May 1994

Documentation for Immediately Dangerous To Life or Health Concentrations (IDLHs)

2-Butanone

CAS number: 78–93–3

NIOSH REL: 200 ppm (590 mg/m³) TWA, 300 ppm (885 mg/m³) STEL

Current OSHA PEL: 200 ppm (590 mg/m³) TWA

1989 OSHA PEL: 200 ppm (590 mg/m³) TWA, 300 ppm (885 mg/m³) STEL

1993-1994 ACGIH TLV: 200 ppm (590 mg/m³) TWA, 300 ppm (885 mg/m³) STEL

Description of Substance: Colorless liquid with a moderately sharp, fragrant, mint- or acetone-like odor.

LEL(@200EF): 1.4% (10% LEL(@200EF), 1,400 ppm)

Original (SCP) IDLH: 3,000 ppm

Basis for original (SCP) IDLH: The chosen IDLH is based on the statement by Patty [1963] that a 2-hour exposure of rats to 2,000 ppm caused no deaths, but 4 of 6 rats exposed to 4,000 ppm for a 2-hour period died [Smyth 1956].

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

Mammal

Mouse

Rat

Esin and Vigdergauz 1986

Izmerov et al. 1982

Pozzani et al. 1959

Smyth 1956

12,667

13,333

7,833

LC67: 4,000

-----

2 hr

8 hr

2 hr

21,333 ppm (1.6)

19,583 ppm (2.5)

6,400 ppm (1.6)

2,133 ppm

1,958 ppm

640 ppm

Lethal dose data:

Species	Reference	Route	LD50 (mg/kg)	LDLo (mg/kg)	Adjusted LD	Derived value
Rat Mouse	Kimura et al. 1971 Tanii et al. 1986	oral oral	2,737 4,050	----- -----	6,386 ppm 9,450 ppm	639 ppm 945 ppm

Human data: It has been reported that 3,000 ppm is irritating to the eyes and nose [Patty et al. 1935].

Revised IDLH: 3,000 ppm [Unchanged]

Basis for revised IDLH: Based on acute inhalation toxicity data in humans [Patty et al. 1935], the original IDLH for 2-butanone (3,000 ppm) is not being revised at this time.

REFERENCES:

1. Esin MS, Vigdergauz MS [1986]. Correlation between toxicity indexes and chromatographic characteristics of chemical substances. Gig Sanit 51(5):61-62 (in Russian).

2. Izmerov NF, Sanotsky IV, Sidorov KK [1982]. Toxicometric parameters of industrial toxic chemicals under single exposure. Moscow, Russia: Centre of International Projects, GKNT, p. 83.

3. Kimura ET, Ebert DM, Dodge PW [1971]. Acute toxicity and limits of solvent residue for sixteen organic solvents. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 19:699-704.

4. Patty FA, ed. [1963]. Industrial hygiene and toxicology. 2nd rev. ed. Vol. II. Toxicology. New York, NY: Interscience Publishers, Inc., p. 1733.

5. Patty FA, Schrenk HH, Yant WP [1935]. Acute response of guinea pigs to vapors of some new commercial organic compounds. VIII. Butanone. Public Health Rep 50:1217-1228.

6. Pozzani UC, Weil CS, Carpenter CP [1959]. The toxicological basis of threshold limit values: 5. The experimental inhalation of vapor mixtures by rats, with notes upon the relationship between single dose inhalation and single dose oral data. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J 20:364-369.

7. Smyth HF Jr [1956]. Improved communication: hygienic standards for daily inhalation. Am Ind Hyg Assoc Q 17(2):129-185.

8. Tanii H, Tsuji H, Hashimoto K [1986]. Structure-toxicity relationship of monoketones. Toxicol Lett 30:13-17.