List of highly toxic gases
Many gases have toxic properties, which are often assessed using the LC50 (median lethal dose) measure. In the United States, many of these gases have been assigned an NFPA 704 health rating of 4 (may be fatal) or 3 (may cause serious or permanent injury), and/or exposure limits (TLV, TWA or STEL) determined by the ACGIH professional association. Some, but by no means all, toxic gases are detectable by odor, which can serve as a warning. Among the best known toxic gases are carbon monoxide, chlorine, nitrogen dioxide and phosgene.
Definition
- Toxic: it is a chemical that has a median lethal concentration (LC50) in air of more than 200 parts per million (ppm) but not more than 2,000 parts per million by volume of gas or vapor, or more than 2 milligrams per liter but not more than 20 milligrams per liter of mist, fume or dust, when administered by continuous inhalation for 1 hour (or less if death occurs within 1 hour) to albino rats weighing between 200 and 300 grams each.[1]
- NFPA 704: Materials that, under emergency conditions, can cause serious or permanent injury are given a Health Hazard rating of 3. Their acute inhalation toxicity corresponds to those vapors or gases having LC50 values greater than 1,000 ppm but less than or equal to 3,000 ppm. Materials that, under emergency conditions, can be lethal are given a Health Hazard rating of 4. Their acute inhalation toxicity corresponds to those vapors or gases having LC50 values less than or equal to 1,000 ppm.
List
| Chemical name | Chemical formula | CAS number | NIOSH IDLH in ppm | LC50 Model | LC50 toxicity in ppm[note 1][2] | Odor warning property | NFPA 704 Health Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenic pentafluoride | AsF5 | 7784-36-3 | Rat | 20 | inadequate | 4 | |
| Arsine | AsH3 | 7784-42-1 | 3 | Rat | 20; ACGIH (2006) TWA-TLV 0.005ppm | 4 | |
| Bis(trifluoromethyl)peroxide | C2F6O2 | 927-84-4 | 10 | Rat | |||
| Boron tribromide | BBr3 | 10294-33-4 | 50 | Rat | 380; ACGIH (1990) Ceiling limit 1ppm | 3 | |
| Boron trichloride | BCl3 | 10294-34-5 | 25 | Rat | 2541 | 4 | |
| Boron trifluoride | BF3 | 7637-07-2 | 25 | OSHA, ACGIH (1962) 1ppm ceiling | 4 | ||
| Bromine | Br2 | 7726-95-6 | 3 | ACGIH (1991) STEL-TLV 0.2ppm | 3 | ||
| Bromine chloride | BrCl | 13863-41-7 | cat | 290 | |||
| Bromomethane | CH3Br | 74-83-9 | Rat | 811.14 | 3 | ||
| Carbon monoxide | CO | 630-08-0 | 1,200 (moderately toxic) | ACGIH (1989) TWA TLV 25ppm; NIOSH 35ppm; NIOSH 200ppm Ceiling limit | 3 | ||
| Chlorine | Cl2 | 7782-50-5 | 10 | ACGIH (1986) STEL-TLV 1ppm | Odor threshold 1ppm | 3 | |
| Chlorine pentafluoride | ClF5 | 13637-63-3 | |||||
| Chlorine trifluoride | ClF3 | 7790-91-2 | ACGIH (1979) Ceiling limit 0.1ppm | inadequate | 4 | ||
| Chloropicrin | CCl3NO2 | 76-06-2 | ACGIH (1990) TWA-TLV 0.1ppm | ||||
| Cyanogen | C2N2 | 460-19-5 | Rat | 350; ACGIH (1966) TWA-TLV 10ppm | inadequate | 4 | |
| Cyanogen chloride | CNCl | 506-77-4 | Rat | 1.2 mg/l/h; ACGIH (1977) ceiling limit 0.3ppm | inadequate | 4 | |
| Diazomethane | CH2N2 | 334-88-3 | 2 | ACGIH (1970) TWA-TLV 0.2ppm | |||
