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Phenyl ether (vapor)
May 1994
Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)
CAS number: 101–84–8
NIOSH REL: 1 ppm (7 mg/m3) TWA
Current OSHA PEL: 1 ppm (7 mg/m3) TWA
1989 OSHA PEL: Same as current PEL
1993-1994 ACGIH TLV: 1 ppm (7 mg/m3) TWA, 2 ppm (14 mg/m3) STEL
Description of substance: Colorless, crystalline solid or liquid (above 82°F) with a geranium-like odor.
LEL :. . 0.7% (10% LEL, 700 ppm)
Original (SCP) IDLH*: No Evidence [*Note: “Effective” IDLH = 100 ppm — see discussion below.]
Basis for original (SCP) IDLH: No evidence of an IDLH for phenyl ether exists in the available toxicological data. Patty [1963] reported that phenyl ether’s vapors do not present a toxicological problem, but may be a nuisance because of its disagreeableness. For this draft technical standard, therefore, respirators have been selected on the basis of the assigned protection factor afforded by each device up to 100 ´ the OSHA PEL of 1 ppm (i.e., 100 ppm); only the “most protective” respirators are permitted for use in concentrations exceeding 100 ppm. High concentrations of the vapor are unlikely to be encountered in the workplace because of its high boiling point and low vapor pressure.
Short-term exposure guidelines: None developed
ACUTE TOXICITY DATA:
Lethal dose data:
| Species | Reference | Route | LD50(mg/kg) | LDLo(mg/kg) | Adjusted LD | Derived value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RatRat
G. pig |
Opdyke 1974Vogel et al. 1964
Vogel et al. 1964 |
oraloral
oral |
3,3704,000
4,000 |
———-
—– |
3,337 ppm3,960 ppm
3,960 ppm |
334 ppm396 ppm
396 ppm |
Other animal data: Rats exposed to 20 ppm for 7 hours per day for 20 days exhibited only eye and nasal irritation [Hefner et al. 1975].
Human data: It has been reported that industrial experience has shown no evidence that phenyl ether, either as a liquid, mist, or vapor, is a health hazard under ordinary conditions of production and use; no overt systemic toxicity was found at concentrations that were not intolerably disagreeable [Clayton and Clayton 1981].
| Revised IDLH: 100 ppmBasis for revised IDLH: Based on acute oral toxicity data in animals [Opdyke 1974; Vogel et al. 1964], a value of about 350 ppm would have been appropriate for phenyl ether vapor. However, the revised IDLH for phenyl ether vapor is 100 ppm based on being 100 times the NIOSH REL or OSHA PEL (100 is an assigned protection factor for respirators and was used during the Standards Completion Program for deciding when the “most protective” respirators should be used for phenyl ether vapor). |
REFERENCES:
1. Clayton GD, Clayton FE, eds. [1981]. Patty’s industrial hygiene and toxicology. 3rd rev. ed. Vol. 2A. Toxicology. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., pp. 2498-2499, 2541-2543.
2. Hefner RE Jr, Leong BKJ, Kociba RJ, Gehring PJ [1975]. Repeated inhalation toxicity of diphenyl oxide in experimental animals. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 33:78-86.
3. Opdyke DLJ [1974]. Dipentene. In: Monographs on fragrance raw materials. Food Cosmet Toxicol 12:703-736.
4. Patty FA, ed. [1963]. Industrial hygiene and toxicology. 2nd rev. ed. Vol. II. Toxicology. New York, NY: Interscience Publishers, Inc., p. 1700.
5. Vogel WH, Snyder R, Schulman MP [1964]. Effects of aromatic and non-aromatic model compounds and drugs on enzymic activities. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 146:66-73.