Nitrogen trifluoride

Agent Name
Nitrogen trifluoride
CAS Number
7783-54-2
Formula
F3-N
Major Category
Toxic Gases & Vapors
Nitrogen trifluoride formula graphical representation
Synonyms
Nitrogen fluoride; Nitrogen fluoride (NF3); Perfluoroammonia; Trifluoroamine; Trifluoroammonia; [ChemIDplus] UN2451
Category
Other Toxic Gases & Vapors
Description
Colorless gas with a moldy odor. [Note: Shipped as a nonliquefied compressed gas.]; [NIOSH]
Sources/Uses
Used in high-energy fuels and in chemical synthesis; [ACGIH]
Comments
Causes liver/kidney injury in rats exposed to 100 ppm 7 hours/day, 5 days a week for 19 weeks; No fluorosis of teeth or bones in these animals; Listed in the table "Examples of Industrial Chemicals for Which Methemoglobin Formation is NOT the Principal Cause of Toxicity"; [ACGIH] May cause fluorosis after high, prolonged, and repeated exposures; [ICSC] "Rats died from exposure to 10,000 ppm for 60 to 70 minutes; the methemoglobin concentrations at the time of death were equivalent to 60 to 70% of available hemoglobin. Animals exposed to nearly lethal concentrations suffered severe respiratory distress and cyanosis due to methemoglobinemia; severely affected animals showed incoordination, collapse and convulsions." [NIOSH Guidelines for Chemical Hazards] See "FLUORIDES."
Biomedical References

Exposure Assessment

BEI
Methemoglobin in blood = 1.5% of hemoglobin during or at end of shift. [ACGIH]
Skin Designation (ACGIH)
Insufficient data
TLV (ACGIH)
10 ppm
PEL (OSHA)
10 ppm
IDLH (NIOSH)
1000 ppm
Excerpts from Documentation for IDLHs
Basis for original (SCP) IDLH: The chosen IDLH is based on the mouse 4­hour LC50 of 2,000 ppm cited by Deichmann and Gerarde [1969]. Deichmann and Gerarde [1969] also stated that nitrogen trifluoride is a pulmonary irritant comparable in toxicity to the oxides of nitrogen. . . . Human data: None relevant for use in determining the revised IDLH.
Lethal Concentration
LC50 (rat) = 6,700 ppm/1H
ERPG-1
Not appropriate
ERPG-2
400 ppm
ERPG-3
800 ppm

Adverse Effects

Methemoglobinemia
MetHgb is secondary toxic effect
Hepatotoxin
Hepatoxic (a) from occupational exposure (secondary effect) or (b) in animal studies or in humans after ingestion
Nephrotoxin
Yes

Diseases, Processes, and Activities Linked to This Agent

Processes

Industrial Processes with risk of exposure: