Chemical Sampling Information
	Iron oxide fume
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: Ferric oxide; Iron (III) oxide OSHA IMIS Code Number: 1520 IMIS Name History: Iron Oxide Fume (as Fe203) prior to 9/1/89 Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) Registry Number: 1309-37-1 NIOSH, Registry of Toxic Effects (RTECS) Identification Number: NO7400000 and NO7525000 (fume) Department of Transportation Regulation Number (49 CFR 172.101) and guide [2008 Emergency Response Guidebook, 2.5 MB PDF]: 1376 135 (spent) NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards, Iron oxide dust and fume (as Fe): 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 mg/m3 TWA OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for Construction Industry: 29 CFR 1926.55 Appendix A -- 10 mg/m3 TWA OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for Maritime: 29 CFR 1915.1000 Table Z-Shipyards -- 10 mg/m3 TWA American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Value (TLV): 5 mg/m3 TWA; Respirable Fraction; see Appendix C, Paragraph C. Appendix A4 - Not Classifiable as a Human Carcinogen National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Recommended Exposure Limit (REL): 5 mg/m3 TWA Health Factors Potential symptoms: Irritation of eyes, skin, respiratory system, cough; metal fume fever; siderosis (a benign pneumoconiosis, x-ray shadows indistinguishable from fibrotic pneumoconiosis); iron staining of the eyes. Health Effects: Lung changes (Siderosis) (HE10) Affected organ: Respiratory system Notes: The acute intrapulmonary instillation of small ferric oxide particles in human volunteers induced a transient subclinical inflammation that resolved within 4 days. The ferric oxide particles are taken up by alveolar macrophages and cleared in two phases, one with a short half-life of 0.5 day and one with a long half-life of 110 days. The inhalation of respirable iron oxide particles at an average concentration of 12.7 mg/m3 for 30 minutes by human volunteers was reported to not significantly affect alveolar epithelial permeability, lung diffusing capacity, or pulmonary function. Exposure of lungs to iron oxide particles may trigger temporary local physiological changes, including increases in ferritin, transferrin receptors and lactoferrin, and a decrease in transferrin, to decrease potential oxidative stress from catalytically reactive iron. Bronchopulmonary lavage was used to remove nearly a gram of iron particles from the lungs of a welder. Date Last Revised: 12/20/2005 Literature Basis: NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards: Iron oxide dust and fume (as Fe). International Chemical Safety Cards (WHO/IPCS/ILO): Ferric oxide. Ghio, A.J., Carter, J.D., Richards, J.H., Brighton, L.E., Lay, J.C. and Devlin, R.B.: Disruption of normal iron homeostasis after bronchial instillation of an iron-containing particle. Am J. Physiol. 274(3 Pt.1): L396-L403, 1998. Lay, J.C., Bennett, W.D., Kim, C.S., Devlin, R.B. and Bromberg, P.A.: Retention and intracellular distribution of instilled iron oxide particles in human alveolar macrophages. Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol. 18(5): 687-695, 1998. Lay, J.C., Zeman, K.L., Ghio, A.J. and Bennett, W.D.: Effects of inhaled iron oxide particles on alveolar epithelial permeability in normal subjects. Inhal. Toxicol. 13(12): 1065-1078, 2001. Pohanish, R.P. (editor): Iron Oxide (Fume). In, Sittig’s Handbook of Toxic and Hazardous Chemicals and Carcinogens, Fourth Ed., Vol. 2. Norwich, NY: Noyes Publications, William Andrew Publishing, 2002, pp. 1315-1317. Yamada, G., et al.: Use of bronchopulmonary lavage for eliminating inhaled fume particles from a patient with arc welder’s lung. Intern. Med. 37(11): 962-964, 1998. 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 method reference: OSHA Analytical Method (OSHA ID-121) method classification: Fully Validated alternate analytical method: Inductively Coupled Argon Plasma; ICP-AES, AAS method reference: OSHA Analytical Method (OSHA ID-125G; OSHA ID-105) method classification: Fully Validated note: If the filter is not overloaded, samples may be collected up to an 8-hour period. Analytical method does not distinguish between dust and fume. When analysis of a compound is requested, an elemental analysis is performed and reported as the compound. All Trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Accessibility Assistance: Contact the OSHA Directorate of Technical Support and Emergency Management at 202-693-2300 for assistance accessing PDF materials.