Cumene

CAS number: 98–82–8

NIOSH REL: 50 ppm (245 mg/m³) TWA [skin]

Current OSHA PEL: 50 ppm (245 mg/m³) TWA [skin]

1989 OSHA PEL: Same as current PEL

1993-1994 ACGIH TLV: 50 ppm (246 mg/m³) TWA [skin]

Description of Substance: Colorless liquid with a sharp, penetrating, aromatic odor.

LEL: . . 0.9% (10% LEL, 900 ppm)

Original (SCP) IDLH: 8,000 ppm

Basis for original (SCP) IDLH: The chosen IDLH is based on the rat 4-hour LC₅₀ of 8,000 ppm [Smyth et al. 1951 cited by AIHA 1961].

Short-term exposure guidelines: None developed

ACUTE TOXICITY DATA

Lethal concentration data:

Species	Reference	LC50 (ppm)	LCLo (ppm)	Time	Adjusted 0.5-hr LC (CF)	Derived value
Rat Mouse	Smyth et al. 1951 Werner et al. 1944	----- 2,000	8,000 -----	4 hr 7 hr	16,000 ppm (2.0) 4,800 ppm (2.4)	1,600 ppm 480 ppm

Lethal dose data:

Species	Reference	Route	LD50 (mg/kg)	LDLo (mg/kg)	Adjusted LD	Derived value
Mouse Rat	Sologob 1971 Wolf et al. 1956	oral oral	12,750 1,400	----- -----	17,850 ppm 1,960 ppm	1,785 ppm 196 ppm

Other animal data: Daily exposures of rats to 500 ppm for 5 months resulted in no significant blood changes, although hyperemia and congestion were noted in the lungs, liver, and kidneys [Clayton and Clayton 1981].

Human data: None relevant for use in determining the revised IDLH.

Revised IDLH: 900 ppm [LEL] Basis for revised IDLH: Based on health considerations and acute inhalation toxicity data in animals [Clayton and Clayton 1981; Smyth et al. 1951], a value of about 1,500 ppm would have been appropriate. However, the revised IDLH for cumene is 900 ppm based strictly on safety considerations (i.e., being 10% of the lower explosive limit of 0.9%).

REFERENCES:

1. AIHA [1961]. Cumene. In: Hygienic guide series. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J 22:522-524.

2. Clayton GD, Clayton FE, eds. [1981]. Patty's industrial hygiene and toxicology. 3rd rev. ed. Vol. 2B. Toxicology. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., pp. 3308-3310.

3 Smyth HF Jr, Carpenter CP, Weil CS [1951]. Range-finding toxicity data: list IV. AMA Arch Ind Hyg Occup Med 4:119-122.

4. Sologob AM [1971]. Experimental study on substantiation of the hygienic standard values of metadiisopropylbenzol and paradiisopropylbenzol in water bodies. Gig Sanit 36(9):18-21 (in Russian).

5. Werner HW, Dunn RC, von Oettingen WF [1944] The acute effects of cumene vapors in mice. J Ind Hyg Toxicol 26:264-268.

6. Wolf MA, Rowe VK, McCollister DD, Hollingsworth RL, Oyen F [1956]. Toxicological studies of certain alkylated benzenes and benzene. Experiments on laboratory animals. AMA Arch Ind Health 14:387-398.