FireDOC Search

Author
Levin, B. C. | Gurman, J. L. | Paabo, M. | Clark, H. M. | Yoklavich, M. F.
Title
Reduction of HCN and the Acute Inhalation Toxicity of Combustion Products by Copper Additives. (Abstract Only)
Coporate
National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, MD
Report
Abstract 568,
Book or Conf
Society of Toxicology. The Toxicologist. Abstracts of the 27th Annual Meeting. Volume 8. Number 1. February 1988, 201 p., 1987
Keywords
toxicology | hydrogen cyanidem | acute inhalation | toxicity | combustion products | copper | animals | thermal decomposition | inhalation toxicity
Identifiers
toxicity
Abstract
Two gases of major concern in fire deaths are carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide (HCN), which produce their toxic effects additively. Reducing the amount of HCN produced from the thermal decomposition of nitrogen-containing materials should decrease the toxicity of the combustion products. A flexible polyurethane foam (FPU) was treated with water (control-FPU) or copper dust, copper sulfate, or copper oxide. When thermally decomposed via a two phase procedure simulating a common fire scenario, control-FPU produced maximum HCN concentrations of =100 to 200 ppm. The control-FPU LC50 of acute 30 min exposures of Fischer 344 male rats was 25 mg/l (mass of FPU loaded/exposure chamber volume). All the animals died during the 30 min exposures when 30 mg of control-FPU were decomposed. In contrast, no deaths were seen during 30 min exposures to the combustion products from 25, 30 or 35 mg/l of FPU to which copper compounds has been added; the maximum HCN concentration was reduced to =20 ppm. Both the control and coper-FPU produced delayed post-exposure deaths (as late as 16 days) similar to those seen previously when rats were exposed to FPU decomposed according to the small-scale NBS toxicity test method. Comparable delayed deaths have not been observed following large-scale room burns of FPU chairs.