Propylene dichloride
May 1994
Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)
CAS number: 78–87–5
NIOSH REL: None established; NIOSH considers propylene dichloride to be a potential occupational carcinogen as defined by the OSHA carcinogen policy [29 CFR 1990].
Current OSHA PEL: 75 ppm (350 mg/m3) TWA
1989 OSHA PEL: 75 ppm (350 mg/m3) TWA, 110 ppm (510 mg/m3) STEL
1993-1994 ACGIH TLV: 75 ppm (347 mg/m3) TWA, 110 ppm (508 mg/m3) STEL
Description of substance: Colorless liquid with a chloroform-like odor.
LEL :. . 3.4% (10% LEL, 3,400 ppm)
Original (SCP) IDLH: 2,000 ppm
Basis for original (SCP) IDLH: The chosen IDLH is based on the rat 4-hour LC50 of 2,000 ppm [Carpenter et al. 1949 cited by Spector 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 |
| Rat Mouse Rat |
Carpenter et al. 1949 Clayton & Clayton 1981 Pozzani et al. 1959 |
2,000 720 2,980 |
----- ----- ----- |
4 hr 10 hr 8 hr |
4,000 ppm (2.0) 1,944 ppm (2.7) 7,450 ppm (2.5) |
400 ppm 194 ppm 745 ppm |
Lethal dose data:
| Species | Reference | Route | LD50 (mg/kg) | LDLo (mg/kg) | Adjusted LD | Derived value |
| Mouse Rat G. pig |
Marhold 1986 Pozzani et al. 1959 Sine 1993 |
oral oral oral |
860 1,947 2,000 |
----- ----- ----- |
1,281 ppm 2,900 ppm 3,111 ppm |
128 ppm 290 ppm 311 ppm |
Other animal data: Animals exposed to 400 ppm for 7 hours per day, 5 days per week for 128 to 140 exposures had no histologic changes [Heppel et al. 1948].
Human data: None relevant for use in determining the revised IDLH.
| Revised IDLH: 400 ppm Basis for revised IDLH: The revised IDLH for propylene dichloride is 400 ppm based on inhalation toxicity data in animals [Carpenter et al. 1949; Heppel et al. 1948]. [Note: NIOSH recommends as part of its carcinogen policy that the "most protective" respirators be worn for propylene dichloride at any detectable concentration.] |
REFERENCES:
1. Carpenter CP, Smyth HF Jr, Pozzani UC [1949]. The assay of acute vapor toxicity, and the grading and interpretation of results on 96 chemical compounds. J Ind Hyg Toxicol 31(6):343-346.
2. Clayton GD, Clayton FE, eds. [1981]. Patty’s industrial hygiene and toxicology. 3rd rev. ed. Vol. 2B. Toxicology. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., pp. 3529-3532.
3. Heppel LA, Highman B, Peake EG [1948]. Toxicology of 1,2-dichloropropane (propylene dichloride). IV. Effects of repeated exposures to a low concentration of the vapor. J Ind Hyg Toxicol 30:189-191.
4. Marhold J [1986]. Prehled Prumyslove Toxikologie, Organicke Latky. Prague, Czechoslovakia: Avicenum, p. 98 (in Czechoslovakian).
5. 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 oral data. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J 20:364-369.
6. Sine C, ed. [1993]. Propylene dichloride. In: Farm chemicals handbook ’93, p. C284.
7. Spector WS, ed. [1956]. Handbook of toxicology. Vol. I. Acute toxicities. Philadelphia, PA: W.B. Saunders Company, pp. 332-333.