Chemical Sampling Information
	Butyl mercaptan
Quick Links General Description Exposure Limits Health Factors Monitoring 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 General Description Synonyms: Butanethiol; 1-Butanethiol; n-Butanethiol; n-Butyl Mercaptan; 1-Mercaptobutane OSHA IMIS Code Number: 0480 Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) Registry Number: 109-79-5 NIOSH, Registry of Toxic Effects (RTECS) Identification Number: EK6300000 Department of Transportation Regulation Number (49 CFR 172.101) and Guide: 2347 130 [27 KB PDF] NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards, n-Butyl mercaptan: chemical description, physical properties, potentially hazardous incompatibilities, and more Exposure Limits OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for General Industry: 29 CFR 1910.1000 Z-1 Table -- 10 ppm, 35 mg/m3 TWA OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for Construction Industry: 29 CFR 1926.55 Appendix A -- 0.5 ppm, 1.5 mg/m3 TWA OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for Maritime: 29 CFR 1915.1000 Table Z-Shipyards -- 0.5 ppm, 1.5 mg/m3 TWA American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Value (TLV): 0.5 ppm, 1.8 mg/m3 TWA (TLV listed under n-Butyl mercaptan) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Recommended Exposure Limit (REL): 0.5 ppm, 1.8 mg/m3 Ceiling (15 Minutes) Health Factors NIOSH Immediately Dangerous To Life or Health Concentration (IDLH): 500 ppm Potential symptoms: Irritation of eyes, skin; cough, shortness of breath; dizziness, drowsiness; muscle weakness, malaise, sweating, nausea, vomiting, headache, confusion; skin rash; in animals: narcosis, incoordination, weakness, cyanosis; pulmonary irritation; liver, kidney damage Health Effects: Irritation – Eye, Nose, Throat---Mild (HE16); Offensive Odor (HE20) Affected organs: Eyes, skin, respiratory system, CNS, liver, kidneys Notes: Butyl mercaptan is a contaminant and degradation product of the restricted use cotton defoliants, DEF (tributyl phosphorotrithioate) and Folex (tributyl phosphorotrithioite, and it is described as having a potent skunk-like odor with a detection threshold as low as 0.0001 ppm. Butyl mercaptan is a flavoring agent (Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association number 3478; Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives number 511) which, at a concentration of 1 ppm in the flavor medium, has a taste described as “sulfureous, vegetative, savory meaty, garlic and onion.” Date Last Revised: 11/07/2006 Literature Basis: NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards: n-Butyl mercaptan. International Chemical Safety Cards (WHO/IPCS/ILO): n-Butyl mercaptan. No authors listed: Butyl mercaptan. The Good Scents Company Ames, R.G. and Gregson, J.: Mortality following cotton defoliation: San Juaquin Valley, California, 1970-1990. J. Occup. Environ. Med. 37(7): 812-819, 1995. Pohanish, R.P. (editor): Butyl Mercaptan. In, Sittig’s Handbook of Toxic and Hazardous Chemicals and Carcinogens, Fourth Ed., Vol. 1. Norwich, NY: Noyes Publications, William Andrew Publishing, 2002, pp. 418-419. Monitoring Methods used by OSHA Laboratory Sampling/Analytical Method: sampling media: Chromosorb 104 Tube (150/75 mg sections) analytical solvent: Acetone maximum volume: 4 Liters   maximum flow rate: 0.05 L/min current analytical method: Gas Chromatography; GC/FPD method reference: NIOSH Analytical Method (NIOSH 2525) [25 KB, PDF] method classification: Fully Validated sampling media: Coated Glass Fiber Filter (37 mm Gelman Type A) Coating is Mercuric Acetate analytical solvent: (20 mL:5 mL) 25% Aqueous HCl:Methylene Chloride maximum volume: 20 Liters maximum flow rate: 0.2 L/min (TWA or Ceiling) current analytical method: Gas Chromatography; GC/FPD method reference: NIOSH Analytical Method (NIOSH 2542) [24 KB, PDF] method classification: Fully Validated note: Protect samples from light until analysis. All Trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Accessibility Assistance: Contact the OSHA Directorate of Science, Technology and Medicine at 202-693-2300 for assistance accessing PDF materials.