Skip to main content
James Tarpo Jr. and Margaret Tarpo
Department of Chemistry

Poison Gas Table

Table still in progress 12/10/09

122
material*

LC50
ppm

 IDLH**

cut-off***

 I II III NR  Notes
acetyl fluoride       3251.5 65.03  
ammonia 4000       4000 80 Baker MSDS A5472 07/29/03 rat inh 4h 2000 ppm
antimony hydride 20 5 1% (1000 ppm) 20 10 0.67 0.40 see stibine below
arsenic pentafluoride ~1.5 5 mg As/m3 0.075% (750 ppm) 20 10 0.67 0.40  1.5 calculated from IDLH (just converted to ppm)
arsine <0.9 3 0.045% (45 ppm) 20 10 0.67 0.40 link   0.9 ppm is calc value from 15 min rat inh LC50 0.3 mg/m3
Air Liquide MSDS gives 20 ppm (1 h) LC50 with no other info.
BOC gas MSDS says 390 mg/m3/10M rat LC50
2-butene     1398.3 46.61 27.97  
boron trichloride 2541     2541 84.70 50.82 link  DOES NOT SAY 1 h
RTECS data clear 2541 ppm is 1 h rat inh LC50
boron trifluoride 875 25 43.7%   806 26.87 16.12 TOXNET LC50 Rat inhalation 1.21 mg/L/4 hr
RTECS data says 1180 mg/m3/4h   Those are very close.  The 875 is calculated based on the lewer of the two.
bromine chloride     290 9.67 5.80 have searched RTECS, Toxnet (there is a Fact sheet from 1988, purchasable but probably not helpful).  The use of this seems to be focused entirely on wastewater treatment and poliovirus pesticide activity.
carbon monoxide 3614 1200       3760 75.2 link  1807 ppm/4 hour(s) inhalation-rat LC50 RTECS gives same data
carbonyl chlorofluoride 45 ppm   class II

53.33

 32.00 TGO assigned, failing tox data availability
carbonyl fluoride 360 18%   360 12.00 7.20 link  360 ppm/1 hour(s) inhalation-rat LC50
carbonyl sulfide 2140     2220 740 44.4 link  1070 ppm/4 hour(s) inhalation-rat LC50m  RTECS agrees
chlorine 293 10 14.6%     9.77 5.86 link  293 ppm/1 hour(s) inhalation-rat LC50
chlorine dioxide 5 200 ppm   250 8.33 5.00 link (toxnet) gives much animal data but mostly aquatic.
chlorine monoxide 50 ppm class I 50.00 3.33 2.00 TGO assigned, failing tox data availability
chlorine pentafluoride 122 6.1%       not in TGO link (toxnet, might have to re-search, the links seem to "expire")
chlorine trifluoride 299 20 14.95%   299 9.97 5.98 link  299 ppm/1 hour(s) inhalation-rat LC50
chlorosilane 2080     class II 53.33 32.00 link
chlorotrifluoroethylene     2000 66.67 40  
coal gas         not in TGO RTECS, not much tox data, appears to be quite bad.
cyanogen 350 17.5%   350 11.67 7.00 link  350 ppm/1 hour(s) inhalation-rat LC50
cyanogen chloride 1.26   80 40 2.67 1.60 RTECS 3150 μg/kg rabbit LD50
link 6 mg/kg oral-cat LD50
diborane 80 15           link  40 ppm/4 hour(s) inhalation-rat LC50
deuterium bromide     300 10.00 6.00  
deuterium chloride       3120 62.40  
deuterium iodide     class II 53.33 32.00  
deuterium sulfide     710 23.67 14.20  
diazomethane 2   20 10.00 0.67 0.40 from TGO, IDLH
dichloroacetylene 438   153.1 76.56 5.10 3.06 link gives 4h rat LC50 for mixtures
dichlorosilane 215     314 10.47 6.28 RTECS (time not stated)
dinitrogen tetroxide   115 57.50 3.83 2.30 see nitrogen dioxide.  They are in equilibrium.
diphosgene   2 1.00 0.07 0.04  
ethyl nitrite     320 10.67 6.40  
ethylene oxide 2924 800       4350 87.00 RTECS 800 ppm 4H rat inh LC50
toxnet says 1462 4H rat inh LC50
fluorine 185 25   185 92.50 6.17 3.70 link  185 ppm/1 hour(s) inhalation-rat LC50
formaldehyde 784 20   165.7 82.84 5.52 3.31 toxnet says 0.48 mg/l (4 hr) rat which is 784 ppm 1h rat
germane 441     622 20.73 12.44 link  1380 mg/m3 inh-rat LC50;     1250 mg/kg oral-mouse LD50
hexaethyl tetraphosphate          

