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

  1. Unless noted as occupational exposure limits. ACGIH Threshold Limit Values are listed with documentation date.

See also

References

  1. "California Fire Code California Code of Regulations,Title 24, Part 9, Chapter 2 - Definitions" (PDF).
  2. ACGIH Threshold Limit Values for Chemical Substances and Physical Agents, 2009, ISBN 978-1-882417-95-7.

Sources

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