Acute Exposure Guideline Levels for Selected Airborne Chemicals
VOLUME 4
THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS
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NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.
This project was supported by Contract Nos. DAMD17–89-C-9086 and DAMD17–99-C-9049 between the National Academy of Sciences and the U.S. Army. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the organizations or agencies that provided support for this project.
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The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Bruce M.Alberts is president of the National Academy of Sciences.
The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. Wm.A.Wulf is president of the National Academy of Engineering.
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The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Bruce M.Alberts and Dr. Wm.A.Wulf are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council
SUBCOMMITTEE ON ACUTE EXPOSURE GUIDELINE LEVELS
Members
DANIEL KREWSKI (Chair),
University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
EDWARD C.BISHOP,
Parsons Corporation, Pasadena, CA
JAMES V.BRUCKNER,
University of Georgia, Athens
DAVID P.KELLY,
Dupont Company, Newark, DE
KANNAN KRISHNAN,
University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
STEPHEN U.LESTER,
Center for Health, Environment and Justice, Falls Church, VA
JUDITH MACGREGOR,
Toxicology Consulting Services, Arnold, MD
PATRICIA MCGINNIS,
Syracuse Research Corporation, Ft. Washington, PA
FRANZ OESCH,
University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
RICHARD B.SCHLESINGER,
Pace University, Pleasantville, NY
CALVIN C.WILLHITE,
Department of Toxic Substances, State of California, Berkeley
FREDERIK A.DE WOLFF,
Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
Staff
KULBIR S.BAKSHI, Program Director
KELLY CLARK, Editor
AIDA C.NEEL, Senior Project Assistant
COMMITTEE ON TOXICOLOGY
Members
BAILUS WALKER, JR. (Chair),
Howard University Medical Center and American Public Health Association, Washington, DC
MELVIN E.ANDERSEN,
CIIT-Centers for Health Research, Research Triangle Park, NC
EDWARD C.BISHOP,
Parsons Corporation, Pasadena, CA
GARY P.CARLSON,
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
JANICE E.CHAMBERS,
Mississippi State University, Mississippi State
LEONARD CHIAZZE, JR.,
Georgetown University, Washington, DC
JUDITH A.GRAHAM,
American Chemistry Council, Arlington, VA
SIDNEY GREEN,
Howard University, Washington, DC
MERYL KAROL,
University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
STEPHEN U.LESTER,
Center for Health Environment and Justice, Falls Church, VA
DAVID H.MOORE,
Battelle Memorial Institute, Bel Air, MD
CALVIN C.WILLHITE,
Department of Toxic Substances, State of California, Berkeley
GERALD WOGAN,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge
Staff
KULBIR S.BAKSHI, Program Director for Toxicology
ROBERTA M.WEDGE, Program Director for Risk Analysis
SUSAN N.J.MARTEL, Senior Staff Officer
ELLEN K.MANTUS, Senior Staff Officer
KELLY CLARK, Assistant Editor
AIDA C.NEEL, Senior Project Assistant
TAMARA DAWSON, Project Assistant
BOARD ON ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND TOXICOLOGY1
Members
JONATHAN SAMET (Chair),
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
DAVID ALLEN,
University of Texas, Austin, Texas
THOMAS BURKE,
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
JUDITH C.CHOW,
Desert Research Institute, Reno, NV
COSTEL D.DENSON,
University of Delaware, Newark
E.DONALD ELLIOTT,
Willkie, Farr & Gallagher, LLP, Washington, DC
CRISTOPHER B.FIELD,
Carnegie Institute of Washington, Stanford, CA
WILLIAM H.GLAZE,
Oregon Health and Sciences University, Beaverton
SHERRI W.GOODMAN,
Center for Naval Analyses Corporation, Alexandria, VA
DANIEL S.GREENBAUM,
Health Effects Institute, Cambridge, MA
ROGENE HENDERSON,
Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM
CAROL HENRY,
American Chemistry Council, Arlington, VA
ROBERT HUGGETT,
Michigan State University, East Lansing
BARRY L.JOHNSON,
Emory University, Atlanta, GA
JAMES H.JOHNSON,
Howard University, Washington, DC
JUDITH L.MEYER,
University of Georgia, Athens
PATRICK V.O’BRIEN,
Chevron Research and Technology, Richmond, CA
DOROTHY E.PATTON,
International Life Sciences Institute, Washington, DC
STEWARD T.A.PICKETT,
Institute of Ecosystems Studies, Millbrook, NY
