Chemical Sampling Information
	Formic Acid
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: Formic acid (85-95% in aqueous solution); Hydrogen carboxylic acid; Methanoic acid OSHA IMIS Code Number: 1310 Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) Registry Number: 64-18-6 NIOSH, Registry of Toxic Effects (RTECS) Identification Number: LQ4900000 Department of Transportation Regulation Number (49 CFR 172.101) and Guide: 1779 153 [27 KB, PDF] NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards, Formic acid: 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 -- 5 ppm, 9 mg/m3 TWA OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for Construction Industry: 29 CFR 1926.55 Appendix A -- 5 ppm, 9 mg/m3 TWA OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for Maritime: 29 CFR 1915.1000 Table Z-Shipyards -- 5 ppm, 9 mg/m3 TWA American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Value (TLV): 5 ppm, 9.4 mg/m3 TWA; 10 ppm, 19 mg/m3 STEL National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Recommended Exposure Limit (REL): 5 ppm, 9 mg/m3 TWA Health Factors NIOSH Immediately Dangerous To Life or Health Concentration (IDLH): 30 ppm Potential symptoms: Irritation of eyes, skin, throat; skin burns, blisters, dermatitis; lacrimation; rhinorrhea; cough, dyspnea; nausea; eye redness, pain, burns, blurred vision; pulmonary edema; metabolic acidosis; unconsciousness; INGES. ACUTE: Burning sensation, sore throat, abdominal pain, cramps, vomiting, diarrhea. Health Effects: Irritation-Eyes, Nose, Throat, Skin---Marked (HE14); Mutagen (HE2) Affected organs: Eyes, skin, respiratory system Notes: Formic acid is permitted by the FDA for direct addition to food as a flavoring substance or adjuvant (21 CFR 172.515). Formic acid is a metabolite of methanol, formaldehyde and methyl formate, and can build up to toxic levels when the ability of 10-formyl tetrahydrofolate synthetase to metabolize it to carbon dioxide and water is greatly exceeded. Occupational exposures that are within exposure limits may be difficult to monitor by measuring formic acid in urine because of its natural occurrence in urine. A case of systemic intoxication, including metabolic acidosis, hemolysis, and hemoglobinuria, following a skin burn with undiluted formic acid has been reported. Date Last Revised: 10/19/2006 Literature Basis: NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards: Formic acid. International Chemical Safety Cards (WHO/IPCS/ILO): Formic acid. Barceloux, D.G., et al.: American Academy of Clinical Toxicology practice guidelines on the treatment of methanol poisoning. J. Toxicol. Clin. Toxicol. 40(4): 415-446, 2002. Berode, M., Sethre, T., Läubli, T. and Savolainen, H.: Urinary methanol and formic acid as indicators of occupational exposure to methyl formate. Int. Arch. Occup. Environ. Health 73(6): 410-414, 2000. d’Alessandro, A., Osterloh, J.D., Chuwers, P., Quinlan, P.J., Kelly, T.J. and Becker, C.E.: Formate in serum and urine after controlled methanol exposure at the threshold limit value. Environ. Health Perspect. 102(2): 178-181, 1994. Pohanish, R.P. (editor): Formic Acid. In, Sittig’s Handbook of Toxic and Hazardous Chemicals and Carcinogens, Fourth Ed., Vol. 1. Norwich, NY: Noyes Publications, William Andrew Publishing, 2002, pp. 1186-1188. Sigurdsson, J., Bjornsson, A. and Gudmundsson, S.T.: Formic acid burn—local and systemic effects. Report of a case. Burns Incl. Therm. Inj. 9(5): 358-361, 1983. Monitoring Methods used by OSHA Laboratory Sampling/Analytical Method: sampling media: Charcoal Tube (400/200 mg sections, 20/40 mesh) analytical solvent: 0.0015M-B4O7-2 maximum volume: 48 Liters   maximum flow rate: 0.2 L/min current analytical method: Ion Chromatography; IC method reference: OSHA Manual of Analytical Methods (OSHA ID-186SG) method classification: Partially Validated note: Samples requesting formic acid must be shipped to the laboratory ASAP and kept cold. All Trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Accessibility Assistance: Contact the OSHA Directorate of Science, Technology and Medicine at 202-693-2300 for assistance accessing PDF materials.