Sodium hydroxide

RTECS #

WB4900000

CAS #

1310-73-2; 8012-01-9
See: NMAM or OSHA Methods

Updated

July 2015

Molecular Weight

40.00

Molecular Formula

HNaO

Synonyms

Caustic soda
Hydroxyde de sodium (French)
Lewis-red devil lye
Natriumhydroxid (German)
Natriumhydroxyde (Dutch)
Soda lye
Sodio(idrossido di) (Italian)
Sodium hydrate
Sodium hydroxide (ACGIH:OSHA)
Sodium(hydroxyde de) (French)
White caustic

Skin and Eye Irritation and References

Route/Organism	Dose	Effect	Reference
eye /monkey	1%/24H	severe	TXAPA9 6,701,1964
eye /rabbit	400 µg	mild	OYYAA2 26,627,1983
eye /rabbit	1%	severe	AJOPAA 29,1363,1946
eye /rabbit	50 µg/24H	severe	28ZPAK -,7,1972
eye /rabbit	1 mg/24H	severe	TXAPA9 6,701,1964
eye /rabbit	1 mg/30S rinse	severe	TXCYAC 23,281,1982
skin /human	2%/24H	mild	JIDEAE 68,192,1988
skin /rabbit	500 mg/24H	severe	28ZPAK -,7,1972

Mutation Data and Reference

System Test	Route/Organism/Tissue	Dose	Reference
Cytogenetic Analysis	parenteral/grasshopper	20 mg	NULSAK 9,119,1966
Cytogenetic Analysis	lung/hamster	10 mmol/L	CYTBAI 55,167,1988
Cytogenetic Analysis	ovary/hamster	16 mmol/L	MUREAV 225,55,1989

Acute Toxicity Data and References

Route/Organism	Dose	Effect	Reference
In Vitro/Human, liver tumor	Inhibitor Concentration (50 percent kill): 0.03 mmol/L/24H	In Vitro Toxicity Studies: Cell protein synthesis	TIVIEQ 3,189,1989
In Vitro/Human, skin	Inhibitor Concentration Low: 0.6 mg/well/60M	In Vitro Toxicity Studies: Cell viability (mitochondrial reductase assays): MTT, XTT, MTS, WSTs assays etc.	TIVIEQ 27,1476,2013
In Vitro/jda	Inhibitor Concentration Low: 0.2 pph/1M	In Vitro Toxicity Studies: Other assays	TIVIEQ 25,1237,2011
In Vitro/Rabbit, ocular	Inhibitor Concentration Low: 0.05 pph/5M	In Vitro Toxicity Studies: Cell viability (mitochondrial reductase assays): MTT, XTT, MTS, WSTs assays etc.	TIVIEQ 25,1425,2011
In Vitro/Rabbit, ocular	Inhibitor Concentration (50 percent kill): 0.002 gm/L/10M	In Vitro Toxicity Studies: Cell Viability (cell death), unspecified assay	TIVIEQ 3,329,1989
intraperitoneal/mouse	lethal dose (50 percent kill): 40 mg/kg		COREAF 257,791,1963
oral/human	lowest published lethal dose: 1.57 mg/kg	Behavioral: Anorexia (human) Nutritional and Gross Metabolic: Body temperature increase Skin: After topical application: Primary irritation	VCVN1* -,37,1998
oral/rabbit	lowest published lethal dose: 500 mg/kg		AEPPAE 184,587,1937
oral/rat	lowest published toxic dose: 44 mg/kg	Gastrointestinal: Ulceration or bleeding from stomach	PYTOEY 9,515,2002

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	RED Completed	RBREV* -,326,1998
Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) STANDARD	air-ceiling concentration 2 mg/m³	DTLVS* 3,233,1971
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;KZW 4 mg/m³, inhal, 2007
Occupational Exposure Limit-BELGIUM	time-weighted average 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	VME 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-MEXICO	peak 2 mg/m³, 2004
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-POLAND	MAC(time-weighted average) 0.5 mg/m³, MAC(short term exposure limit) 1 mg/m³, JAN1999
Occupational Exposure Limit-SWEDEN	time-weighted average 1 mg/m³, ceiling concentration 2 mg/m³ (inhalable dust), JUN2005
Occupational Exposure Limit-SWITZERLAND	ceiling concentration 2 mg/m³, inhal, JAN2011
Occupational Exposure Limit-THAILAND	time-weighted average 2 mg/m³, JAN1993
Occupational Exposure Limit-THE NETHERLANDS	MAC-TGG 2 mg/m³, 2003
Occupational Exposure Limit-THE PHILIPPINES	time-weighted average 2 mg/m³, JAN1993
Occupational Exposure Limit-TURKEY	time-weighted average 2 mg/m³, JAN1993
Occupational Exposure Limit-UNITED KINGDOM	short term exposure limit 2 mg/m³, OCT2007
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Permissible Exposure Limit (Construction)	8H time-weighted average 2 mg/m³	CFRGBR 29,1926.55,1994
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Permissible Exposure Limit (Federal Contractors)	8H time-weighted average 2 mg/m³	CFRGBR 41,50-204.50,1994
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Permissible Exposure Limit (General Industry)	8H time-weighted average 2 mg/m³	CFRGBR 29,1910.1000,1994
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Permissible Exposure Limit (Shipyards)	8H time-weighted average 2 mg/m³	CFRGBR 29,1915.1000,1993

NIOSH Documentation and Surveillance

Organization	Standard	Reference
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Recommended Exposure Level TO SODIUM HYDROXIDE-air	ceiling concentration 2 mg/m³/15M	NIOSH* DHHS #92-100,1992
National Occupational Exposure Survey 1983	Hazard Code X3782; Number of Industries 167; Total Number of Facilities 21989; Number of Occupations 120; Total Number of Employees Exposed 370582; Total Number of Female Employees Exposed 137156
National Occupational Exposure Survey 1983	Hazard Code 69070; Number of Industries 426; Total Number of Facilities 133757; Number of Occupations 246; Total Number of Employees Exposed 2819743; Total Number of Female Employees Exposed 995960
National Occupational Hazard Survey 1974	Hazard Code 69070; Number of Industries 359; Total Number of Facilities 112525; Number of Occupations 192; Total Number of Employees Exposed 1122583

Status in Federal Agencies

Organization	Reference
EPA GENETOX PROGRAM 1988, Negative: Cell transform.-SA7/SHE
EPA TSCA Section 8(b) CHEMICAL INVENTORY
EPA TSCA Section 8(d) unpublished health/safety studies
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