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Chemical Sampling Information |
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| Hexane (n-Hexane) |
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General Description
Synonyms: Hexyl hydride; normal-Hexane
OSHA IMIS Code Number: 1380
Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) Registry Number: 110-54-3
NIOSH, Registry of Toxic Effects (RTECS) Identification Number: MN9275000
Department of Transportation Regulation Number (49 CFR 172.101) and Guide: 1208 128
NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards, n-Hexane: 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 -- 500 ppm, 1800 mg/m3 TWA
OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for Construction Industry: 29 CFR 1926.55 Appendix A -- 500 ppm, 1800 mg/m3 TWA
OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for Maritime: 29 CFR 1915.1000 Table Z-Shipyards -- 500 ppm, 1800 mg/m3 TWA
American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Value (TLV): 50 ppm, 176 mg/m3 TWA; Skin; BEI
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Recommended Exposure Limit (REL): 50 ppm, 180 mg/m3 TWA
Health Factors
NIOSH Immediately Dangerous To Life or Health Concentration (IDLH): 1100 ppm [LEL]
Potential symptoms: Irritation of eyes, nose, throat; nausea, headache; peripheral neuropathy: numbness, tingling of extremeties, muscle weakness; burning feeling of the face (>500 ppm); dermatitis; dizziness, drowsiness; blurred vision (>1500 ppm); unconsciousness; chemical pneumonitis (from aspiration of liquid); INGES ACUTE: Abdominal pain.
Health Effects: Irritation-Eye, Nose, Throat, Skin---Mild (HE16); Nervous system disturbances---Polyneuropathy (HE7) Narcosis (HE8); Explosive, flammable (HE18).
Affected organs: Eyes, skin, respiratory system, CNS, peripheral nervous system
Notes: 1) Vapor/air mixtures are explosive. 2) NIOSH's IDLH is based upon 10% of the lower explosive limit. 3) Impairment of color vision can occur that may not be noticeable (subclinical) without specific testing for it. 4) n-Hexane is metabolized via CYP2B6, CYP2E1 and alcohol dehydrogenase to 2,5-hexanedione, which after acid treatment of urine, serves as a marker for biological monitoring of exposure. 5) This marker, a γ-diketone, is also the toxic metabolite associated with neuropathy. It may act by reacting with lysine residues in proteins, such as neurofilaments, to facilitate a subsequent cross-linking reaction between them. 6) The solvent, methyl n-butyl ketone, is also metabolized to the same neurotoxic metabolite, 2,5-hexanedione. 7) EPA's reference concentration for chronic inhalation exposure (RfC), the daily inhalational exposure likely to be without appreciable risk of deleterious effects during a lifetime, is 0.7 mg/m3.
Date Last Revised: 04/07/2006
Literature Basis:
- NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards: n-Hexane.
- International Chemical Safety Cards (WHO/IPCS/ILO): n-Hexane.
- U.S. EPA Integrated Risk Information System: n-Hexane (CASRN 110-54-3).
- Bolt, H.M., Roos, P.H. and Thier, R.: The cytochrome P-450 isoenzyme CYP2E1 in the biological processing of industrial chemicals: consequences for occupational and environmental medicine. Int. Arch. Occup. Environ. Health 76(3): 174-185, 2003.
- CDC: n-Hexane--related peripheral neuropathy among automotive technicians --- California, 1999--2000. MMWR Weekly 50(45): 1011-1013, 2001.
- Graham, D.G., Amarnath, V., Valentine, W.M., Pyle, S.J. and Anthony, D.C.: Pathogenetic studies of hexane and carbon disulfide neurotoxicity. Crit. Rev. Toxicol. 25(2): 91-112, 1995.
- Issever, H., Malat, G., Sabuncu, H.H. and Yuksel, N.: Impairment of colour vision in patients with n-hexane exposure-dependent toxic polyneuropathy. Occup. Med. 52(4): 183-186, 2002.
- Pohanish, R.P. (editor): n-Hexane. In, Sittig's Handbook of Toxic and Hazardous Chemicals and Carcinogens, Fourth Ed., Vol. 1. Norwich, NY: Noyes Publications, William Andrew Publishing, 2002, pp. 1256-1258.
Monitoring Methods used by OSHA
Laboratory Sampling/Analytical Method:
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sampling media: Charcoal Tube (100/50 mg sections, 20/40 mesh)
analytical solvent: Carbon disulfide
alternative solvent: (99:1) Carbon Disulfide:Dimethylformamide
alternative solvent: (95:5) Methylene Chloride:Methanol
maximum volume: 4 Liters maximum flow rate: 0.2 L/min
current analytical method: Gas Chromatography; GC/FID
method reference: NIOSH Analytical Method (NIOSH 1500)
method classification: Partially Validated
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