Acrylonitrile

CAS number . . . . . . . . . . . 107-13-1
NIOSH REL. . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ppm TWA, 10 ppm 15-minute CEILING [skin];
                                 NIOSH considers acrylonitrile to be a
                                 potential occupational carcinogen as defined
                                 by the OSHA carcinogen policy [29 CFR 1990].
Current OSHA PEL . . . . . . . . 2 ppm TWA, 10 ppm 15-minute CEILING [skin]
1989 OSHA PEL. . . . . . . . . . Same as current PEL
1993-1994 ACGIH TLV. . . . . . . 2 ppm (4.3 mg/m3) TWA [skin], A2
Description of substance . . . . Colorless to pale-yellow liquid with an
                                 unpleasant odor.
LEL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.0% (10% LEL, 3,000 ppm)
Original (SCP) IDLH. . . . . . . 500 ppm
Basis for original (SCP) IDLH. . The chosen IDLH is based on the statement by
                                 Spector [1956] about a rat 4-hour LC50 of 500
                                 ppm [Carpenter et al. 1949].  
Short-term exposure guidelines . None developed

ACUTE TOXICITY DATA

Lethal concentration data:

                                                        Adjusted            
                                 LC50   LCLo             0.5-hr        Derived
Species        Reference        (ppm)  (ppm)  Time       LC (CF)        Value
______________________________________________________________________________
Rat      Carpenter et al. 1949    500  -----  4 hr  3,635 ppm (7.27)   364 ppm
Rabbit   Dudley and Neal 1942   -----    260  4 hr  1,890 ppm (7.27)   189 ppm
G. pig   Dudley and Neal 1942   -----    575  4 hr  4,180 ppm (7.27)   418 ppm
Mouse    Dudley and Neal 1942     313  -----  4 hr  2,276 ppm (7.27)   228 ppm
Rat      Jaeger et al. 1974       425  -----  4 hr  3,090 ppm (7.27)   309 ppm
Rat      Patty 1963             -----    636  4 hr  4,624 ppm (7.27)   462 ppm
Human    Schwanecke 1966        -----    452  1 hr    850 ppm (1.88)    85 ppm

                              
                                  
*Note:  Conversion factor (CF) was determined with "n" = 1.1 [ten Berge et al.
        1986].
                                  
Other human data . . . . . . . . None relevant for use in determining the
                                 revised IDLH.

Revised IDLH: 85 ppm
Basis for revised IDLH: The revised IDLH for acrylonitrile is 85 ppm based on acute inhalation toxicity data in humans [Schwanecke 1966]. [Note: NIOSH recommends as part of its carcinogen policy that the "most protective" respirators be worn for acrylonitrile at concentrations above 1 ppm. OSHA currently requires in 29 CFR 1919.1045 that workers be provided with and required to wear and use the "most protective" respirators in concentrations exceeding 4,000 ppm (i.e., 2,000 x the PEL).]

REFERENCES:

1. Carpenter CP, Smyth HF Jr, Pozzani UC [1949]. The assay of acute toxicity, and the grading and interpretation of results of 96 chemical compounds. J Ind Hyg Toxicol 31(6):344.
2. Dudley HC, Neal PA [1942]. Toxicology of acrylonitrile (vinyl cyanide). A study of the acute toxicity. J Ind Hyg Toxicol 24(2):27-36.
3. Jaeger RJ, Conolly RB, Murphy SD [1974]. Toxicity and biochemical changes in rats after inhalation exposure to 1.1-dichloroethylene, bromobenzene, styrene, acrylonitrile or 2-chlorobutadiene. (Abstract for Thirteenth Annual Meeting of the Society of Toxicology, Washington, DC, March 10-14, 1974.) Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 29:81.
4. Patty FA, ed. [1963]. Industrial hygiene and toxicology. 2nd rev. ed. Vol. II. Toxicology. New York, NY: Interscience Publishers, Inc., pp. 2009-2011.
5. Schwanecke R [1966]. Safety hazards in the handling of acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile. Zentralbl Arbeitsmed Arbeitsschutz 16(1):1-3 (in German).
6. Spector WS, ed. [1956]. Handbook of toxicology. Vol. I. Acute toxicities of solids, liquids and gases to laboratory animals. Philadelphia, PA: W.B. Saunders Company, pp. 322-323.
7. ten Berge WF, Zwart A, Appelman LM [1986]. Concentration-time mortality response relationship of irritant and systematically acting vapours and gases. J Haz Mat 13:301-309.