PERACETIC ACID 15

CAS No.: 79-21-0
EC No.: 201-186-8

Synonyms:
PERACETIC ACID 15; peracetic acid 15; perasetik asit 15; PERASETİK ASİT 15; PERACETIC ACID; Peroxyacetic acid; Ethaneperoxoic acid; 79-21-0; Estosteril; Acetic peroxide; Peroxoacetic acid; Monoperacetic acid; Osbon AC; Acetyl hydroperoxide; Proxitane 4002; Desoxon 1; Hydroperoxide, acetyl; Ethaneperoxic acid; Caswell No. 644; UNII-I6KPI2E1HD; Acide peracetique [French]; CCRIS 686; Acide peroxyacetique [French]; Acido peroxiacetico [Spanish]; Kyselina peroxyoctova [Czech]; PERACETIC ACID 15; peracetic acid 15; perasetik asit 15; PERASETİK ASİT 15; PERACETIC ACID 15; peracetic acid 15; perasetik asit 15; PERASETİK ASİT 15; HSDB 1106; EINECS 201-186-8; I6KPI2E1HD; EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 063201; BRN 1098464; CHEMBL444965; NCGC00166305-01; Peroxyacetic acid, >43% and with >6% hydrogen peroxide [Forbidden]; Acide peracetique; Acido peroxiacetico; Acide peroxyacetique; F50; Kyselina peroxyoctova; LCAP; Aceticperoxide; peractic acid; per-acetic acid; Peroxacetic acid; Peroxyacetic acid, ca.35wt.% sol. in diluted acetic acid, stabilized; acetic acid oxide; Peroxy acetic acid; PERACETIC ACID 15; peracetic acid 15; perasetik asit 15; PERASETİK ASİT 15; PERACETIC ACID 15; peracetic acid 15; perasetik asit 15; PERASETİK ASİT 15; AcOOH; Acecide (TN); ACMC-20egd0; CH3CO2OH; Ethaneperoxoic acid, 9CI; CH3C(O)OOH; DSSTox_CID_5853; $l^{1}-oxidanyl acetate; EC 201-186-8; DSSTox_RID_77948; DSSTox_GSID_25853; 4-02-00-00390 (Beilstein Handbook Reference); DTXSID1025853; CTK2H7553; Tox21_112402; BDBM50266095; ZINC38141555; AKOS015837803; C(C)(=[O+][O-])O; DB14556; LS-1775; CAS-79-21-0; SC-46796; 747-EP2272817A1; 747-EP2272822A1; PERACETIC ACID 15; peracetic acid 15; perasetik asit 15; PERASETİK ASİT 15; PERACETIC ACID 15; peracetic acid 15; perasetik asit 15; PERASETİK ASİT 15; 747-EP2284148A1; 747-EP2284161A1; 747-EP2287147A2; 747-EP2287160A1; 747-EP2298755A1; 747-EP2301934A1; 747-EP2305662A1; 747-EP2311811A1; 747-EP2311814A1; 747-EP2311842A2; Peracetic acid solution, 8.7% in acetic acid; D03467; Q375140; Peracetic acid solution, 36-40 wt. % in acetic acid; Peracetic acid solution 32 wt. % in dilute acetic acid; Peracetic acid solution, 32 wt. % in dilute acetic acid; PERACETIC ACID 15; peracetic acid 15; perasetik asit 15; PERASETİK ASİT 15; PERACETIC ACID 15; peracetic acid 15; perasetik asit 15; PERASETİK ASİT 15; Peroxyacetic acid, >43% and with >6% hydrogen peroxide; Peracetic acid solution, purum, ~39% in acetic acid (RT); Peracetic acid solution, purum, ~40% in acetic acid: water; acetic peroxide; ACETYL HYDROPEROXIDE; ethaneperoxoic acid; PERACETIC ACID 15; peracetic acid 15; perasetik asit 15; PERASETİK ASİT 15; Osbon AC; PERACETIC ACID; PEROXYACETIC ACID; 4,4'-Di(methoxy)-azobenzene; Acide peracetique; acideperacetique; acideperacetique(french); acideperoxyacetique(french); acidoperoxiacetico; caswellno.644; CH3C(O)OOH; Desoxon 1; desoxon1; epapesticidechemicalcode063201; Estosteril; Ethanperoxosαure; PERACETIC ACID 15; peracetic acid 15; perasetik asit 15; PERASETİK ASİT 15; Hydroperoxide, acetyl; monoper    acetic acid; peroxy acetic acid; acetyl hydroperoxide; desoxon 1; estosteril; ethane peroxoic acid; ethaneperoxoic acid; peroxy ethanoic acid; hydroperoxide, acetyl; osbon AC; PAA; peroxyaceticacid; PERACETIC ACID 15; peracetic acid 15; perasetik asit 15; PERASETİK ASİT 15; proxitane 4002; 4-02-00-00390 (Beilstein Handbook Reference); Acetic peroxide; Acetyl hydroperoxide; Acide peracetique; Acide peracetique [French]; Acide peroxyacetique; Acide peroxyacetique [French]; Acido peroxiacetico; Acido peroxiacetico [Spanish]; BRN 1098464; Caswell No. 644; CCRIS 686; Desoxon 1; EC 201-186-8; EINECS 201-186-8; EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 063201; Estosteril; PERACETIC ACID 15; peracetic acid 15; perasetik asit 15; PERASETİK ASİT 15; Ethaneperoxoic acid; HSDB 1106; Hydroperoxide, acetyl; Kyselina peroxyoctova; Kyselina peroxyoctova [Czech]; Monoperacetic acid; Osbon AC; PAA; Peracetic acid; Peroxoacetic acid; Peroxyacetic acid; Proxitane 4002; UNII-I6KPI2E1HD; Ethaneperoxoic acid; Peracetic acid; Peroxyacetic acid; Ethaneperoxic acid; PERACETIC ACID 15; peracetic acid 15; perasetik asit 15; PERASETİK ASİT 15; Ethaneperoxoic acid; Peracetic acid; Peroxyacetic acid; Peroxyacetic acid, >43% and with >6% hydrogen peroxide; Peroxyacetic acid, >43% and with >6% hydrogen peroxide [Forbidden]; PERACETIC ACID 15; peracetic acid 15; perasetik