Chemical Odor Threshold
11/01/2002
Read this first!!!
The following is a list of compound I have found information on. Please check the reference documents listed before using the data. I DO NOT in, any way, guarantee this information and being your life and health depends on this data go to the original source!!!!
3M also has a nice respirator selection guide that list odor threshold but many do not match the ones listed below and they do not provide references to the source of the data. Click Here to go to the 3M page.
If you don't find a compound you need here, try Spectrum Laboratories Chemical Fact Sheet List of compounds
|
Compound |
Odor Threshold ppm unless noted |
References |
| Acetone |
13-20 (EPA) 100 (CHRIS) 0.66-320 (AAR) 0.037-0.15 (AIHA) |
TOXICOLOGICAL REVIEW OF ACETONE EPA ATSDR. (1994) Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological Profile for Acetone. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, ATSDR, Atlanta, GA. Ask Dr. ALOHA: Working With Toxic and Odor Thresholds |
| Ammonia (anhydrous) |
5 - 50 EPA 1.5 EPA 47 (CHRIS) 0.037-20 (AAR) 0.043-53 (AIHA) |
HAZARDS OF AMMONIA RELEASES AT AMMONIA REFRIGERATION FACILITIES EPA Appendix C, Part 1 Chemical Properties Data
|
| Benzene |
0.16 - 320 1.5 (EPA) 0.78-160 (AIHA) 0.16-320 (AAR) 4.7 (CHRIS)
sweet |
EPA - Air Toxics
Website - Benzene Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). Toxicological Profile for Benzene (Draft). U.S. Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta, GA. 1997. |
| Carbon tetrachloride |
0.063 ug/m3 >10 (CHRIS) 15-50 (AAR) 1.6-706 (AIHA) |
EPA NE Air Toxics - Carbon Tetrachloride |
| Cumene |
0.088 1.2 (CHRIS) 0.0051-1.3 (AIHA) |
EPA - Air Toxics Website - Cumene |
| 1,1-DCE |
500 - 1400 Mild, sweet, resembling chloroform |
TOXICOLOGICAL REVIEW OF 1,1-DICHLOROETHYLENE EPA/635/R02/002 Dr. Cindy M. Lee - Predicting the Chemical Fate of Chlorinated Ethenes in a Pond Environment |
| trans 1,1-DCE | 17 ppm |
Dr. Cindy M. Lee - Predicting the Chemical Fate of Chlorinated Ethenes in a Pond Environment |
| Ethyl acetate | 0.006 - 0.686 | Spectrum Laboratories Chemical Fact Sheet - Cas # 141786 |
| Ethyl benzene |
140 (CHRIS) 0.25-2.3 (AAR) 0.092-0.60 (AIHA) |
Ask Dr. ALOHA: Working With Toxic and Odor Thresholds |
| MEK (2-Butanone) |
5.4 (EPA)
10 (CHRIS)
11-27 (AAR)
0.25-85 (AIHA) |
EPA - Air Toxics
Website - Methyl Ethyl Ketone (2-Butanone) J.E. Amoore and E. Hautala. Odor as an aid to chemical safety: Odor thresholds compared with threshold limit values and volatilities for 214 industrial chemicals in air and water dilution. Journal of Applied Toxicology, 3(6):272-290. 1983. |
| Naphthalene | 0.084 (EPA) 0.3-0.9 (AAR) 0.0095-0.64 (AIHA) |
EPA - Air Toxics
Website - Naphthalene Ask Dr. ALOHA: Working With Toxic and Odor Thresholds Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). Toxicological Profile for Naphthalene (Update). Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta, GA. 1995 J.E. Amoore and E. Hautala. Odor as an aid to chemical safety: Odor thresholds compared with threshold limit values and volatilities for 214 industrial chemicals in air and water dilution. Journal of Applied Toxicology, 3(6):272-290. 1983. |
| PCE | 1.0 -
4.68
ppm
|
EPA CHEMICAL SUMMARY FOR
PERCHLOROETHYLENE EPA 749-F-94-020a ATSDR. 1993. Agency for Toxic
Substances and Disease Registry. ATSDR - ToxFAQs Tetrachloroethylene (PERC) Dr. Cindy M. Lee - Predicting the Chemical Fate of Chlorinated Ethenes in a Pond Environment
|
| Phenol |
0.04 (EPA)
0.05 (CHRIS)
0.0045-1 (AIHA)
strong very sweet |
EPA - Air Toxics
Website - Phenol Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). Toxicological Profile for Phenol (Update). Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta, GA. 1998. J.E. Amoore and E. Hautala. Odor as an aid to chemical safety: Odor thresholds compared with threshold limit values and volatilities for 214 industrial chemicals in air and water dilution. Journal of Applied Toxicology, 3(6):272-290. 1983 |
| Sulfur dioxide | 3 (CHRIS)
(AAR) 0.33-5 (AIHA) |
Ask Dr. ALOHA: Working With Toxic and Odor Thresholds |
| TCE | 28 (EPA) sweet odor similar to ether or chloroform |
EPA - Air Toxics
Website - Trichloroethylene Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). Toxicological Profile for Trichloroethylene (Update). U.S. Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta, GA. 1997. J.E. Amoore and E. Hautala. Odor as an aid to chemical safety: Odor thresholds compared with threshold limit values and volatilities for 214 industrial chemicals in air and water dilution. Journal of Applied Toxicology, 3(6):272-290. 1983. |
| Toluene | 2.9 (EPA) 0.17(CHRIS) 0.17-40 (AAR) 0.021-69 (AIHA) |
EPA - Air Toxics Website - Toluene |
| Vinyl chloride | 3,000 (EPA) 260 (CHRIS) 260-25,000 (AAR) Vinyl chloride is a colorless gas with a mild, sweet odor.
|
EPA - Air Toxics Website - Vinyl chloride Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). Toxicological Profile for Vinyl Chloride (Update). Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta, GA. 1997. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). Toxicological Profile for Toluene (Update). U.S. Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta, GA. 1994 J.E. Amoore and E. Hautala. Odor as an aid to chemical safety: Odor thresholds compared with threshold limit values and volatilities for 214 industrial chemicals in air and water dilution. Journal of Applied Toxicology, 3(6):272-290. 1983. Dr. Cindy M. Lee - Predicting the Chemical Fate of Chlorinated Ethenes in a Pond Environment |
| xylene | 1.1 m-xylene
(EPA) 0.05 o,m,p-Xylene (CHRIS) 0.2 - 4 o,m,p-Xylene (AAR) 0.081 - 5.4 o,m,p-Xylene (AIHA) Sweet odor |
EPA - Air Toxics
Website - Xylenes J.E. Amoore and E. Hautala. Odor as an aid to chemical safety: Odor thresholds compared with threshold limit values and volatilities for 214 industrial chemicals in air and water dilution. Journal of Applied Toxicology, 3(6):272-290. 1983. |
Other References:
AAR - Bureau of Explosives, American Association of Railroads. 1996. Emergency Action Guides. Washington, DC:
AIHA - American Industrial Hygiene Association. 1989. Odor thresholds for chemicals with established occupational health standards.
CHRIS - U.S. Coast Guard. Chemical Hazards Response Information System (CHRIS) Manual.