Tetrahydrofuran

IDLH Documentation
CAS number: 109­99­9

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

1993­1994 ACGIH TLV: 200 ppm (590 mg/m3) TWA, 250 ppm (737 mg/m3) STEL

Description of substance: Colorless liquid with an ether­like 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.

Short­term exposure guidelines: None developed

ACUTE TOXICITY DATA:

Lethal concentration data:

Species
Reference
LC50

(ppm)
LCLo

(ppm)
Time
Adjusted 0.5-hr

LC (CF)
Derived value
RatHoriguchi 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

Mouse

G. pig

GAF 1991

Pozdnyakov 1967

Pozdnyakov 1967

oral

oral

oral
1,650

2,300

2,300
-----

-----

-----
3,850 ppm

5,367 ppm

5,367 ppm
385 ppm

537 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 20:250­251.

2. GAF [1991]. Material safety data sheet: Agrisynth THF. Wayne, NJ: GAF Chemicals Corporation, pp. 1­3.

3. Hofmann G, Oettel H [1954]. Zur frage der toxizitat von tetrahydrofuran. Arch Exp Pathol Pharmakol 222:233­235 (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) 20:141­157.

5. Pozdnyakov AG [1967]. Materials on hygienic reglamentation of tetrahydrofuryl (THF) alcohol in water bodies. Gig Sanit 32(2):99­101 (in Russian).

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