ARMISTEAD G.RUSSELL,
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta
LOUISE M.RYAN,
Harvard University, Boston, MA
KIRK SMITH,
University of California, Berkeley
LISA SPEER,
Natural Resources Defense Council, New York, NY
G.DAVID TILMAN,
University of Minnesota, St. Paul
CHRIS G.WHIPPLE,
Environ, Inc., Emeryville, CA
LAUREEN A.ZEISE,
California Environmental Protection Agency, Oakland
Senior Staff
JAMES J.REISA, Director
DAVID J.POLICANSKY, Associate Director
RAYMOND A.WASSEL, Senior Program Director for Environmental Sciences and Engineering
KULBIR BAKSHI, Program Director for Toxicology
ROBERTA M.WEDGE, Program Director for Risk Analysis
K.JOHN HOLMES, Senior Staff Officer
SUSAN N.J.MARTEL, Senior Staff Officer
SUZANNE VAN DRUNICK, Senior Staff Officer
EILEEN N.ABT, Senior Staff Officer
ELLEN K.MANTUS, Senior Staff Officer
RUTH E.CROSSGROVE, Managing Editor
OTHER REPORTS OF THE BOARD ON ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND TOXICOLOGY
Air Quality Management in the United States (2004)
Endangered and Threatened Fishes in the Klamath River Basin: Causes of Decline and Strategies for Recovery (2004)
Cumulative Environmental Effects of Alaska North Slope Oil and Gas Development (2003)
Estimating the Public Health Benefits of Proposed Air Pollution Regulations (2002)
Biosolids Applied to Land: Advancing Standards and Practices (2002)
The Airliner Cabin Environment and Health of Passengers and Crew (2002)
Arsenic in Drinking Water: 2001 Update (2001)
Evaluating Vehicle Emissions Inspection and Maintenance Programs (2001)
Compensating for Wetland Losses Under the Clean Water Act (2001)
A Risk-Management Strategy for PCB-Contaminated Sediments (2001)
Acute Exposure Guideline Levels for Selected Airborne Chemicals (4 volumes, 2000–2004)
Toxicological Effects of Methylmercury (2000)
Strengthening Science at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2000)
Scientific Frontiers in Developmental Toxicology and Risk Assessment (2000)
Ecological Indicators for the Nation (2000)
Waste Incineration and Public Health (1999)
Hormonally Active Agents in the Environment (1999)
Research Priorities for Airborne Particulate Matter (4 volumes, 1998–2003)
Arsenic in Drinking Water (1999)
The National Research Council’s Committee on Toxicology: The First 50 Years (1997)
Carcinogens and Anticarcinogens in the Human Diet (1996)
Upstream: Salmon and Society in the Pacific Northwest (1996)
Science and the Endangered Species Act (1995)
Wetlands: Characteristics and Boundaries (1995)
Biologic Markers (5 volumes, 1989–1995)
Review of EPA’s Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (3 volumes, 1994–1995)
Science and Judgment in Risk Assessment (1994)
Pesticides in the Diets of Infants and Children (1993)
Dolphins and the Tuna Industry (1992)
Science and the National Parks (1992)
Human Exposure Assessment for Airborne Pollutants (1991)
Rethinking the Ozone Problem in Urban and Regional Air Pollution (1991)
Decline of the Sea Turtles (1990)
Copies of these reports may be ordered from the National Academies Press
(800) 624–6242 or (202) 334–3313
OTHER REPORTS OF THE COMMITTEE ON TOXICOLOGY
Spacecraft Water Exposure Guidelines for Selected Contaminants, Volume 1 (2004)
Toxicologic Assessment of Jet-Propulsion Fuel 8 (2003)
Review of Submarine Escape Action Levels for Selected Chemicals (2002)
Standing Operating Procedures for Developing Acute Exposure Guideline
Levels for Hazardous Chemicals (2001)
Evaluating Chemical and Other Agent Exposures for Reproductive and Developmental Toxicity (2001)
Acute Exposure Guideline Levels for Selected Airborne Contaminants, Volume 1 (2000), Volume 2 (2002), Volume 3 (2003), Volume 4 (2004)
Review of the US Navy’s Human Health Risk Assessment of the Naval Air Facility at Atsugi, Japan (2000)
Methods for Developing Spacecraft Water Exposure Guidelines (2000)
Review of the U.S. Navy Environmental Health Center’s Health-Hazard Assessment Process (2000)
Review of the U.S. Navy’s Exposure Standard for Manufactured Vitreous Fibers (2000)
Re-Evaluation of Drinking-Water Guidelines for Diisopropyl Methylphosphonate (2000)
Submarine Exposure Guidance Levels for Selected Hydrofluorocarbons: HFC-236fa, HFC-23, and HFC-404a (2000)
Review of the U.S. Army’s Health Risk Assessments for Oral Exposure to Six Chemical-Warfare Agents (1999)
Toxicity of Military Smokes and Obscurants, Volume 1 (1997), Volume 2 (1999), Volume 3 (1999)
