Agent Name |
Gypsum |
CAS Number |
13397-24-5 |
Formula |
Ca.H2-O4-S.2H2-O |
Major Category |
Mineral Dusts |
Synonyms |
Calcium(II) sulfate dihydrate; Gypsum stone; Hydrated calcium sulfate; Mineral white [Note: Gypsum is the dihydrate form of calcium sulfate; Plaster of Paris is the hemihydrate form.] |
Category |
Other Mineral Dusts |
Description |
White or nearly white, odorless, crystalline solid; |
Sources/Uses |
Used to manufacture plasterboard and plaster of Paris; [Harber, p. 358] |
Comments |
A cross-sectional study of 241 British gypsum miners in Sussex and Nottinghamshire with over 20 years of exposure identified x-ray findings consistent with a simple pneumoconiosis. Sixty-four miners had >1/0 on the ILO scale and 3 miners had 2/1 or greater. The authors attributed the higher rates of slight pneumoconiosis in the Sussex miners to the higher levels of quartz in these mines where the levels of gypsum dust were lower. [ACGIH] See "Calcium sulfate." |
Exposure Assessment |
Skin Designation (ACGIH) |
No |
TLV (ACGIH) |
10 mg/m3, inhalable fraction |
PEL (OSHA) |
15 mg/m3(total dust), 5 mg/m3(respirable fraction) |
MAK |
6 mg/m3, respirable fraction w/o fibers |
Links to Other NLM Databases |
Health Studies |
Human Health Effects from Hazardous Substances Data Bank: CALCIUM SULFATE
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