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Chemical Sampling Information |
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| Cobalt, Metal, Dust & Fume (as Co) |
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General Description
Synonyms: Cobalt metal dust; Cobalt metal fume
OSHA IMIS Code Number: 0720
Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) Registry Number: 7440-48-4
NIOSH, Registry of Toxic Effects (RTECS) Identification Number: GF8750000
NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards, Cobalt metal dust and fume (as Co): 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 -- 0.1 mg/m3 TWA
OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for Construction Industry: 29 CFR 1926.55 Appendix A -- 0.1 mg/m3 TWA
OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for Maritime: 29 CFR 1915.1000 Table Z-Shipyards -- 0.1 mg/m3 TWA
American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Value (TLV): 0.02 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): 0.05 mg/m3 TWA
Health Factors
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) carcinogenic classification: Cobalt and Cobalt Compounds – Group 2B, possibly carcinogenic to humans
NIOSH Immediately Dangerous To Life or Health Concentration (IDLH): 20 mg/m3
Potential symptoms: Cough, dyspnea (breathing difficulty), wheezing, decreased pulmonary function, pulmonary edema; weight-loss; skin sensitization; dermatitis; diffuse nodular fibrosis; respiratory hypersensitivity, asthma; INGES. ACUTE: Abdominal pain, vomiting; sensation of hotness; INGES. CHRONIC: Cardiomyopathy.
Health Effects: Asthma (HE9); Cumulative lung damage (HE10); Dermatitis, Heart failure (HE3)
Affected organs: Skin, respiratory system, heart
Notes:
- Cobalt is an OSHA Select carcinogen. NTP’s Eleventh Report on Carcinogens lists only cobalt sulfate as “Reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen”.
- Cobalt is a constituent of vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin), an essential nutrient found in eggs, meat, poultry, shellfish, milk and milk products.
- One study estimated that an 8-hr TWA exposure to 20 or 50 µg/m3 will result in urinary cobalt levels of about 18 and 32 µg per gram of creatinine, respectively, at the end of the workweek. Another study reported an estimated concentration of about 40 µg/liter of urine for an airborne concentration of 50 µg/m3.
- Cobalt may display cross-sensitivity to nickel for causing allergic dermatitis.
- Although cobaltous salts may be added to animal feed to avoid trace element deficiency, the FDA prohibits the direct addition of these salts to human food (21 CFR 189.120).
Date Last Revised: 02/07/2006
Literature Basis:
- NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards: Cobalt metal dust and fume (as Co).
- International Chemical Safety Cards (WHO/IPCS/ILO): Cobalt.
- Centeno, J.A., Pestaner, J.P., Mullick, F.G. and Virmani, R.: An analytical comparison of cobalt cardiomyopathy and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. Biol. Trace Elem. Res. 55(1-2): 21-30, 1996.
- Jarvis, J.Q., Hammond, E., Meier, R. and Robinson, C.: Cobalt cardiomyopathy. A report of two cases from mineral assay laboratories and a review of the literature. J. Occup. Med. 34(6): 620-626, 1992.
- Linnainmaa, M. and Kiilunen, M.: Urinary cobalt as a measure of exposure in the wet sharpening of hard metal and stellite blades. Int. Arch. Occup. Environ. Health 69(3): 193-200, 1997.
- Lauwerys, R. and Lison, D.: Health risks associated with cobalt exposure – an overview. Sci. Total Environ. 150(1-3): 1-6, 1994.
- Lison, D., Bucher, J.-P., Swennen, B., Molders, J. and Lauwerys, R.: Biological monitoring of workers exposed to cobalt metal, salt, oxides, and hard metal dust. Occup. Environ. Med. 51(7): 447-450, 1994.
- Pohanish, R.P. (editor): Cobalt and Oxides. In, Sittig’s Handbook of Toxic and Hazardous Chemicals and Carcinogens, Fourth Ed., Vol. 1. Norwich, NY: Noyes Publications, William Andrew Publishing, 2002, pp. 643-646.
- Ratcliffe, J. and English, J.S.: Allergic contact dermatitis from cobalt in animal feed. Contact Dermatitis 39(4): 201-202, 1998.
Monitoring Methods used by OSHA
Laboratory Sampling/Analytical Method:
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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
method reference: OSHA Analytical Method (OSHA ID-125G)
method classification: Fully Validated
alternate analytical method: Inductively Coupled Argon Plasma; ICP-AES
method reference: OSHA Analytical Method (OSHA ID-213, for cobalt in cemented tungsten carbide or tungsten alloy matrices)
method classification: Fully Validated
note: If the filter is not overloaded, samples may be collected up to an 8-hour period.
* All Trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
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