Osmium tetroxide

Synonyms

Osmic acid; Osmic acid anhydride; Osmium tetraoxide; Osmium tetroxide; Perosmic acid anhydride; Perosmic oxide; [ChemIDplus] UN2471

Category

Metals, Inorganic Compounds

Description

Colorless, crystalline solid or pale-yellow mass with an unpleasant, acrid, chlorine-like odor; Note: A liquid above 105 degrees F; [NIOSH]

Sources/Uses

Used primarily for staining of biological and pathological tissues for microscopic study; [ACGIH]

Comments

A skin and respiratory irritant, OsO4 can cause pulmonary edema in animals exposed to high concentrations. [ACGIH] A lachrymator; [ChemFinder] "Tear drawing" and corrosive to the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract; May cause kidney injury after prolonged or repeated exposure; [ICSC] Osmium tetroxide can cause chronic bronchitis. [LaDou, p. 382] May cause severe burns; [CAMEO] Based on animal studies, osmium tetroxide bioaccumulates after chronic exposure and may cause kidney and liver damage. [HSDB] See "Osmium."

Biomedical References

Insufficient data

Yes

0.0016 mg/m3

0.0047 mg/m3

0.002 mg/m3, as Os

1 mg/m3, as Os

Excerpts from Documentation for IDLHs

It has been suggested that 1 mg/m3 is tolerable for 30 minutes [Flury and Zernik 1931]. Workers exposed to 0.1 to 0.6 mg/m3 suffered from lacrimation and disturbances of vision and in some cases, headache, conjunctivitis, and cough [McLaughlin et al. 1946].

7 mm Hg

0.0019 ppm

LCLo (rat) = 40 ppm/4H

Explanatory Notes

Odor threshold from NJ "Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet"; VP from HSDB at 27 deg C;

Reference Link #2

Yes

Yes

Yes

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

Yes

Skin burns

Diseases

Occupational diseases associated with exposure to this agent:

• Pulmonary disease, chronic obstructive