Assessment of Exposure-Response Functions for Rocket-Emission Toxicants (1998)
Toxicity of Alternatives to Chlorofluorocarbons: HFC-134a and HCFC-123 (1996)
Permissible Exposure Levels for Selected Military Fuel Vapors (1996)
Spacecraft Maximum Allowable Concentrations for Selected Airborne Contaminants, Volume 1 (1994), Volume 2 (1996), Volume 3 (1996), Volume 4 (2000)
Preface
Extremely hazardous substances (EHSs)1 can be released accidentally as a result of chemical spills, industrial explosions, fires, or accidents involving railroad cars and trucks transporting EHSs. The people in communities surrounding industrial facilities where EHSs are manufactured, used, or stored and in communities along the nation’s railways and highways potentially are at risk of being exposed to airborne EHSs during accidental releases. Pursuant to the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified approximately 400 EHSs on the basis of acute lethality data in rodents.
As part of its efforts to develop acute exposure guideline levels for EHSs, EPA and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) in 1991 requested that the National Research Council (NRC) develop guidelines for establishing such levels. In response to that request, the NRC published Guidelines for Developing Community Emergency Exposure Levels for Hazardous Substances in 1993.
Using the 1993 NRC guidelines report, the National Advisory Committee (NAC) on Acute Exposure Guideline Levels for Hazardous Substances—consisting of members from EPA, the Department of Defense (DOD), the Department of Energy (DOE), the Department of Transportation, other federal and state governments, the chemical industry, academe, and other
organizations from the private sector—has developed acute exposure guideline levels (AEGLs) for approximately 80 EHSs.
In 1998, EPA and DOD requested that the NRC independently review the AEGLs developed by NAC. In response to that request, the NRC organized within its Committee on Toxicology the Subcommittee on Acute Exposure Guideline Levels, which prepared this report. This report is the fourth volume in the series Acute Exposure Guideline Levels for Selected Airborne Chemicals. It reviews the AEGLs for chlorine, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen fluoride, toluene 2,4- and 2,6-diisocyanate, and uranium hexafluoride for scientific accuracy, completeness, and consistency with the NRC guideline reports.
This report was reviewed in draft by individuals selected for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with procedures approved by the NRC’s Report Review Committee. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the institution in making its published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We wish to thank the following individuals for their review of this report: David H.Moore of Battelle Memorial Institute; Sam Kacew of University of Ottawa; and Rakesh Dixit of Merck and Company, Inc.
Although the reviewers listed above have provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the conclusions or recommendations nor did they see the final draft of the report before its release. The review of this report was overseen by Janice E.Chambers of Mississippi State University, appointed by the Division on Earth and Life Studies, who was responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of this report rests entirely with the authoring committee and the institution.
The subcommittee gratefully acknowledges the valuable assistance provided by the following people: Ernest Falke and Paul Tobin, EPA; George Rusch, Honeywell, Inc.; Sylvia Talmage, Cheryl Bast, and Carol Wood, Oak Ridge National Laboratory; and Aida Neel, senior project assistant for the Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology. Kelly Clark edited the report. We are grateful to James J.Reisa, director of the Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology, for his helpful comments. The subcommittee particularly acknowledges Kulbir Bakshi, project director for
the subcommittee, for bringing the report to completion. Finally, we would like to thank all members of the subcommittee for their expertise and dedicated effort throughout the development of this report.
Daniel Krewski, Chair
Subcommittee on Acute Exposure Guideline Levels
Bailus Walker, Chair
Committee on Toxicology