Mercury compounds [except (organo) alkyls] (as Hg)

IDLH Documentation
CAS number: 7439­97­6 (Metal)

NIOSH REL: Hg Vapor: 0.05 mg/m3 TWA [skin];

Other: 0.1 mg/m3 CEILING [skin]

Current OSHA PEL: 0.1 mg/m3 CEILING

1989 OSHA PEL: Hg Vapor: 0.05 mg/m3 CEILING [skin];

Other non­alkyl compounds: 0.1 mg/m3 CEILING [skin]

1993­1994 ACGIH TLV: Hg Vapor: 0.05 mg/m3 TWA [skin];

Aryl & inorganic compounds: 0.1 mg/m3 TWA [skin]

Description of substance: Varies

Original (SCP) IDLH: 28 mg Hg/m3

Basis for original (SCP) IDLH: The chosen IDLH is based on the statement by Patty [1963] and AIHA [1966] that "severe damage has been produced in the kidneys, liver, brain, heart, lungs, and colon of rabbits exposed for a single 4­hour period to mercury vapor at an average concentration of 28.8 mg/m3; mild damage to most of these organs occurred from 1 hour of exposure [Ashe et al. 1953]."

Existing short­term exposure guidelines: National Research Council [NRC 1984] Emergency Exposure Guidance Levels (EEGLs):

24­hour EEGL: 0.2 mg/m3

ACUTE TOXICITY DATA:

Lethal concentration data:

Species
Reference
LC50
LCLo
Time
Adjusted 0.5-hr

LC (CF)
Derived value
Hg Rabbit
Ashe et al. 1953
-----
29 mg/m3
30 hr
113 mg Hg/m3 (3.91)
11 mg Hg/m3

Lethal dose data:

Species
Reference
Route
LD50

(mg/kg)
LDLo

(mg/kg)
Adjusted LD
Derived value
Hg2Cl2

Rat

Worthing 1991
oral
210
-----
1,250 mg Hg/m3
125 mg Hg/m3
HgCl2H2N

Rat

 Trakhtenberg et al. 1981
oral
86
-----
482 mg Hg/m3
48 mg Hg/m3
HgCl2H2N

Mouse

 Trakhtenberg et al. 1981
oral
68
-----
381 mg Hg/m3
38 mg Hg/m3

Other animal data: Severe damage has been produced in the kidneys, lungs, and colon of rabbits exposed for a single 4­hour period to mercury vapor at an average of 28.8 mg/m3; mild damage to most of the organs occurred after 1 hour of exposure [Ashe et al. 1953].

Human data: None relevant for use in determining the revised IDLH.

Revised IDLH: 10 mg Hg/m3

Basis for revised IDLH: The revised IDLH for mercury compounds [except mercury (organo) alkyls] is 10 mg Hg/m3 based on acute inhalation toxicity data in animals [Ashe et al. 1953].

REFERENCES:

1. AIHA [1966]. Mercury and its inorganic compounds (revised 1966). In: Hygienic guide series. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J 27:310­313.

2. Ashe WF, Largent EJ, Dutra FR, Hubbard DM, Blackstone M [1953]. Behavior of mercury in the animal organism following inhalation. AMA Arch Ind Hyg Occup Med 7:23­24.

3. NRC [1984]. Emergency and continuous exposure limits for selected airborne contaminants. Vol. 1. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, Committee on Toxicology, Board on Toxicology and Environmental Health Hazards, Commission on Life Sciences, National Research Council, pp. 89­94.

4. Patty FA, ed. [1963]. Industrial hygiene and toxicology. 2nd rev. ed. Vol. II. Toxicology. New York, NY: Interscience Publishers, Inc., p. 1094.

5. Trakhtenberg EM, Kozshun NN, et al. [1981]. New data on toxicity of inorganic compounds of mercury. Gig Tr Prof Zabol 25(7):27­30 (in Russian).

6. Worthing CR, ed. [1991]. Mercurous chloride. In: The pesticide manual. A world compendium. 9th ed. Farnham, Surrey, United Kingdom: The British Crop Protection Council, p. 552. Go back to the Documentation for Immediately Dangerous To Life or Health Concentrations (IDLHs)