Isoamyl alcohol (primary & secondary)

IDLH Documentation
CAS number: 123­51­3 (primary), 528­75­4 (secondary)

NIOSH REL: 100 ppm (360 mg/m3) TWA, 125 ppm (450 mg/m3) STEL

Current OSHA PEL: 100 ppm (360 mg/m3) TWA

1989 OSHA PEL: 100 ppm (360 mg/m3) TWA, 125 ppm (450 mg/m3) STEL

1993­1994 ACGIH TLV: 100 ppm (361 mg/m3) TWA, 125 ppm (452 mg/m3) STEL

Description of substance: Colorless liquids with a disagreeable odor.

LEL(primary): 1.2% (10% LEL, 1,200 ppm)

LEL (secondary): Unknown

Original (SCP) IDLH: 10,000 ppm [LEL]

Basis for original (SCP) IDLH: The chosen IDLH is based on the lower explosive limit (LEL) of 12,000 ppm and the statement in Patty [1963] attributed to Smyth [1956] that rats survived 8,000 ppm.

Short­term exposure guidelines: None developed

ACUTE TOXICITY DATA:

Lethal dose data:

Species
Reference
Route
LD50

(mg/kg)

LDLo

(mg/kg)
Adjusted LD
Derived value
Rabbit

Rat

Munch 1972

Purchase 1969

oral

oral
3,438

1,300
-----

-----
6,557 ppm

2,480 ppm

656 ppm

248 ppm

Other animal data: RD50 (mouse), 4,452 ppm [Alarie 1981].

Human data: An oral dose of 24.3 grams has been lethal for adults [Gosselin et al. 1984]. [Note: An oral dose of 24.3 grams is equivalent to a worker being exposed to 4,000 ppm for 30 minutes, assuming a breathing rate of 50 liters per minute and 100% absorption.]

Revised IDLH: 500 ppm

Basis for revised IDLH: No inhalation toxicity data are available on which to base an IDLH for isoamyl alcohol. Therefore, the revised IDLH for isoamyl alcohol (primary & secondary) is 500 ppm based on acute oral toxicity data in humans [Gosselin et al. 1984] and animals [Munch 1972]. This may be a conservative value due to the lack of relevant acute inhalation toxicity data for workers.

REFERENCES:

1. Alarie Y [1981]. Dose­response analysis in animal studies: prediction of human responses. Environ Health Perspect 42:9­13.

2. Gosselin RE, Smith RP, Hodge HC [1984]. Clinical toxicology of commercial products. 5th ed. Section II. Ingredients Index. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins Company, p. 175.

3. Munch JC [1972]. Aliphatic alcohols and alkyl esters: narcotic and lethal potencies to tadpoles and to rabbits. Ind Med Surg 41:31­33.

4. Patty FA, ed. [1963]. Industrial hygiene and toxicology. 2nd rev. ed. Vol. II. Toxicology. New York, NY: Interscience Publishers, Inc., p. 1454.

5. Purchase IFH [1969]. Studies in kaffircorn malting and brewing. XXII. The acute toxicity of some fusel oils found in Bantu beer. S Afr Med J 43:795­798.

6. Smyth HF Jr [1956]. Improved communication: hygienic standards for daily inhalation. Am Ind Hyg Assoc Q 17(2):129­185.

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