1,1-Dimethylhydrazine

Synonyms

Dimazine; DMH; UDMH; Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine; [NIOSH]

Category

Hydrazines

Description

Colorless liquid with an ammonia- or fish-like odor; [NIOSH]

Sources/Uses

Used in jet and rocket fuels, photography, and organic synthesis; also used to control plant growth and to absorb acid gases; [ACGIH]

Comments

Liquid causes second or third degree burns after short contact; [CHRIS] Corrosive to skin; [Quick CPC] In animal experiments at 5 ppm, 6 hours/day, 5 days a week, 1,1-dimethylhydrazine causes neurological injury and hemolytic anemia. In several reported cases following industrial accidents, observed effects included neurological symptoms, pulmonary edema, and elevated liver enzymes. [ACGIH] Patients poisoned by hydrazines may develop methemoglobinemia and liver injury. [HSDB] In high-dose reproductive studies of animals, hydrazine derivatives (hydrazine, MMH, and UDMH) cause testicular damage and fetal loss, and hydrazine causes birth defects. [Frazier, p. 341-2] Danger of skin sensitization; [MAK]

Reference Link #1

Biomedical References

Yes

Yes

0.01 ppm

0.5 ppm

15 ppm

Excerpts from Documentation for IDLHs

Other animal data: No adverse effects were noted in dogs exposed at 50, 200, and 600 ppm for 60, 15, and 5 minutes, respectively; only mild toxic responses were noted at 100, 400, and 1,200 ppm for 60, 15, and 5 minutes, respectively [Weeks et al. 1963].

167 mm Hg

6.1 ppm

Odor Threshold High

14 ppm

LC50 (rat) = 252 ppm/4 hr

Explanatory Notes

Detection odor threshold from AIHA (mean = 9.2); VP from HSDB;

Reference Link #2

burn readily

Yes

Yes

MetHgb is secondary toxic effect

Other CNS neurotoxin

Hepatoxic (a) from occupational exposure (secondary effect) or (b) in animal studies or in humans after ingestion

Yes

Skin burns

Possible (2b)

Anticipated human carcinogen

Confirmed Animal

Diseases

Occupational diseases associated with exposure to this agent:

• Contact dermatitis, allergic
• Encephalopathy, acute toxic
• Pneumonitis, toxic

Processes

Industrial Processes with risk of exposure:

• Photographic Processing