RTECS gives oral rat LD50 = 7 mg/kg
(not a gas?) (not in TGO)
hexafluoroacetone 468     470 15.67 9.4 RTECS has 275 ppm as 3h rat inh LC50
1,3-hexafluorobutadiene 667   184.2 92.08 6.14 3.68 link
hexafluoropropene       3659.7 73.19  
hydrogen bromide 2858 30     2860 95.33 57.20 link  2858 ppm/1 hour(s) inhalation-rat LC50
hydrogen chloride 3124 50     2810 93.67 56.20 link  3124 ppm/1 hour inh-rat LC50;         900 mg/kg oral-rabbit LD50
hydrogen cyanide 112 50   40 20.00 1.33 0.80 link   160 ppm/30 min inh-rat LC50;    3700 ug/kg oral-mouse LD50
hydrogen fluoride 1347 30     1300 43.33 26.00 link  1100 mg/m3/60 minute(s) inhalation-rat LC50
hydrogen iodide     2860 95.33 57.20 not much tox reports, It seems to be of little interest for its toxicity.
hydrogen selenide 2.2 1   60 30.00 2.00 1.20 link  300 ppb/8 hour(s) inhalation-guinea pig LC50, RTECS confirms
hydrogen sulfide 444 100     712 23.73 14.24 link  444 ppm inhalation-rat LC50  (doesn't say 1 h)   another link
ketene 5     535.1 17.84 10.70  
methyl bromide 846 250     1007 33.57 20.14 link oral rat LD50 214 mg/kg
RTECS gives 302 ppm/8h rat LC50 and rat oral LD50 = 214 mg/kg
methyl chloride 5143 2300           link IHL-RAT LC50 5300 mg/m3/4h
RTECS confirms and gives oral rat LD50 = 1800 mg/kg
methylchlorosilane     600 20.00 12.00 not a lot of Tox data, RTECS gives some, no LC50 or LD50.  It is apparetnly not an acute toxin of the same league.
methyl mercaptan 675 150     1350 45.00 27.00 link Ihl-rat 675 ppm (one h?)  another link
mustard gas   4 2.00 0.13 0.08 not actually a gas at standard conditions
nickel carbonyl 24.5 2           link  35 ppm/30 min inhalation-rat LC50.  not in TGO
nitric oxide
(nitrogen monoxide)		 1739 100   115 57.50 3.83 2.30 link IHL-RAT LC50 1068 mg/m3/4h, also reported in RTECS
link 160 mg/m3 inhalation-rat LC50, value also reported in RTECS
nitrogen dioxide 176 20   115 57.50 3.83 2.30 link rat 4h inh 88 ppm
nitrogen oxide
(nitrous oxide)		           THIS is not a poison gas.  It is "laughing gas," still used as a dental anesthetic, and it has been added to this table simply to make a point about how similar the names can look.
nitrogen trifluoride 6700 1000           link 6700 ppm/1 hour(s) inhalation-rat LC50, also in RTECS
nitrogen trifluoride oxide 48           RTECS gives 24 ppm 4 h rat inh LC50
nitrogen trioxide       3350 67.00 nothing in RTECS, little elsewhere, not finding tox data.  "Delayed effects."
nitrosyl chloride 35     class II 53.33 32.00 link Air Liquide MSDS gives 35 ppm (1 h) LC50 with no other info.
oil gas           We will assume it's very bad and research it more thoroughly it it ever comes up.
oxalyl bromide   class II 53.33 32.00  
oxygen difluoride 2.6 0.5   3 1.50 0.10 0.06 NIOSH RTECS
ozone 9.6 5   9 4.5

0.30

 0.18 BOC 1997 msds says 4800 ppb 4 H rat inh which is pretty low
perchloryl fluoride 770 100     770 25.67 15.40 NIOSH RTECS gives 385 ppm/4 hour rat inh LC50
perfluoroisobutylene 1.47   1.2 0.61 0.04 0.02 BOC msds of mixture gives LC50 for this component as 1.05 ppm rat ihn 2 h
phosgene note 4 2   5 2.50 0.17 0.10 link
phosphine 22 200   20 10.00 0.67 0.40 link 11 ppm/4 hour(s) inhalation-rat LC50
phosphorus pentafluoride 190     260 8.67 5.20 Air Liquide MSDS gives 190 ppm (1 h) LC50 with no other info.
selenium hexafluoride 50 2   50 25.00 1.67 1.00 Air Liquide MSDS gives 50 ppm (1 h) LC50 with no other info.
RTECS gives only LCLOs, but it looks unpleasant.
silicon tetrafluoride 450     2272 75.73 45.44 Air Liquide MSDS gives 450 ppm (1 h) LC50 with no other info.
RTECS gives 2250 ppm, no time.
stibine 20 5   20 10 0.67 0.40 Air Liquide MSDS gives 20 ppm (1 h) LC50 with no other info.
RTECS -- all refs are LCLO, but they are pretty low. 
sulfur dioxide 2520 100     2520 84.00 50.40 Air Liquide MSDS gives 2520 ppm (1 h) LC50 with no other info.
sulfur pentafluoride 1   10 5.00 0.33 0.20 No rat inh data found.  10 is the IDLH according to TGO
sulfur tetrafluoride 40   40 20.00 1.33 0.80 Air Liquide MSDS gives 40 ppm (1 h) LC50 with no other info.
sulfuryl fluoride 3020 200       3020 60.40 Air Liquide MSDS gives 3020 ppm (1 h) LC50 with no other info.
tellurium hexafluoride

25

 1   25 12.5 0.83 0.50 Source of 25 ppm not known came from.  RTECS only gives LCLO values, very low.  OSHA tech bulletin also gives no LC50.  NIOSH RTECS too
trifluoroacetyl fluoride     1000 33.33 20.00 tox info is elusive so far
trifluorochloroethylene 2000           NIOSH RTECS reports rat 4 h inh LC50 is 1000 ppm
bis(trifluoromethyl)peroxide   10 5 0.33 0.20  
tungsten hexafluoride 150     217 7.23 4.34 217 link   Air Liquide MSDS gives 160 ppm (1 h) LC50 with no other info.
vinyl chloride         NR Oxford msds says rat LD50 is 500 mg/kg, which is the upper limit of toxic.  RTECS gives rat 15 min LC50 of 18 pph.

*Reference is to material which is a compressed or liquefied gas or gas mixture obtained in cryo-freezers, cylinders, lecture bottles, or other gas containers.  Does not apply liquid mixtures, e.g. BF3 etherate, nor aqueous NH3, HCl, HBr.... 

** IDLH is given as ppm unless otherwise indicated. 

*** Cut-off concentration:  If concentration of toxic gas in any two-component mixture compressed gas cylinder is LESS THAN this amount, the requirement for sprinklered, continuously ventilated cabinet does not apply.