An official website of the United States government
Nitrogen trifluoride
May 1994
Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)
CAS number: 7783–54–2
NIOSH REL: 10 ppm (29 mg/m3) TWA
1989 OSHA PEL: Same as current PEL
Current OSHA PEL: 10 ppm (29 mg/m3) TWA
1993-1994 ACGIH TLV: 10 ppm (29 mg/m3) TWA
Description of substance: Colorless gas with a moldy odor.
LEL: . Nonflammable Gas
Original (SCP) IDLH: 2,000 ppm
Basis for original (SCP) IDLH: The chosen IDLH is based on the mouse 4-hour LC50 of 2,000 ppm cited by Deichmann and Gerarde [1969]. Deichmann and Gerarde [1969] also stated that nitrogen trifluoride is a pulmonary irritant comparable in toxicity to the oxides of nitrogen.
Short-term exposure guidelines: None developed
ACUTE TOXICITY DATA:
Lethal concentration data:
| Species | Reference | LC50(ppm) | LCLo(ppm) | Time | Adjusted 0.5-hrLC (CF) | Derived value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mouse | Deichmann & Gerarde 1969 | 2,000 | —– | 4 hr | 4,000 ppm (2.0) | 400 ppm |
| Dog | MacEwen & Vernot 1969 | 9,600 | —– | 1 hr | 12,000 ppm (1.25) | 1,200 ppm |
| Monkey | MacEwen & Vernot 1969 | 7,500 | —– | 1 hr | 9,375 ppm (1.25) | 938 ppm |
| Rat | Vernot et al. 1973 | 6,700 | —– | 1 hr | 8,375 ppm (1.25) | 838 ppm |
| Mouse | Vernot et al. 1973 | 7,500 | —– | 1 hr | 9,375 ppm (1.25) | 938 ppm |
Human data: None relevant for use in determining the revised IDLH.
| Revised IDLH: 1,000 ppmBasis for revised IDLH: The revised IDLH for nitrogen trifluoride is 1,000 ppm based on acute inhalation toxicity data in animals [MacEwen and Vernot 1969; Vernot et al. 1973]. |
REFERENCES:
1. Deichmann WB, Gerarde HW [1969]. Nitrogen trifluoride. In: Toxicology of drugs and chemicals. New York, NY: Academic Press, Inc., p. 427.
2. MacEwen JD, Vernot EH [1969]. Toxic Hazards Research Unit annual technical report: 1969. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH: Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory, Report AMRL-TR-69-84, pp. 1-49.
3. Vernot EH, Haun CC, MacEwen JD, Egan GF [1973]. Acute inhalation toxicology and proposed emergency exposure limits of nitrogen trifluoride. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 26:1-13.