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Acrolein

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May 1994
Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)

CAS number: 107-02-8

NIOSH REL: 0.1 ppm (0.25 mg/m3) TWA, 0.3 ppm (0.8 mg/m3) STEL

Current OSHA PEL: 0.1 ppm (0.25 mg/m3) TWA

1989 OSHA PEL: 0.1 ppm (0.25 mg/m3) TWA, 0.3 ppm (0.8 mg/m3) STEL

1993-1994 ACGIH TLV: 0.1 ppm (0.23 mg/m3) TWA, 0.3 ppm (0.67 mg/m3) STEL

Description of substance: Colorless or yellow liquid with a piercing, disagreeable odor.

LEL: 2.8% (10% LEL, 2,800 ppm)

Original (SCP) IDLH: 5 ppm

Basis for original (SCP) IDLH: The chosen IDLH is based on the statement by ACGIH [1971] that 5.5 ppm results in intense irritation and 10 ppm or more is lethal in a short time [Henderson and Haggard 1943]. According to MCA [1961], the irritation properties of acrolein are clearly evident at 1 ppm. ACGIH [1971] reported that 1 of 6 rats died after being exposed to 8 ppm for 4 hours and all died from exposure to 16 ppm [Smyth 1956].

Existing short-term exposure: 1989 American Industrial Hygiene Association guidelines

(AIHA) Emergency Response Planning Guidelines (ERPGs):
ERPG-1: 0.1 ppm (60-minute)
ERPG-2: 0.5 ppm (60-minute)
ERPG-3: 3 ppm (60-minute)

National Research Council [NRC 1984] Emergency Exposure Guidance Levels (EEGLs):
10-minute EEGL: 0.1 ppm
60-minute EEGL: 0.05 ppm (tentative)
24-hour EEGL: 0.01 ppm (tentative)

ACUTE TOXICITY DATA

Lethal concentration data:

Adjusted
LC50 LCLo 0.5-hr Derived
Species Reference (ppm) (ppm) Time LC (CF) Value
Mouse Albin 1962 875 —– 1 min 280 ppm (0.32) 28 ppm
Mouse Albin 1962 175 —– 10 min 121 ppm (0.69) 12 ppm
Dog Albin 1962 150 —– 30 min 150 ppm (1.0) 15 ppm
Rat Carpenter et al. 1949 8 —– 4 hr 16 ppm (2.0) 1.6 ppm
Rat Catilina et al. 1966 375 —– 10 min 259 ppm (0.69) 26 ppm
Hamster Kruysse 1971 25.4 —– 4 hr 51 ppm (2.0) 5.1 ppm
Cat Skog 1950 —– 674 2 hr 1,078 ppm (1.6) 108 ppm
Rat Skog 1950 131 —– 30 min 131 ppm (1.0) 13 ppm

Other animal data: RD50 (mouse), 1.68 [Alarie 1981].

Human data: It has been reported that 5.5 ppm results in intense irritation and marked lacrimation, after 60 seconds [Henderson and Haggard 1943]. Exposures to 1.8 ppm result in slight eye irritation after 1 minute and profuse lacrimation after 4 minutes [NRC 1981]. In volunteers exposed for 5 minutes, concentrations of 2 to 2.3 ppm produced severe irritation [Darley et al. 1960]. A 10-minute exposure at 8 ppm and a 5-minute exposure at 1.2 ppm elicited extreme irritation described as “only just tolerable” [Sim and Pattle 1957].

References:

  1. ACGIH [1971]. Acrolein. In: Documentation of the threshold limit values for substances in workroom air. 3rd ed. Cincinnati, OH: American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, p. 5.
  2. Alarie Y [1981]. Dose-response analysis in animal studies: prediction of human responses. Environ Health Perspect 42:9-13.
  3. Albin TB [1962]. Handling and toxicology. In: Acrolein, Smith CW, ed. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., pp. 234-239.
  4. 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.
  5. Catilina P, Thieblot L, Champeix J [1966]. Experimental respiratory lesions by inhalation of acrolein in the rat. Arch Mal Prof 27:857-867 (in French).
  6. Darley EF, Middleton JT, Garber MJ [1960]. Plant damage and eye irritation from ozone-hydrocarbon reactions. J Agri Food Chem 8:483-485.
  7. Henderson Y, Haggard HW [1943]. Noxious gases. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Reinhold Publishing Corporation, p. 138.
  8. Kruysse A [1971]. Acute inhalation toxicity of acrolein in hamsters (Report R 3516). The Netherlands: Central Institute for Nutrition and Food Research; TNO.
  9. MCA [1961]. Chemical safety data sheet SD-85: properties and essential information for safe handling and use of acrolein. Washington, DC: Manufacturing Chemists Association, pp. 1-15.
  10. NRC [1981]. Formaldehyde and other aldehydes. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, National Research Council, pp. 234-241.
  11. NRC [1984]. Emergency and continuous exposure limits for selected airborne contaminants. Vol. 1. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, Committee on Toxicology, Board on Toxicology and Environmental Health Hazards, Commission on Life Sciences, National Research Council, pp. 27-34.
  12. Pattle R, Collumbine H [1956]. Toxicity of some atmospheric pollutants. Br Med J 2:913-916.
  13. Philippin C, Gilgen A, Grandjean E [1970]. Toxicological and physiological investigation on acrolein inhalation in the mouse. Int Arch Arbeitsmed 26:281-305 (translated).
  14. Sangyo Igaku (Japanese Journal of Industrial Health) [1977]; 19:367 (in Japanese).
  15. Sim VM, Pattle RE [1957]. Effect of possible smog irritants on human subjects. JAMA 165(15):1908-1913.
  16. Skog E [1950]. A toxicological investigation of lower aliphatic aldehydes. I. Toxicity of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde and butyraldehyde; as well as acrolein and crotonaldehyde. Acta Pharmacol Toxicol 6(4):299-318.
  17. Smyth HF Jr [1956]. Improved communication: hygienic standards for daily inhalation. Am Ind Hyg Assoc Q 17(2):129-185.