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Ethyl bromide
May 1994
Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)
CAS number: 74–96–4
NIOSH REL: The 1989 OSHA PEL may not be protective to workers.
Current OSHA PEL: 200 ppm (890 mg/m3) TWA
1989 OSHA PEL: 200 ppm (890 mg/m3) TWA, 250 ppm (1100 mg/m3) STEL
1993-1994 ACGIH TLV: 5 ppm (22 mg/m3) TWA, A2
Description of Substance: Colorless to yellow liquid with an ether-like odor.
LEL:. . 6.8% (10% LEL, 6,800 ppm)
Original (SCP) IDLH: 3,500 ppm
Basis for original (SCP) IDLH: The chosen IDLH is based on the minimal lethal concentration for mice of 3,500 ppm [Bachem 1927 as cited by von Oettingen 1937] cited by ACGIH [1971].
Short-term exposure guidelines: None developed
ACUTE TOXICITY DATA
Lethal concentration data:
| Species | Reference | LC50(ppm) | LCLo(ppm) | Time | Adjusted 0.5-hrLC (CF) | Derivedvalue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MouseRat
Mouse Rat Mouse G. pig G. pig G. pig G. pig |
Bachem 1927Back et al. 1972
Back et al. 1972 NTP 1988 NTP 1988 Sayers and Yant 1929 Sayers and Yant 1929 Sayers and Yant 1929 Sayers and Yant 1929 |
—–26,980
16,230 4,681 2,723 LC100: 100,000 LC100: 140,000 —– —– |
3,500—–
—– —– —– —– —– 24,000 7,000 |
?1 hr
1 hr ? ? 1.5 hr 10 min 30 min >4.5 hr |
?33,725 ppm (1.25)
20,288 ppm (1.25) ? ? 145,000 ppm (1.45) 96,600 ppm (0.69) 24,000 ppm (1.0) >14,560 ppm (2.8) |
?3,373 ppm
2,029 ppm ? ? 14,500 ppm 9,660 ppm 2,400 ppm >1,456 ppm |
Other animal data: Exposure at 1,700 ppm for 9 hours caused no anesthesia or apparent adverse effects [Sayers and Yant 1929].
Human data: Concentrations of 12,000 ppm caused immediate eye irritation in volunteers and 5 minutes at 6,500 ppm resulted in eye irritation, headache, and vertigo [Sayers and Yant 1929]. Workers exposed intermittently to concentrations up to 1,500 ppm complained of no systematic symptoms over a period of several years [Watrous 1947].
| Revised IDLH: 2,000 ppmBasis for revised IDLH: The revised IDLH for ethyl bromide is 2,000 ppm based on acute inhalation toxicity data in humans [Sayers and Yant 1929; Watrous 1947] and animals [Back et al. 1972; Sayers and Yant 1937]. This may be a conservative value due to the lack of relevant acute toxicity data for workers exposed to concentrations between 1,500 and 6,500 ppm. |
REFERENCES:
1. ACGIH [1971]. Ethyl bromide. In: Documentation of the threshold limit values for substances in workroom air. 3rd ed. Cincinnati, OH: American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, p. 105.
2. Bachem C [1927]. Contribution to the toxicology of the alkyl halides. Arch Exp Pathol Pharmakol 122:73-76 (translated).
3. Back KC, Thomas AA, MacEwen JD [1972]. Reclassification of materials listed as transportation health hazards. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH: 6570th Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory, Report No. TSA-20-72-3, pp. A-340 to A-341.
4. NTP [1988]. Technical report on the toxicology and carcinogenesis studies of bromoethane. Research Triangle Park, NC: National Toxicology Program, NTP/NIH Publication No. 89-2818.
5. Sayers R, Yant WP [1929]. Physiological response attending exposure to vapors of methyl bromide, methyl chloride, ethyl bromide, and ethyl chloride. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, Treasury Department, US Public Health Service, Public Health Bulletin 185:1-56.
6. von Oettingen WF [1937]. The halogenated hydrocarbons: their toxicity and potential dangers. J Ind Hyg Toxicol 19(8):349-448.
7. Watrous R [1947]. Health hazards of the pharmaceutical industry. Br J Ind Med 4:111-125.