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Tetrahydrofuran
May 1994
Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)
CAS number: 109–99–9
NIOSH REL: 200 ppm (590 mg/m3) TWA, 250 ppm (735 mg/m3) STEL
Current OSHA PEL: 200 ppm (590 mg/m3) TWA
1989 OSHA PEL: 200 ppm (590 mg/m3) TWA, 250 ppm (735 mg/m3) STEL
1993-1994 ACGIH TLV: 200 ppm (590 mg/m3) TWA, 250 ppm (737 mg/m3) STEL
Description of substance: Colorless liquid with an ether-like odor.
LEL: . . . 2% (10% LEL, 2,000 ppm)
Original (SCP) IDLH: 20,000 ppm [LEL]
Basis for original (SCP) IDLH: AIHA [1959] reported that exposure to 25,000 ppm will cause anesthesia and that 17,000 ppm appears to be safe for 3 hours [Hofmann and Oettel 1954]. Therefore, 20,000 ppm has been chosen as the IDLH because it is the lower explosive limit (LEL) of tetrahydrofuran.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rat | Horiguchi et al. 1984 | 21,000 | —– | 3 hr | 37,800 ppm (1.8) | 3,780 ppm |
Lethal dose data:
| Species | Reference | Route | LD50(mg/kg) | LDLo(mg/kg) | Adjusted LD | Derived value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rat | GAF 1991 | oral | 1,650 | —– | 3,850 ppm | 385 ppm |
| Mouse | Pozdnyakov 1967 | oral | 2,300 | —– | 5,367 ppm | 537 ppm |
| G. pig | Pozdnyakov 1967 | oral | 2,300 | —– | 5,367 ppm | 537 ppm |
Human data: It has been reported that exposure to 25,000 ppm will cause anesthesia and 17,000 ppm appears to be safe for 3 hours [Hofmann and Oettel 1954].
| Revised IDLH: 2,000 ppm [LEL]Basis for revised IDLH: Based on health considerations and acute inhalation toxicity data in humans [Hofmann and Oettel 1954], a value of at least 17,000 ppm would have been appropriate for tetrahydrofuran. However, the revised IDLH is 2,000 ppm based strictly on safety considerations (i.e., being 10% of the lower explosive limit of 2%). |
REFERENCES:
1. AIHA [1959]. Tetrahydrofuran. In: Hygienic guide series. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J 20:250-251.
2. GAF [1991]. Material safety data sheet: Agrisynth THF. Wayne, NJ: GAF Chemicals Corporation, pp. 1-3.
3. Hofmann G, Oettel H [1954]. Zur frage der toxizitat von tetrahydrofuran. Arch Exp Pathol Pharmakol 222:233-235 (in German).
4. Horiguchi S, Teramoto K, Katahira T [1984]. Acute and repeated inhalation toxicity of tetrahydrofuran in laboratory animals. Sumitomo Sangyo Eisei (Sumitomo Industrial Health) 20:141-157.
5. Pozdnyakov AG [1967]. Materials on hygienic reglamentation of tetrahydrofuryl (THF) alcohol in water bodies. Gig Sanit 32(2):99-101 (in Russian).