asit 15; PERASETİK ASİT 15; PERACETIC ACID 15; peracetic acid 15; perasetik asit 15; PERASETİK ASİT 15; PERACETIC ACID; Peroxyacetic acid; Ethaneperoxoic acid; 79-21-0; Estosteril; Acetic peroxide; Peroxoacetic acid; Monoperacetic acid; Osbon AC; Acetyl hydroperoxide; Proxitane 4002; Desoxon 1; Hydroperoxide, acetyl; Ethaneperoxic acid; Caswell No. 644; UNII-I6KPI2E1HD; Acide peracetique [French]; CCRIS 686; Acide peroxyacetique [French]; Acido peroxiacetico [Spanish]; Kyselina peroxyoctova [Czech]; PERACETIC ACID 15; peracetic acid 15; perasetik asit 15; PERASETİK ASİT 15; PERACETIC ACID 15; peracetic acid 15; perasetik asit 15; PERASETİK ASİT 15; HSDB 1106; EINECS 201-186-8; I6KPI2E1HD; EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 063201; BRN 1098464; CHEMBL444965; NCGC00166305-01; Peroxyacetic acid, >43% and with >6% hydrogen peroxide [Forbidden]; Acide peracetique; Acido peroxiacetico; Acide peroxyacetique; F50; Kyselina peroxyoctova; LCAP; Aceticperoxide; peractic acid; per-acetic acid; Peroxacetic acid; Peroxyacetic acid, ca.35wt.% sol. in diluted acetic acid, stabilized; acetic acid oxide; Peroxy acetic acid; PERACETIC ACID 15; peracetic acid 15; perasetik asit 15; PERASETİK ASİT 15; PERACETIC ACID 15; peracetic acid 15; perasetik asit 15; PERASETİK ASİT 15; AcOOH; Acecide (TN); ACMC-20egd0; CH3CO2OH; Ethaneperoxoic acid, 9CI; CH3C(O)OOH; DSSTox_CID_5853; $l^{1}-oxidanyl acetate; EC 201-186-8; DSSTox_RID_77948; DSSTox_GSID_25853; 4-02-00-00390 (Beilstein Handbook Reference); DTXSID1025853; CTK2H7553; Tox21_112402; BDBM50266095; ZINC38141555; AKOS015837803; C(C)(=[O+][O-])O; DB14556; LS-1775; CAS-79-21-0; SC-46796; 747-EP2272817A1; 747-EP2272822A1; PERACETIC ACID 15; peracetic acid 15; perasetik asit 15; PERASETİK ASİT 15; PERACETIC ACID 15; peracetic acid 15; perasetik asit 15; PERASETİK ASİT 15; 747-EP2284148A1; 747-EP2284161A1; 747-EP2287147A2; 747-EP2287160A1; 747-EP2298755A1; 747-EP2301934A1; 747-EP2305662A1; 747-EP2311811A1; 747-EP2311814A1; 747-EP2311842A2; Peracetic acid solution, 8.7% in acetic acid; D03467; Q375140; Peracetic acid solution, 36-40 wt. % in acetic acid; Peracetic acid solution 32 wt. % in dilute acetic acid; Peracetic acid solution, 32 wt. % in dilute acetic acid; PERACETIC ACID 15; peracetic acid 15; perasetik asit 15; PERASETİK ASİT 15; PERACETIC ACID 15; peracetic acid 15; perasetik asit 15; PERASETİK ASİT 15; Peroxyacetic acid, >43% and with >6% hydrogen peroxide; Peracetic acid solution, purum, ~39% in acetic acid (RT); Peracetic acid solution, purum, ~40% in acetic acid: water; acetic peroxide; ACETYL HYDROPEROXIDE; ethaneperoxoic acid; PERACETIC ACID 15; peracetic acid 15; perasetik asit 15; PERASETİK ASİT 15; Osbon AC; PERACETIC ACID; PEROXYACETIC ACID; 4,4'-Di(methoxy)-azobenzene; Acide peracetique; acideperacetique; acideperacetique(french); acideperoxyacetique(french); acidoperoxiacetico; caswellno.644; CH3C(O)OOH; Desoxon 1; desoxon1; epapesticidechemicalcode063201; Estosteril; Ethanperoxosαure; PERACETIC ACID 15; peracetic acid 15; perasetik asit 15; PERASETİK ASİT 15; Hydroperoxide, acetyl; monoper    acetic acid; peroxy acetic acid; acetyl hydroperoxide; desoxon 1; estosteril; ethane peroxoic acid; ethaneperoxoic acid; peroxy ethanoic acid; hydroperoxide, acetyl; osbon AC; PAA; peroxyaceticacid; PERACETIC ACID 15; peracetic acid 15; perasetik asit 15; PERASETİK ASİT 15; proxitane 4002; 4-02-00-00390 (Beilstein Handbook Reference); Acetic peroxide; Acetyl hydroperoxide; Acide peracetique; Acide peracetique [French]; Acide peroxyacetique; Acide peroxyacetique [French]; Acido peroxiacetico; Acido peroxiacetico [Spanish]; BRN 1098464; Caswell No. 644; CCRIS 686; Desoxon 1; EC 201-186-8; EINECS 201-186-8; EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 063201; Estosteril; PERACETIC ACID 15; peracetic acid 15; perasetik asit 15; PERASETİK ASİT 15; Ethaneperoxoic acid; HSDB 1106; Hydroperoxide, acetyl; Kyselina peroxyoctova; Kyselina peroxyoctova [Czech]; Monoperacetic acid; Osbon AC; PAA; Peracetic acid; Peroxoacetic acid; Peroxyacetic acid; Proxitane 4002; UNII-I6KPI2E1HD; Ethaneperoxoic acid; Peracetic acid; Peroxyacetic acid; Ethaneperoxic acid; PERACETIC ACID 15; peracetic acid 15; perasetik asit 15; PERASETİK ASİT 15; Ethaneperoxoic acid; Peracetic acid; Peroxyacetic acid; Peroxyacetic acid, >43% and with >6% hydrogen peroxide; Peroxyacetic acid, >43% and with >6% hydrogen peroxide [Forbidden]; PERACETIC ACID 15; peracetic acid 15; perasetik asit 15; PERASETİK ASİT 15

