Phenyl glycidyl ether

CAS number: 122–60–1

NIOSH REL: 1 ppm (6 mg/m³) 15-minute CEILING; NIOSH considers phenyl glycidyl ether to be a potential occupational carcinogen as defined by the OSHA carcinogen policy [29 CFR 1990].

Current OSHA PEL: 10 ppm (60 mg/m³) TWA

1989 OSHA PEL: 1 ppm (6 mg/m³) TWA

1993-1994 ACGIH TLV: 1 ppm (6.1 mg/m³) TWA

Description of substance: Colorless liquid.

LEL :. . Unknown

Original (SCP) IDLH*: Unknown [*Note: "Effective" IDLH = 500 ppm -- see discussion below.]

Basis for original (SCP) IDLH: ACGIH [1971] reported that 10 rats exposed to 100 ppm phenyl glycidyl ether 7 hours/day for 50 days exhibited no immediately obvious signs of toxicity, and no deaths occurred [Hine et al. 1956]. The IDLH is unknown, but for this draft technical standard, 50 ´ the OSHA PEL of 10 ppm (i.e., 500 ppm) has been chosen as the concentration above which only the "most protective" respirators are permitted. Because of the high boiling point and low vapor pressure of phenyl glycidyl ether, high concentrations are not likely to be encountered in the industrial environment.

Short-term 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
Rat	Hine et al. 1956	>100	-----	8 hr	>250 ppm (2.5)	>25 ppm
Mouse	Hine et al. 1956	>100	-----	4 hr	>200 ppm (2.0)	>20 ppm
Rat	Smyth et al. 1954	>323	-----	?	?	?

Lethal dose data:

Species	Reference	Route	LD50 (mg/kg)	LDLo (mg/kg)	Adjusted LD	Derived value
Rat	Hine et al. 1956	oral	3,350	-----	4,319 ppm	432 ppm
Mouse	Hine et al. 1956	oral	1,400	-----	1,571 ppm	157 ppm
Mammal	Smyth et al. 1954	oral	4,260	-----	4,779 ppm	478 ppm

Other animal data: In an chronic study, rats exposed to 100 ppm for 7 hours/day for 50 days exhibited no immediately obvious signs of toxicity, and no deaths occurred [Hine et al. 1956].

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

Revised IDLH: 100 ppm Basis for revised IDLH: The revised IDLH for phenyl glycidyl ether is 100 ppm based on chronic inhalation toxicity data in animals [Hine et al. 1956]. This may be a conservative value due to the lack of relevant acute inhalation toxicity data for workers. [Note: NIOSH recommends as part of its carcinogen policy that the "most protective" respirators be worn for phenyl glycidyl ether at concentrations above 1 ppm.]

REFERENCES:

1. ACGIH [1971]. Phenyl glycidyl ether (PGE). In: Documentation of the threshold limit values for substances in workroom air. 3rd ed. Cincinnati, OH: American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, pp. 206-207.

2. Hine CH, Kodama JK, Wellington JS, Dunlap MK, Anderson HH [1956]. The toxicology of glycidol and some glycidyl ethers. AMA Arch Ind Health 14:250-264.

3. Smyth HF Jr, Carpenter CP, Weil CP, Pozzani UC [1954]. Range-finding toxicity data: list V. AMA Arch Ind Hyg Occup Med 10:61-68.