The acute inhalation toxicology of chlorine pentafluoride.

Abstract

Chlorine pentafluoride (CIF5) is of interest owing to its use as a fluorinated oxidizing propellant for rocket engines. Since toxicity information on this compound is inadequate, especially regarding its inhalation hazard, rats, mice, dogs, and monkeys were exposed to various measured concentrations of C1F5 to determine the 15-, 30-, and 60-minute LC50 for each species. All animals were observed for visible sypmtomaitology and mortality both during exposure and for 14 days postexposure. The LC50 values (in ppm) for rats were 257, 194, and 122; for mice 144, 105, and 57; for dogs 298, 156, and 122; and for monkeys 249, 218, and 173, for 15-, 30-, and 60-minute exposures, respectively. The respiratory tract was the primary target for CIF5 damage in all four species, and mortality due to C1F5 exposure was related to its adverse respiratory effects. The LC50 information from this study was compared with LC50's obtained for other fluorinated oxidizers and HF. Chlorine pentafluoride was less toxic than OF2, but...