PERACETIC ACID 15

Peracetic acid 15
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Peracetic acid 15
Peroxyacetic acid
Peroxyacetic acid
Names
Preferred IUPAC name
Ethaneperoxoic acid[1]
Other names
Peroxyacetic acid
Acetic peroxide
Acetyl hydroperoxide
Proxitane
Identifiers
CAS Number    
79-21-0 check
3D model (JSmol)    
Interactive image
Abbreviations    PAA
ChEMBL    
ChEMBL444965 check
ChemSpider    
6336 check
ECHA InfoCard    100.001.079 Edit this at Wikidata
EC Number    
201-186-8
KEGG    
D03467 check
PubChem CID    
6585
RTECS number    
SD8750000
UNII    
I6KPI2E1HD check
UN number    3107 3105
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)    
DTXSID1025853 Edit this at Wikidata
InChI[show]
SMILES[show]
Properties
Chemical formula    C2H4O3
Molar mass    76.05 g/mol
Appearance    Colorless liquid
Density    1.0375 g/mL
Melting point    0 °C (32 °F; 273 K)[2]
Boiling point    105 °C (221 °F; 378 K) 25 C @ (1.6 kPa)[2]
Acidity (pKa)    8.2
Refractive index (nD)    1.3974 (589 nm, 20 °C)[2]
Viscosity    3.280 cP
Pharmacology
ATCvet code    QG51AD03 (WHO)
Hazards
GHS pictograms    GHS02: FlammableGHS05: CorrosiveGHS07: HarmfulGHS09: Environmental hazard
GHS Signal word    Danger
GHS hazard statements    H226, H242, H302, H312, H314, H332, H400
GHS precautionary statements    P210, P220, P233, P234, P240, P241, P242, P243, P260, P261, P264, P270, P271, P273, P280, P301+312, P301+330+331, P302+352, P303+361+353, P304+312, P304+340, P305+351+338, P310, P312, P321
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)    
NFPA 704 four-colored diamond
232OX
Flash point    40.5 °C (104.9 °F; 313.6 K)
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
check verify (what is check☒ ?)
Infobox references
Peracetic acid 15 (also known as peroxyacetic acid, or PAA), is an organic compound with the formula CH3CO3H. This organic peroxide is a colorless liquid with a characteristic acrid odor reminiscent of acetic acid. It can be highly corrosive.

