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Chemical Sampling Information (CSI)
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General Description

Synonyms: Methylcyanide; ACN

OSHA IMIS Code Number: 0060

Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) Registry Number: 75-05-8

NIOSH Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances (RTECS) Identification Number: AL7700000

Department of Transportation Regulation Number (49 CFR 172.101) and Guide: 1648 127

NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards, Acetonitrile: chemical description, physical properties, potentially hazardous incompatibilities, and more.

Exposure Limits

OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL):

General Industry: 29 CFR 1910.1000 Z-1 Table -- 40 ppm, 70 mg/m3 TWA

Construction Industry: 29 CFR 1926.55 Appendix A -- 40 ppm, 70 mg/m3 TWA

Maritime: 29 CFR 1915.1000 Table Z-Shipyards -- 40 ppm, 70 mg/m3 TWA

American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Value (TLV): 20 ppm, 34 mg/m3 TWA; Skin; Appendix A4 - Not Classifiable as a Human Carcinogen

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Recommended Exposure Limit (REL): 20 ppm, 34 mg/m3 TWA

Health Factors

NIOSH Immediately Dangerous To Life or Health Concentration (IDLH): 500 ppm

Potential Symptoms: Nausea, vomiting; headache; hypersalivation; chest pain or tightness; profuse sweating; abdominal pain and hematemesis; weakness, stupor; respiratory depression, metabolic acidosis; convulsions; tachycardia, shock; eye irritation

Health Effects: Irritation-Eye, Nose, Throat---Mild (HE16); Acute Toxicity---Cyanosis, cardiac, respiratory arrest (HE4). INGES ACUTE: TDLO (human) 570 mg / kg

Affected organs: Kidneys, liver, CVS, CNS, lung, skin, eyes

Notes: Metabolized by liver to cyanide

Date Last Revised: 11/02/2001

Literature Basis:

  • (profuse sweating, hypersalivation, cardiac and respiratory arrest)
    Cohrssen, B. Cyanides and nitriles. In Patty's Toxicology, 5th Ed., Vol. 4, Bingham, E., Cohrssen, B., Powell, C.H., eds., New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., pp. 1406-1410, 2001.
  • (headache, respiratory depression, metabolic acidosis, death)
    Robles, H. Acetonitrile. In Encyclopedia of Toxicology, Vol. 1, Wexler, P., ed. New York: Academic Press, pp. 16-17, 1998.
  • (abdominal pain, hematemesis)
    Sitting, M. Acetonitrile. Handbook of Toxic and Hazardous Chemicals and Carcinogens, Vol. 1, pp. 28-30, 1991.
Monitoring Methods used by OSHA

Laboratory Sampling/Analytical Method:

  • sampling media: Charcoal Tube (400/200 mg sections)
    analytical solvent: Benzene
    alternate solvent: Acetone
    alternate solvent: (99:1) Carbon Disulfide:Dimethylformamide
    maximum volume: 25 Liters
    maximum flow rate:     0.2 L/min TWA
    maximum volume: 3 Liters
    maximum flow rate:     0.2 L/min STEL
    current analytical method: Gas Chromatography; GC/FID
    method reference: NIOSH Analytical Method (NIOSH 1606 [22 KB PDF, 3 pages])
    method classification: Fully Validated

Wipe Sampling: No.

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