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Subject: Re: Fwd: [DCHAS-L] Formic acid

Date: Apr 6, 2017 20:15 UTC

Author: Lawrence M Gibbs <lgibbs**At_Symbol_Here**STANFORD.EDU>

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Subject: [DCHAS-L] Posts from SafetyRisk.net for 04/07/2017

Date: Apr 6, 2017 22:11 UTC

Author: Ralph Stuart <rstuartcih**At_Symbol_Here**me.com>

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From: Harry J. Elston <helston**At_Symbol_Here**MIDWESTCHEMSAFETY.COM>

Subject: Re: Fwd: [DCHAS-L] Formic acid

Date: Apr 6, 2017 20:24 UTC

Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety

In-Reply-To:  

Demystify: 

Toxicity and occupational exposure limits (in this case the PEL) may or may not be related. Toxicity's xicity's endpoint is death (LD50); an OEL endpoint is preventing occupational illness over the course of a working lifetime.

Harry

Sent from my mobile device.

On Apr 6, 2017 14:42, "Ferm, Barret" <000003e16e810599-dmarc-request**At_Symbol_Here**lists.princeton.edu> wrote:

Is it just me, or is the following entry in the Wikipedia entry on formic acid misleading, or even deceptive?

"Safety

Formic acid has low toxicity [emphsis added] (hence its use as a food additive), with an LD50 of 1.8 g/kg (oral, mice). The concentrated acid is corrosive to the skin.[6]"

Farther below in the same section, however, it says the OSHA PEL is 30 ppm. Elsewhere it gives the NFPA hazard codes: H=3, F=2, R=1.

How can they say it is "low toxicity"?

~Barry Ferm

Chemical Hygiene Officer
Chemistry Laboratory Coordinator

--- This e-mail is from DCHAS-L, the e-mail list of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety. For more information about the list, contact the Divisional secretary at secretary**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org
--- This e-mail is from DCHAS-L, the e-mail list of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety. For more information about the list, contact the Divisional secretary at secretary**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org

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