| Diborane | B2H6 | 19287-45-7 | Rat | 80; ACGIH (1990) TWA-TLV 0.1ppm | inadequate | 4 | |
| Dichloroacetylene | C2Cl2 | 7572-29-4 | Mouse | 45.6 | |||
| Dichlorosilane | H2Cl2Si | 4109-96-0 | Rat | 314 | 4 | ||
| Ethylene oxide | C2H4O | 75-21-8 | Rat | 800 | 3 | ||
| Fluorine | F2 | 7782-41-4 | Rat | 185; ACGIH (1970) STEL-TLV 2ppm | odor threshold 20ppb | 4 | |
| Formaldehyde (anhydrous) | CH2O | 50-00-0 | Rat | 0.66; ACGIH (1987) Ceiling limit 0.3ppm | 3 | ||
| Germane | GeH4 | 7782-65-2 | Rat | 622 | inadequate | 4 | |
| Hexaethyl tetraphosphate | (C2H5O)6P4O7 | ||||||
| Hydrogen azide | HN3 | 7782-79-8 | |||||
| Hydrogen cyanide | HCN | 74-90-8 | Rat | 40; ACGIH (1991) ceiling limit 4.7ppm | inadequate | 4 | |
| Hydrogen selenide | H2Se | 7783-07-5 | 1 | Rat | 2; ACGIH (1990) TWA-TLV 0.05ppm | inadequate | 4 |
| Hydrogen sulfide | H2S | 7783-06-4 | 100 | Rat | 712; ACGIH (1990) STEL-TLV 15ppm | 4 | |
| Hydrogen telluride | H2Te | 7783-09-7 | |||||
| Nickel tetracarbonyl | Ni(CO)4 | 13463-39-3 | ACGIH (1980) TWA-TLV 0.05ppm | inadequate | 4 | ||
| Nitrogen dioxide | NO2 | 10102-44-0 | odor threshold 4 ppm | ||||
| Osmium tetroxide | OsO4 | 20816-12-0 | Rat | ||||
| Oxygen difluoride | OF2 | 7783-41-7 | Rat | 2.6; ACGIH (1983) ceiling limit 0.05ppm | |||
| Perchloryl fluoride | ClFO3 | 7616-94-6 | Rat | 770; ACGIH (1962) STEL-TLV 6ppm | |||
| Perfluoroisobutylene | C4F8 | 382-21-8 | Rat | 1.2 | |||
| Phosgene | CCl2O | 75-44-5 | Rat | 5; ACGIH (1992) TWA-TLV 0.1ppm | inadequate | 4 | |
| Phosphine | PH3 | 7803-51-2 | 50 | NIOSH 0.3ppm time weighted average; ACGIH (1992) STEL-TLV 1ppm | inadequate | 4 | |
| Phosphorus pentafluoride | PF5 | 7647-19-0 | Rat | 260 | |||
| Selenium hexafluoride | SeF6 | 7783-79-1 | 2 | Rat | 50; ACGIH (1992) TWA-TLV 0.05ppm | ||
| Silicon tetrachloride | SiCl4 | 10026-04-7 | Rat | 750 | |||
| Silicon tetrafluoride | SiF4 | 7783-61-1 | Rat | 450 | |||
| Stibine | H3Sb | 7803-52-3 | 5 | Rat | 20 | 4 | |
| Disulfur decafluoride | S2F10 | 5714-22-7 | 1 | ACGIH (1962) ceiling limit 0.01ppm | 4 | ||
| Sulfur tetrafluoride | SF4 | 7783-60-0 | Rat | 40; ACGIH (1992) ceiling limit 0.1ppm | 3 | ||
| Tellurium hexafluoride | TeF6 | 7783-80-4 | Rat | 25; ACGIH (1992) TWA-TLV 0.02ppm | |||
| Tetraethyl pyrophosphate | C8H20O7P2 | ACGIH (2006) TWA-TLV 0.01 mg/cubic meter | |||||
| Tetraethyl dithiopyrophosphate | C8H20O5P2S2 | ||||||
| Trifluoroacetyl chloride | C2ClF3O | 354-32-5 | Rat | 1000 | |||
| Tungsten hexafluoride | WF6 | 7783-82-6 | Rat | 217 | inadequate |
Notes
- Unless noted as occupational exposure limits. ACGIH Threshold Limit Values are listed with documentation date.
References
- "California Fire Code California Code of Regulations,Title 24, Part 9, Chapter 2 - Definitions" (PDF).
- ACGIH Threshold Limit Values for Chemical Substances and Physical Agents, 2009, ISBN 978-1-882417-95-7.
Sources
- Principles for the Safe Handling and Distribution of Highly Toxic Gases and Mixtures Asia Industrial Gases Association, 2006
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