Potassium hydroxide

RTECS #

TT2100000

CAS #

1310-58-3
See: NMAM or OSHA Methods

Updated

March 2018

Molecular Weight

56.11

Molecular Formula

HKO

Synonyms

Caustic potash
Hydroxyde de potassium (French)
Kaliumhydroxid (German)
Kaliumhydroxyde (Dutch)
LYE
Potassa
Potasse caustique (French)
Potassio (idrossido di) (Italian)
Potassium (hydroxyde de) (French)
Potassium hydrate
Potassium hydroxide (ACGIH)

Skin and Eye Irritation and References

Route/Organism	Dose	Effect	Reference
eye /rabbit	1 mg/24H rinse	moderate	TXAPA9 32,239,1975
skin /guinea pig	50 mg/24H	severe	TXAPA9 31,481,1975
skin /human	50 mg/24H	severe	TXAPA9 31,481,1975
skin /rabbit	50 mg/24H	severe	TXAPA9 31,481,1975

Mutation Data and Reference

System Test	Route/Organism/Tissue	Dose	Reference
Cytogenetic Analysis	Ascites tumor/rat	1800 mg/kg	GANNA2 54,155,1963
Cytogenetic Analysis	ovary/hamster	12 mmol/L	MUREAV 225,55,1989

Acute Toxicity Data and References

Route/Organism	Dose	Effect	Reference
In Vitro/Human, skin	Inhibitor Concentration Low: 20 mmol/L	Nutritional and Gross Metabolic: Changes in: Ca	TIVIEQ 27,402,2013
In Vitro/Human, skin	Inhibitor Concentration Low: 5 pph/1H	In Vitro Toxicity Studies: Cell viability (mitochondrial reductase assays): MTT, XTT, MTS, WSTs assays etc.	TIVIEQ 28,616,2014
In Vitro/Human, skin	Inhibitor Concentration Low: 10 pph/3M	In Vitro Toxicity Studies: Cell viability (mitochondrial reductase assays): MTT, XTT, MTS, WSTs assays etc.	TIVIEQ 28,616,2014
In Vitro/Human, skin	Inhibitor Concentration Low: 47 µL/well/45M	In Vitro Toxicity Studies: Cell viability (mitochondrial reductase assays): MTT, XTT, MTS, WSTs assays etc.	TIVIEQ 28,742,2014
oral/rat	lethal dose (50 percent kill): 273 mg/kg		FAATDF 8,97,1987

Reviews

Organization	Standard	Reference
American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH)	Threshold Limit Value-ceiling concentration 2 mg/m³	DTLVS* TLV/BEI,2013
TOXICOLOGY REVIEW		ARTODN 39,299,1978
TOXICOLOGY REVIEW		HUTOX* -,671,1996
TOXICOLOGY REVIEW		HUTOX* -,683,1996

Standards and Regulations

Organization	Standard	Reference
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) 1988 PESTICIDE SUBJECT TO REGISTRATION OR RE-REGISTRATION		FEREAC 54,7740,1989
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) 1998 STATUS OF PESTICIDES	Cancelled	RBREV* -,326,1998
Occupational Exposure Limit IN ARGENTINA, BULGARIA, COLOMBIA, JORDAN check ACGIH TLV;
Occupational Exposure Limit IN SINGAPORE, VIETNAM check ACGIH TLV
Occupational Exposure Limit-AUSTRALIA	ceiling concentration 2 mg/m³, JUL2008
Occupational Exposure Limit-AUSTRIA	MAK-TMW 2 mg/m³, inhal, 2007
Occupational Exposure Limit-BELGIUM	short term exposure limit 2 mg/m³, MAR2002
Occupational Exposure Limit-DENMARK	ceiling concentration 2 mg/m³, MAY2011
Occupational Exposure Limit-FINLAND	ceiling concentration 2 mg/m³, NOV2011
Occupational Exposure Limit-FRANCE	VLE 2 mg/m³, FEB2006
Occupational Exposure Limit-HUNGARY	time-weighted average 2 mg/m³, short term exposure limit 2 mg/m³, SEP2000
Occupational Exposure Limit-ICELAND	short term exposure limit 2 mg/m³, NOV2011
Occupational Exposure Limit-JAPAN	ceiling concentration 2 mg/m³, MAY2012
Occupational Exposure Limit-KOREA	ceiling concentration 2 mg/m³, 2006
Occupational Exposure Limit-NEW ZEALAND	ceiling concentration 2 mg/m³, JAN2002
Occupational Exposure Limit-NORWAY	time-weighted average 2 mg/m³, JAN1999
Occupational Exposure Limit-PERU	short term exposure limit 2 mg/m³, JUL2005
Occupational Exposure Limit-SWEDEN	time-weighted average 1 mg/m³;short term exposure limit 2 mg/m³, (inhal. dust), JUN2005
Occupational Exposure Limit-SWITZERLAND	MAK-week 2 mg/m³, inhal, JAN2011
Occupational Exposure Limit-THE NETHERLANDS	MAC-C 2 mg/m³, 2003
Occupational Exposure Limit-UNITED KINGDOM	short term exposure limit 2 mg/m³, OCT2007

NIOSH Documentation and Surveillance

Organization	Standard	Reference
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Recommended Exposure Level TO POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE-air	ceiling concentration 2 mg/m³	NIOSH* DHHS #92-100,1992
National Occupational Exposure Survey 1983	Hazard Code X3783; Number of Industries 11; Total Number of Facilities 543; Number of Occupations 16; Total Number of Employees Exposed 6722; Total Number of Female Employees Exposed 2651
National Occupational Exposure Survey 1983	Hazard Code 60440; Number of Industries 346; Total Number of Facilities 74278; Number of Occupations 221; Total Number of Employees Exposed 1959889; Total Number of Female Employees Exposed 797390
National Occupational Hazard Survey 1974	Hazard Code 60440; Number of Industries 340; Total Number of Facilities 80620; Number of Occupations 181; Total Number of Employees Exposed 1081553

Status in Federal Agencies

Organization	Reference
EPA TSCA Section 8(b) CHEMICAL INVENTORY
EPA TSCA Section 8(e) Risk Notification, 8EHQ-0892-9197
EPA TSCA TEST SUBMISSION (TSCATS) DATA BASE, JANUARY 2001
NIOSH Analytical Method, 1994: Alkaline dusts, 7401

Page last reviewed: November 16, 2018

Content source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health