| Agent Name |
Phosgene |
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| Alternative Name |
Carbonyl chloride |
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| CAS Number |
75-44-5 |
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| Formula |
C-Cl2-O |
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| Major Category |
Toxic Gases & Vapors |
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| Synonyms |
Carbon dichloride oxide; Carbon oxychloride; Carbone (oxychlorure de) [French]; Carbonic acid dichloride; Carbonic chloride; Carbonic dichloride; Carbonio (ossicloruro di) [Italian]; Carbonyl chloride; Carbonyl dichloride; Carbonylchlorid [German]; Chloroformyl chloride; Combat gas; Fosgeen [Dutch]; Fosgen [Polish]; Fosgene [Italian]; Koolstofoxychloride [Dutch]; Phosgen; Phosgen [German]; [ChemIDplus] UN1076 |
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| Category |
Acid Halides |
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| Description |
Colorless gas with a suffocating odor like musty hay; Note: A fuming liquid below 47 degrees F. Shipped as a liquefied compressed gas; [NIOSH] |
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| Sources/Uses |
Used as an intermediate in the synthesis of many organic chemicals; also produced from thermal decomposition or photodecomposition of chlorinated hydrocarbons--the heat or UV light of welding can generate phosgene from degreasing solvents; [ACGIH] |
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| Comments |
Like ozone and nitrogen dioxide, phosgene is less soluble that other irritant inhalants and more likely to cause pulmonary edema without the signs of severe upper respiratory injury. [LaDou, p. 522-5] After a significant inhalation exposure, the onset of pulmonary edema may be delayed for up to 48 hours. [ATSDR Medical Management] A lachrymator; [CHEMINFO] Phosgene is fibrogenic to the lungs in the context of an acute inhalation exposure complicated by bronchiolitis obliterans. |
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| Reference Link |
ATSDR Medical Management - Phosgene |
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| Exposure Assessment |
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| Skin Designation (ACGIH) |
No |
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| TIH |
Yes |
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| TLV (ACGIH) |
0.1 ppm |
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| PEL (OSHA) |
0.1 ppm |
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| MAK |
0.1 ppm |
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| IDLH (NIOSH) |
2 ppm |
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| Excerpts from Documentation for IDLHs |
It has been calculated that based on acute toxicity data in humans, the lethal dose for a 30�minute exposure would be about 17 ppm [Diller 1978]. It has been stated that 25 ppm for 30 to 60 minutes is dangerous and brief exposure to 50 ppm may be rapidly fatal [Henderson and Haggard 1943]. It has also been stated that 5 ppm is probably lethal for a 30�minute exposure [Jacobs 1967]. |
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| Odor Threshold Low |
0.12 ppm |
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| Odor Threshold High |
5.7 ppm |
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| Lethal Concentration |
LC50 (cats) = 190mg/m3/15 min |
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| Explanatory Notes |
Odor threshold from AIHA; |
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| Half Life |
No reports found; [TDR, p. 1030] |
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| Reference Link |
Phosgene exposure: mechanisms of injury and treatment strategies |
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| Flammability (NFPA) |
0: will not burn |
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| Adverse Effects |
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| Toxic Pneumonitis |
Yes |
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| Fibrogenic |
Yes |
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| Lacrimator |
Yes |
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| Links to Other NLM Databases |
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| Health Studies |
Human Health Effects from Hazardous Substances Data Bank: PHOSGENE
|
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