<< Back to Chemical Sampling Information

Chemical Sampling Information (CSI)
Search (use word(s)/phrase)
Table of Contents
By Name
A B C D E F G H I J K L M
N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

By CAS Number
Quick Links
General Description

Synonyms: Includes Copper Acetoarsenite and all inorganic compounds such as Lead Arsenate containing arsenic except arsine, measured as (As)

OSHA IMIS Code Number: 0260

Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) Registry Number: 7440-38-2; 3687-31-8 (lead arsenate); 12002-03-8 (copper acetoarsenite)

NIOSH Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances (RTECS) Identification Number: CG0525000

Department of Transportation Regulation Number (49 CFR 172.101) and Guide: 1558 152 (metal); 1562 152 (dust)

NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards, Arsenic (Inorganic compounds, as As): chemical description, physical properties, potentially hazardous incompatibilities, and more
Exposure Limits

OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL):
General Industry: Cancer Hazard 29 CFR 1910.1018 -- 0.01 mg/m3 TWA; 0.005 mg/m3 Action Level; NOTE: This section applies to all occupational exposures to inorganic arsenic except employee exposures in agriculture or resulting from pesticide application, the treatment of wood with preservatives or the utilization of arsenically preserved wood.

Construction Industry: 29 CFR 1926.1118 requirements identical to 1910.1018.

Maritime: 29 CFR 1915.1018 requirements identical to 1910.1018.
American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Value (TLV): 0.01 mg/m3 TWA; Appendix A1 - Confirmed Human Carcinogen; BEI

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Recommended Exposure Limit (REL): 0.002 mg/m3 Ceiling (15 Minutes); Appendix A - NIOSH Potential Occupational Carcinogens

Health Factors

Carcinogenic Classification:
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC): Group 1, carcinogenic to humans (Arsenic in drinking-water) [58 KB PDF, 19 pages] and Arsenic and Arsenic Compounds [523 KB PDF, 7 pages] and Arsenic and Arsenic Compounds [28 KB PDF, 5 pages]

National Toxicology Program (NTP): Known to be a human carcinogen [108 KB PDF, 4 pages]
NIOSH Immediately Dangerous To Life or Health Concentration (IDLH): 5 mg As/m3

Potential Symptoms: Ulceration of nasal septum; dermatitis; gastrointestinal disturbances; peripheral neuropathy; respiratory irritation, hemolytic anemia, cardiovascular instability (prolonged Q-T interval on EKG; arrhythmias); increased capillary permeability (hematemesis, hematuria; bloody stools); facial and peripheral edema; acute encephalopathy; metallic taste, garlicky breath odor; stomatitis; conjunctivitis; leukopenia, pancytopenia; fatigue, anorexia with weight loss (oral); Mees' lines of the nails; hair loss; hyperpigmentation and hyperkeratosis of skin.

Health Effects: Carcinogen (HE1); Cumulative systemic poison, cardiovascular disease, Raynaud's phenomena (HE3); gastrointestinal effects, hematologic effects (HE12), dermatitis (HE14), ocular effects, neurological effects (HE7), genotoxic effects (HE2); Bowen's disease (HE2); INGES ACUTE: Depends on salt, LDLO (man) 1.4 mg/kg Arsenic Trioxide.

Affected Organs: Liver, kidney, skin, lungs, lymphatic system; blood, CNS, eyes, gastrointestinal tract.

Notes:
  1. Trise (arsenic trioxide) is an FDA approved medication for the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia.
Date Last Revised: 08/17/2001

Literature Basis:
  • (cardiovascular instability, Mees' lines, metallic taste, garlicky breath odor)
    Ford, M.D.: Arsenic. In: Goldfrank's Toxicology Emergencies, 6th Ed., Goldfrank, L.R., Flomenbaum, N.E., Lewin, N.A., Weisman, R.S., Howland, M.A., Hoffman, R.S., eds. Connecticut: Appleton & Lange, pp. 1261-1273, 1998.
  • (ACUTE INGES: difficulty in swallowing)
    Furst, A., Radding, S.B., and Wurzel, K.A.: Arsenic (As). In: Encyclopedia of Toxicology, Vol. 1, Wexler, P. ed. New York: Acedemic Press, pp. 80-82, 1998.
  • (weakness, loss of appetite)
    Sitting, M.: Arsenic and inorganic arsenic compounds. Handbook of Toxic and Hazardous Chemical and Carcinogens, 3rd Ed., Vol. 1, pp.,157-161, 1991.
  • (Raynaud's phenomena, genotoxic)
    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Services, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological profile for arsenic, pp. 15-132, September 2000.
  • (Bowen's disease)
    Col, M., Col, C., Soran, A., Sayli, B.S., Ozturk, S.: Arsenic-related Bowen's disease, palmar keratosis, and skin cancer. Environmental Health perspectives. 107 (8): 687-689, 1999.
  • (treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia)
    Cohen, M.H., Hirschfeld, S., Flamm Honig, S., et al.: Drug approval summaries: arsenic trioxide, tamoxifen citrate, anastrazole, paclitaxel, bexarotene. Oncologist 6(1): 4-11, 2001.
Monitoring Methods used by OSHA

Laboratory Sampling/Analytical Method:
  • sampling media: Mixed Cellulose Ester Filter (MCEF) 0.8 microns
    maximum volume: 960 Liters
    minimum volume: 480 Liters
    maximum flow rate: 2.0 L/min
    current analytical method: Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy; AAS/GF
    method reference: OSHA Manual of Analytical Methods (OSHA ID-105)
    method classification: Fully Validated
    note: If the filter is not overloaded, samples may be collected up to an 8-hour period.
    For volatile arsenic compounds, sample with a MCEF 0.8 microns filter followed by a sodium carbonate treated backup pad.
    Arsenic and/or any of the following metals may be analyzed from the same full-shift sample: lead, cadmium, iron, zinc, and copper.
    alternate analytical method: Inductively Coupled Plasma; ICP-MS
    method reference: OSHA Manual of Analytical Methods (OSHA 1006)
    method classification: Fully Validated

    If arsine is suspected to also be present, sample with a MCEF and a sodium carbonate treated backup pad followed by and in series with a large charcoal tube containing 400 mg (front) and 200 mg (backup) sections of activated coconut shell charcoal. This sampling train is described in Section 5.1.2. of OSHA ID-105. The minimum air volume is 120 L and the sampling rate is 0.5 L/min with this sampling train.
Wipe Sampling Method:
  • sampling media: Whatman Smear Tab Filter
    analytical solvent: Distilled water
** All Trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Page last updated: 12/09/2009

Accessibility Assistance: Contact the OSHA Directorate of Technical Support and Emergency Management at (202) 693-2300 for assistance accessing PDF materials.