OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL):

General Industry: 29 CFR 1910.1000 Z-1 Table -- 10 ppm, 35 mg/m³ TWA; Skin

Construction Industry: 29 CFR 1926.55 Appendix A -- 10 ppm, 35 mg/m³ TWA; Skin

Maritime: 29 CFR 1915.1000 Table Z-Shipyards -- 10 ppm, 35 mg/m³ TWA; Skin

American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Value (TLV): 10 ppm, 36 mg/m³ TWA; Skin; Appendix A4 - Not Classifiable as a Human Carcinogen; BEI (TLV listed under N,N-Dimethylacetamide)

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Recommended Exposure Limit (REL):10 ppm, 35 mg/m³ TWA; Skin

NIOSH Immediately Dangerous To Life or Health Concentration (IDLH): 300 ppm

Potential Symptoms: Irritation of skin; headache, nausea, vomiting; jaundice, liver damage; depression, drowsiness, hallucinations, delusions; INGES. ACUTE: Abdominal cramps, diarrhea; SKIN ABS

Health Effects: Cumulative liver damage (HE3); Suspect teratogen (HE5); CNS effects (HE7); Irritation-Eyes, Skin---Mild (HE16)

Affected Organs: Skin, liver, CNS

Notes:

1. Explosive vapor/air mixtures of dimethyl acetamide may be formed above 70°C.
2. Developmental toxicity studies of dimethyl acetamide by inhalation exposure in rats reported a NOAEL of 100 ppm for both maternal toxicity (hepatocellular swelling) and fetal toxicity (fused bones and life-threatening cardiovascular malformations) that were observed at higher concentrations.
3. Dermal absorption of dimethylacetamide vapor was extensive in 12 volunteers exposed (90% naked) in a chamber to 6.1 ppm for 4 hours, ranging from 13% to 73% of the total absorbed dose (mean, 40%).
4. N-methylacetamide in urine (adjusted for creatinine) is measured at the end of a shift for biomonitoring N,N-dimethylacetamide exposure. Mean biological half-lives after dermal and respiratory exposure were estimated to be 9.0 and 5.6 hours, respectively.
5. The incidence rate ratio for liver injury among elastane fiber employees exposed to dimethylacetamide was reported to be 9.6 for those with urinary N-methylacetamide levels >20 mg/g creatinine compared with those having levels <20 mg/g creatinine during exposure monitoring.
6. Dermal absorption of dimethylacetamide is decreased by showering and changing clothing at the end of a work shift.

Date Last Revised: 04/23/2007

Literature Basis:

• NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards: Dimethyl acetamide.
• International Chemical Safety Cards (WHO/IPCS/ILO): N,N-Dimethylacetamide.
• Lee, C.-Y., Jung, S.-J., Kim, S.-A., Park, K.-S. and Ha, B.-G. Incidence of dimethylacetamide induced hepatic injury among new employees in a cohort of elastane fibre workers. Occup. Environ. Med. 63(10): 688-693, 2006.
• Nimiyama, T., et al. Dermal absorption of N,N-dimethylacetamide in human volunteers. Int. Arch. Occup. Environ. Health 73(2): 121-126, 2000.
• Okuda, H., et al. Developmental toxicity induced by inhalation exposure of pregnant rats to N,N-dimethylacetamide. J. Occup. Health 48(3): 154-160, 2006.
• Perbellini, L., Princivalle, A., Caivano, M. and Montagnani, R. Biological monitoring of occupational exposure to N,N-dimethylacetamide with identification of a new metabolite. Occup. Environ. Med. 60(1): 746-751.
• Pohanish, R.P. (editor) N,N-Dimethylacetamide. In Sittig's Handbook of Toxic and Hazardous Chemicals and Carcinogens, Fourth Ed., Vol. 1. Norwich, NY: Noyes Publications, William Andrew Publishing, 2002, pp. 905-907.
  

Laboratory Sampling/Analytical Method:

• sampling media: Silica Gel Tube (150/75 mg sections, 20/40 mesh)
  analytical solvent: Methanol
  maximum volume: 80 Liters
  maximum flow rate: 1.0 L/min )
  current analytical method: Gas Chromatography; GC/FID
  method reference: NIOSH Analytical Method (NIOSH 2004) [27 KB PDF, 5 pages]
  method classification: Fully Validated
  

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