFPA 704 Ratings LC50 (ppm)[5] Odor threshold (ppm)[5]
Health Special
Hazard
Arsenic pentafluoride AsF5 7784-36-3 5 NIOSH PEL TWA 0.001 ppm;
REL Ceiling 0.0002 ppm (15 min)
4
Arsine[4] AsH3 7784-42-1 3 NIOSH REL (C) (15 min): 0.002 mg/m3;
OSHA PEL: 0.05 ppm;
ACGIH (2006) TWA-TLV 0.05 ppm
4 120 (rat, 10 min)
Bis(trifluoromethyl)peroxide C2F6O2 927-84-4 10
Boron tribromide[6] BBr3 10294-33-4 50 ACGIH (1990) / PEL Ceiling limit 1 ppm;
AEGL-1: 0.33 ppm,
AEGL-2: 1.7 ppm,
AEGL-3: 5 ppm
3 W
Boron trichloride[7] BCl3 10294-34-5 25 No exposure limits have established;
2500 (TQ)
4 W 2541 (rat, 1 h)[8]
Boron trifluoride BF3 7637-07-2 25 OSHA, ACGIH (1962) 1 ppm ceiling 4 436 (4 h)[8]
Bromine Br2 7726-95-6 3 OSHA PEL 8-hr TWA: 0.1 ppm;
ACGIH (1991) STEL-TLV 0.3 ppm
3 OX 174 (mice) <0.01
Bromine chloride BrCl 13863-41-7 1500 (TQ) 3 OX
Bromomethane CH3Br 74-83-9 250 NIOSH PEL 20 ppm 3 302 (Rat, 8 h)[9]
Carbon monoxide CO 630-08-0 1,200
(moderately
toxic)
ACGIH (1989) TWA TLV 25 ppm;
NIOSH 35 ppm;
NIOSH 200 ppm Ceiling limit
3 4600/5000[10]
Chlorine Cl2 7782-50-5 10 ACGIH (1986) STEL-TLV 1 ppm 3 OX 433 (10 min),
250 (30 min)
1
Chlorine pentafluoride ClF5 13637-63-3 AEGL-2: 0.33 ppm,
AEGL-3: 2.7 ppm
194 (Rat)
Chlorine trifluoride ClF3 7790-91-2 12 ACGIH (1979) Ceiling limit 0.1 ppm 4 W+OX 95 (Rat, 4 h) Inadequate odor
Chloropicrin[note 1] CCl3NO2 76-06-2 2 ACGIH (1990) TWA-TLV 0.1 ppm 4 9.7 (Mouse, 4 h)
Cyanogen C2N2 460-19-5 ACGIH (1966) TWA-TLV 10 ppm 4
Cyanogen chloride CNCl 506-77-4 ACGIH (1977) ceiling limit 0.3 ppm 4
Diazomethane CH2N2 334-88-3 2 ACGIH (1970) TWA-TLV 0.2 ppm 4 175 (Cat, 10 min)
Diborane B2H6 19287-45-7 15 ACGIH (1990) TWA-TLV 0.1 ppm 4 W 40 (Rat, 4 h) Inadequate odor
Dichloroacetylene[note 2] C2Cl2 7572-29-4 NIOSH REL 0.1 ppm Ceiling
Dichlorosilane H2Cl2Si 4109-96-0 2500 (TQ) 4 W 1785-2092
Dimethylmercury HgC2H6 593-74-8 4
Ethylene oxide (anhydrous) C2H4O 75-21-8 800 REL TWA <0.1 ppm, 5 ppm Ceiling 3 90 mg/L (fish, 24 h)
Fluorine F2 7782-41-4 ACGIH (1970) STEL-TLV 2 ppm 4 OX 20 ppb
Formaldehyde (anhydrous) CH2O 50-00-0 20 NIOSH REL 0.016 ppm, Ceiling limit 0.1 ppm 3 333 (mouse, 2 h)
Germane GeH4 7782-65-2 NIOSH REL 0.2 ppm 4 440 (mice 2 h)
Hydrogen azide HN3 7782-79-8 NIOSH REL: 0.1 ppm Ceiling 4
Hydrogen cyanide HCN 74-90-8 50 PEL TWA 10 ppm;
REL ST 4.7 ppm
4 503 (Rat, 5 min)
Hydrogen fluoride HF 7664-39-3 30 PEL TWA 3 ppm;
REL TWA 3 ppm (2.5 mg/m³);
TWA 3 ppm
4 POI LCLo 313 (rabbit, 7 hr)
Hydrogen selenide H2Se 7783-07-5 1 ACGIH (1990) TWA-TLV 0.05 ppm 4 1.8 (G.Pig, 47 h)
Hydrogen sulfide H2S 7783-06-4 100 NIOSH PEL: Ceiling 20 ppm;
REL Ceiling 10 ppm;
ACGIH (1990) STEL-TLV 15 ppm
4 444 0.3
Hydrogen telluride H2Te 7783-09-7 4
Nickel tetracarbonyl Ni(CO)4 13463-39-3 2 NIOSH TWA PEL 0.001 ppm;
ACGIH (1980) TWA-TLV 0.05 ppm
4 9.642[11]
Nitrogen dioxide NO2 10102-44-0 13 NIOSH PEL Ceiling 5 ppm;
REL ST 1 ppm
3 OX 99 (mice, 1 h) 4
Osmium tetroxide OsO4 20816-12-0 0.001 NIOSH PEL TWA 0.0002 ppm;
REL TWA 0.0002 ppm, ST 0.0006 ppm
3 OX 40 (rat, 4 h) 0.0019
Oxygen difluoride OF2 7783-41-7 0.5 NIOSH PEL TWA 0.05 ppm;
REL Ceiling 0.05 ppm;
ACGIH (1983) ceiling limit 0.05 ppm
4 OX 26.067 (Rhesus monkeys, 1 h) 0.5
Perchloryl fluoride ClFO3 7616-94-6 100 NIOSH PEL TWA 3 ppm;
REL TWA 3 ppm, ST 6 ppm;
ACGIH (1962) STEL-TLV 6 ppm
3 OX 385 (Rat, 4 h)
Perfluoroisobutylene C4F8 382-21-8 1.2 ppm 17 (Rat, 10 min)
Phosgene CCl2O 75-44-5 2 NIOSH PEL TWA 0.1 ppm;
REL TWA 0.1 ppm, Ceiling 0.2 ppm;
ACGIH (1992) TWA-TLV 0.1 ppm
4 0.5 to 1.5
Phosphine PH3 7803-51-2 50 NIOSH 0.3 ppm time weighted average;
ACGIH (1992) STEL-TLV 1 ppm
4 0.44 (Rat, 4 h)
Phosphorus pentafluoride[12] PF5 7647-19-0 25 TLV - TWA 0.25 ppm ACGIH & OSHA 4
Selenium hexafluoride SeF6 7783-79-1 2 OSHA PEL, NIOSH REL, ACGIH (1992) TWA-TLV 0.05 ppm 3
Silicon tetrachloride[13] SiCl4 10026-04-7 OSHA PEL, NIOSH REL 5 ppm;
ACGIH TLV 2 ppm
3 W 8000 (Rat, 4 h) 1 - 5
Silicon tetrafluoride SiF4 7783-61-1 3 W 922 (Rat, 1 h)
Stibine[14] H3Sb 7803-52-3 5 OSHA PEL/NIOSH REL/ACGIH TLV: 0.1 ppm 4
Disulfur decafluoride S2F10 5714-22-7 1 ACGIH (1962) ceiling limit 0.01 ppm 4 OX 2 (Rat, 10 min)
Sulfur tetrafluoride SF4 7783-60-0 OSHA PEL/NIOSH REL/ACGIH (1992) ceiling limit 0.1 ppm[15] 3 W 40 (Rat, 1 h)[15]
Tellurium hexafluoride TeF6 7783-80-4 1 NIOSH REL/ACGIH (1992) TWA-TLV 0.02 ppm
Tetraethyl pyrophosphate[note 1] C8H20O7P2 107-49-3 5 ACGIH (2006) TWA-TLV 0.01 mg/m3 4
Sulfotep C8H20O5P2S2 3689-24-5 10 NIOSH PEL TWA 0.2 ppm 4 38 (Rat, 4 h)
Trifluoroacetyl chloride C2ClF3O 354-32-5
Tungsten hexafluoride[16] WF6 7783-82-6 OSHA PEL TWA 2.5 ppm;
ACGIH TLV TWA 3 ppm
3 W 218 (Rat, 1 h)