Peracetic acid 15 is a weaker acid than the parent acetic acid, with a pKa of 8.2.[2]

Contents
1    Production
2    Uses
2.1    Epoxidation
3    Safety
4    See also
5    References
Production
Peracetic acid 15 is produced industrially by the autoxidation of acetaldehyde:[2]

O2 + CH3CHO → CH3CO3H
It forms upon treatment of acetic acid with hydrogen peroxide with a strong acid catalyst:[3]

H2O2 + CH3CO2H ⇌ CH3CO3H + H2O
As an alternative, acetyl chloride and acetic anhydride can be used to generate a solution of the acid with lower water content.

Peracetic acid 15 is generated in situ by some laundry detergents. This route involves the reaction of tetraacetylethylenediamine (TAED) in the presence of an alkaline hydrogen peroxide solution. The Peracetic acid 15 is a more effective bleaching agent than hydrogen peroxide itself.[4][5] PAA is also formed naturally in the environment through a series of photochemical reactions involving formaldehyde and photo-oxidant radicals.[6]

Peracetic acid 15 is always sold in solution as a mixture with acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide to maintain its stability. The concentration of the acid as the active ingredient can vary.

Uses
The United States Environmental Protection Agency first registered Peracetic acid 15 as an antimicrobial in 1985 for indoor use on hard surfaces. Use sites include agricultural premises, food establishments, medical facilities, and home bathrooms. Peracetic acid 15 is also registered for use in dairy and cheese processing plants, on food processing equipment, and in pasteurizers in breweries, wineries, and beverage plants.[7] It is also applied for the disinfection of medical supplies, to prevent biofilm formation in pulp industries, and as a water purifier and disinfectant. Peracetic acid 15 can be used as a cooling tower water disinfectant, where it prevents biofilm formation and effectively controls Legionella bacteria. A trade name for Peracetic acid 15 as an antimicrobial is Nu-Cidex.[8]

In the European Union, Peroxyacetic acid was reported by the EFSA after submission in 2013 by the US Department of Agriculture .[9]

Decontamination kits for cleaning fentanyl analogues from surfaces (as used by many police forces, amongst others) often contain solid peracetyl borate, which mixes with water to produce Peracetic acid 15.[10]

Epoxidation
Although less active than more acidic peracids (e.g., m-CPBA), Peracetic acid 15 in various forms is used for the epoxidation of various alkenes. Useful application are for unsaturated fats, synthetic and natural rubbers, and some natural products such as pinene. A variety of factors affect the amount of free acid or sulfuric acid (used to prepare the peracid in the first place).[11]

Safety
Peracetic acid 15 is a strong oxidizing agent and severe irritant to the skin, eyes, and respiratory system. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency published the following Acute Exposure Guideline Levels (AEGL):[12]

eight-hour TWA AEGL    Definition    mg/m3    ppm
1    The concentration at which the general population will experience transient and reversible problems, such as notable discomfort, irritation, or certain asymptomatic non-sensory effects.    0.52    0.17
2    The concentration that results in irreversible or other serious, long-lasting adverse health effects or an impaired ability to escape.    1.6    0.52
3    The concentration that results in life-threatening health effects or death    4.1    1.3
See also
Disinfectant
Hydroxyl
Organic peroxide
Peroxy acid
TrifluoroPeracetic acid 15

Peracetic acid 15 (CAS No. 79-21-0), also known as peroxyacetic acid or PAA, is an organic chemical compound used in numerous applications, including chemical disinfectant in healthcare, sanitizer in the food industry, and disinfectant during water treatment. Peracetic acid 15 has also previously been used during the manufacture of chemical intermediates for pharmaceuticals. Produced by reacting acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide with an acid catalyst, Peracetic acid 15 is always sold in stabilized solutions containing acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and water. For the food and healthcare industries, Peracetic acid 15 is typically sold in concentrates of 1 to 5 percent and is diluted before use.

