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Chemical Sampling Information (CSI)
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General Description

Synonyms: Monochlorobenzene; Chlorobenzol; Phenyl chloride; MCB

OSHA IMIS Code Number: 0620

Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) Registry Number: 108-90-7

NIOSH Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances (RTECS) Identification Number: CZ0175000

Department of Transportation Regulation Number (49 CFR 172.101) and Guide: 1134 130

NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards, Chlorobenzene: 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 -- 75 ppm, 350 mg/m3 TWA

Construction Industry: 29 CFR 1926.55 Appendix A -- 75 ppm, 350 mg/m3 TWA

Maritime: 29 CFR 1915.1000 Table Z-Shipyards -- 75 ppm, 350 mg/m3 TWA
American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Value (TLV): 10 ppm, 46 mg/m3 TWA; Appendix A3 - Confirmed Animal Carcinogen with Unknown Relevance to Humans; BEI®

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Recommended Exposure Limit (REL): Appendix D - Substances With No Established RELs

Health Factors

NIOSH Immediately Dangerous To Life or Health Concentration (IDLH): 1000 ppm

Potential Symptoms: Skin, eye, nose irritation, headache; nausea; drowsiness, incoordination, unconsciousness; CHRONIC EXPOSURE: Numbness, cyanosis, hyperesthesia (increased sensation), muscle spasms; anemia. In animals: liver, lung, kidney damage, bone marrow suppression. INGES. ACUTE: Abdominal pain

Health Effects: Cumulative Systemic Toxicity (HE3); Narcosis (HE8); Irritation-Eyes, Nose, Skin-Moderate (HE15).

Affected Organs:

Notes: Eyes, skin, respiratory system, CNS, liver
  1. Chlorobenzene is metabolized primarily in the liver by cytochrome P450 2E1.
  2. The major urinary metabolite is 4-chlorocatechol, with p-chlorophenol, m-chlorophenol and o-chlorophenol appearing in lesser amounts (p>m>o).
  3. EPA's oral reference dose (daily oral exposure likely to be without an appreciable risk of deleterious effects during a lifetime) for chlorobenzene is 0.02 mg/kg/day, and its provisional reference concentration (RfC) is 0.02 mg/m3.
  4. Germany reduced its maximum allowable concentrations of chlorobenzene at the workplace from 50 ppm to 10 ppm in 1995 because of findings of nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity in animals with multiple exposures to levels up to 50 ppm.
Date Last Revised: 08/12/2005

Literature Basis:
  • NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards: Chlorobenzene.
  • International Chemical Safety Cards (WHO/IPCS/ILO): Chlorobenzene.
  • EPA Air Toxics Website: Chlorobenzene. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Technology Transfer Network.
  • Arutjunov, V.D., Batsura, Ju.D., Gribova, I.A. and Kruglikov G.G.: Scanning electron-microspic and light-optic investigations of erythrocytes in toxic anaemia. Br. J. Ind. Med. 38(1): 72-75, 1981.
  • Knecht, U. and Woitowitz, H.-J.: Human toxicokinetics of inhaled monochlorobenzene: latest experimental findings regarding re-evaluation of the biological tolerance value. Int. Arch. Occup. Environ. Med. 73(8): 543-554, 2000.
  • National Toxicology Program: NTP Toxicology and Carcinogenesis Studies of Chlorobenzene (CAS No. 108-90-7) in F344/N Rats and B6C3F1 Mice (Gavage Studies). Natl. Toxicol. Program Tech. Rep. Ser. 261: 1-220, 1985.
  • Nedelcheva, V., Gut, I., Soucek, P. and Frantik, E.: Cytochrome P450 catalyzed oxidation of monochlorobenzene, 1,2- and 1,4-dichlorobenzene in rat, mouse, and human liver microsomes. Chem. Biol. Interact. 115(1): 53-70, 1998.
  • Pohanish, R.P. (editor): Dichlorobenzenes. In, Sittig's Handbook of Toxic and Hazardous Chemicals and Carcinogens, Fourth Ed., Vol. 1. Norwich, NY: Noyes Publications, William Andrew Publishing, 2002, pp. 799-804.
Monitoring Methods used by OSHA

Laboratory Sampling/Analytical Method:
  • sampling media: Charcoal Tube (100/50 mg sections, 20/40 mesh)
    analytical solvent: Carbon Disulfide
    alternate solvent: (99:1) Carbon Disulfide/Dimethylformamide
    maximum volume: 10 Liters
    maximum flow rate: 0.2 L/min
    current analytical method: Gas Chromatography; GC/FID
    method reference: NIOSH Analytical Method (NIOSH 1003) [266 KB PDF, 7 pages]
    method classification: Partially Validated

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Page last updated: 09/05/2006

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