See also

edit

Notes

edit
  1. ^ a b Decomposes in gaseous form.
  2. ^ Explodes in gaseous form.

References

edit
  1. ^ "California Fire Code California Code of Regulations,Title 24, Part 9, Chapter 2 - Definitions" (PDF).
  2. ^ a b "Environmental Health and Radiation Safety Department at the University of Pennsylvania".
  3. ^ "Chemical Name Search". webbook.nist.gov. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  4. ^ a b "CDC - NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards - Arsenic (inorganic compounds, as As)". www.cdc.gov. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  5. ^ a b "Principles for the safe handling and distribution of highly toxic gases and mixtures" (PDF). Asia Industrial Gases Association. 2011-07-16. AIGA 026/06. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2021-09-22.
  6. ^ "1988 OSHA PEL Project - Boron Tribromide | NIOSH | CDC". www.cdc.gov. 2020-02-25. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  7. ^ PubChem. "Boron trichloride". pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  8. ^ a b "Boron Tribromide". Acute Exposure Guideline Levels for Selected Airborne Chemicals: Volume 17. 2014. doi:10.17226/18796. ISBN 978-0-309-30476-4.
  9. ^ Methyl bromide - OECD HPVMETHYL BROMIDE CAS N°: 74-83-9
  10. ^ Levin, B. C.; Paabo, M.; Gurman, J. L.; Harris, S. E.; Braun, E. (1987-12-01). "Toxicological interactions between carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide". Toxicology. 47 (1–2): 135–164. doi:10.1016/0300-483x(87)90165-x. ISSN 0300-483X. PMID 3120355.
  11. ^ Acute Exposure Guideline Levels for Selected Airborne Chemicals: Volume 6 (PDF). Environmental Protection Agency. 2007. ISBN 978-0-309-11214-7.
  12. ^ "Phosphorus(V) fluoride Safety Data Sheet". ThermoFisher Scientific. January 6, 2023.
  13. ^ "Silicon Tetrachloride Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Health. October 2010.
  14. ^ "Stibine Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services. August 2001.
  15. ^ a b "Sulfur Tetrafluoride Safety Data Sheet" (PDF). Airgas.
  16. ^ "Tungsten Hexafluoride Safety Data Sheet" (PDF). Airgas.
edit