| Agent Name |
Toluene |
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| Alternative Name |
Toluol |
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| CAS Number |
108-88-3 |
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| Formula |
C7-H8 |
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| Major Category |
Solvents |
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| Synonyms |
Methyl benzene; Methyl benzol; Phenyl methane; Toluol; [NIOSH] UN1294 |
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| Category |
Aromatic Solvents |
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| Description |
Colorless liquid with a sweet, pungent, benzene-like odor; [NIOSH] |
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| Sources/Uses |
Derived from petroleum, toluene is used as a solvent and chemical intermediate. Purified toluene contains about 0.01% benzene, but crude toluene may contain as much as 25% benzene. Rotogravure printers were exposed to high concentrations of toluene (decreasing from about 1710 ppm in 1969 to about 43-157 ppm in 1980). [ACGIH] Used in photography (color retouching); [www.ci.tucson.az.us/arthazards/medium.html] |
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| Comments |
Chronic abuse from glue sniffing causes permanent cerebral and cerebellar dysfunction. Liver injury has been reported in glue sniffers. [ATSDR Case Studies: Toluene Toxicity] Toluene abuse may induce acute renal failure with rhabdomyolysis documented as the precipitating event in some cases. [Rosenstock, p. 577] Birth defects similar to the fetal alcohol syndrome occur when mothers abuse toluene during pregnancy. A study of women occupationally exposed to toluene showed an increased incidence of spontaneous abortions. [Frazier, p. 184-5] No reproductive toxicity is observed in rats exposed to 500 ppm for 80 days. [ACGIH] |
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| Reference Link |
ATSDR Medical Management - Toluene |
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| Exposure Assessment |
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| BEI |
o-Cresol in urine = 0.5 mg/L; hippuric acid in urine = 1.6 g/g creatinine ; end of shift; Toluene in blood = 0.05 mg/L prior to last shift of workweek; |
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| Skin Designation (ACGIH) |
No |
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| TLV (ACGIH) |
20 ppm |
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| PEL (OSHA) |
200 ppm, Ceiling(OSHA) = 300 ppm(500 ppm for 10-min peak per 8-hr shift) |
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| MAK |
50 ppm |
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| IDLH (NIOSH) |
500 ppm |
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| Excerpts from Documentation for IDLHs |
"Human data: It has been reported that extreme fatigue, mental confusion, exhilaration, nausea, headache and dizziness resulted from exposures to 600 ppm by the end of 3 hours [von Oettingen et al. 1942]. In addition, the following observations have been made: some workers will tolerate concentrations ranging up to 200 ppm for 6 to 8 hours daily with no demonstrable ill effects; 200 to 500 ppm for 6 to 8 hours will cause tiredness and lassitude in most workers; and concentrations over 500 ppm for 1 to 3 hours are definitely dangerous and will cause symptoms attributable to depression of the central nervous system and the bone marrow [Wilson 1943]. It has also been reported that exposure to concentrations greater than 4,000 ppm for more than 5 minutes might limit self rescue ability [ANSI 1973]. After 20 minutes, exposures to concentrations at 300, 500, or 700 ppm resulted in significant increases in reaction times; a significant decrease in perceptual speed resulted after a 20�minute exposure to 700 ppm [Gamberale and Hultengren 1972]. |
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| Vapor Pressure |
28.4 mm Hg |
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| Odor Threshold Low |
0.16 ppm |
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| Odor Threshold High |
37 ppm |
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| RD50 |
5300 ppm |
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| Lethal Concentration |
LC50 (rats) = 8000 ppm/4H |
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| Explanatory Notes |
Detection odor threshold from AIHA (mean = 1.6 ppm); Flash point = 4.4 deg C; [ACGIH] |
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| Half Life |
Blood: 0.5 hours (can range up to 90 hours depending upon fat deposition); for hippuric acid in urine: 1.5 hours; [TDR, p. 1145] |
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| Reference Link |
ATSDR - ToxFAQs - Toluene |
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| Flammability (NFPA) |
3: may ignite at ambient temperature |
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| Adverse Effects |
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| Neurotoxin |
CNS Solvent Syndrome |
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| Hepatotoxin |
Hepatotoxin, Secondary |
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| Nephrotoxin |
Yes |
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| Reproductive Toxin |
Yes |
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| IARC Carcinogen |
Not Classifiable |
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| Links to Other NLM Databases |
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| Health Studies |
Human Health Effects from Hazardous Substances Data Bank: TOLUENE
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