Many users know Peracetic acid 15 to be versatile and effective, and professionals with environmental responsibilities consider it to be environmentally friendly due to its decomposition products, which include acetic acid, oxygen, and water. However, industrial hygienists recognize that it is also highly corrosive and a strong oxidizer, and exposure to Peracetic acid 15 can severely irritate the eyes, skin, and respiratory system.

MANY ADVANTAGES
“I’ve never seen a chemical whose applications cross over from food and beverage to wastewater,” says Debbie Dietrich, CIH, senior vice president of sales and marketing and corporate industrial hygienist at SKC Inc. “From an industrial standpoint, there are so many advantages to Peracetic acid 15: it’s easy to apply and it doesn’t leave any toxic residues.”

Dietrich, who first learned about Peracetic acid 15 from the AIHA Healthcare Working Group, was surprised to find that the use of the compound extends far beyond the healthcare industry, where it’s primarily used as a chemical disinfectant. Outside of hospitals, Peracetic acid 15 has a wide variety of applications, including as a preventive additive to control bacteria such as Legionella in cooling towers and as a biocide to inhibit microbes in wastewater treatment. It’s even used for bleaching and wastewater treatment in the pulp and paper industry. In the food industry, Peracetic acid 15 is an effective antimicrobial used during poultry processing, to wash fresh produce, to sanitize surfaces, and more. 

Christine R. Knezevich, CIH, an industrial hygienist for the U.S. Air Force who has previous experience working in the food industry and for a manufacturer/distributor of Peracetic acid 15, agrees that the compound has many advantages.

“What’s so wonderful is it’s no-rinse,” Knezevich, a former Safe Quality Food (SQF) practitioner, explains. She adds that because Peracetic acid 15 functions well at cold temperatures it can be used effectively in freezers and coolers where meat processing occurs. And some Peracetic acid 15 products can be used for more than one task.

“The great thing about Peracetic acid 15 is that depending on the product registration and instructions for use, you can use it for multiple purposes: as a sanitizer, a disinfectant, or a sterilizer,” she explains. “Many times, it’s just a matter of the contact time and the concentration.”

According to Knezevich, Peracetic acid 15 doesn’t pose an issue for facilities with water discharge permits under EPA’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program. The chemical compound is found on the agency’s Safer Chemical Ingredients List as an antimicrobial active that EPA has “verified to be of low concern based on experimental and modeled data.” Peracetic acid 15 is especially attractive to companies who are under pressure to use greener chemicals—particularly those that are certified under the ISO 14001 Environment Management System standard. Knezevich explains that large companies evaluate suppliers based on these “green” requirements. 

HAZARDS
The International Chemical Safety Card (ICSC) for stabilized Peracetic acid 15 warns of short-term exposure effects, noting that “the substance is corrosive to the eyes, the skin and the respiratory tract.” Symptoms of acute exposure may include cough, labored breathing, and shortness of breath; skin redness, pain, and blisters; and “severe deep burns” in the eyes, according to the ICSC, which is available on NIOSH’s website. While Peracetic acid 15 is highly irritating to those who work with it—manufacturing workers are most at risk, along with chemists studying the compound—Knezevich maintains that the primary concern associated with Peracetic acid 15 is that it’s a strong oxidizer. 

“Our major concerns were actually the fire and explosion hazards and reactivity issues,” she says, explaining that Peracetic acid 15 reacts violently with soft metals such as brass, copper, iron, and zinc. And at concentrations of 15 percent or higher, a major chemical manufacturer, FMC Corporation, recommends explosion-proof equipment.

But for products containing concentrations of Peracetic acid 15 of five percent or less, which is what the majority of industries are dealing with, the biggest worry is that the compound will come into contact with the wrong type of metal, says Knezevich. She describes a mishap in which a galvanized steel dip tube was installed through the bung of a 55-gallon drum of a solution containing Peracetic acid 15. The drum was laid horizontally in its cradle over the weekend so it would be ready for use the following week. The soft metals of the dip tube reacted with the Peracetic acid 15, resulting in a buildup of oxygen gas. Sometime over the weekend, the drum ruptured from the heat and pressure of the reaction, releasing its contents onto the floor. Had staff been in the facility during that time, they likely would have noticed something was wrong.

“They would have noticed that it was starting to bulge or foam,” Knezevich says. “I’ve worked for chemical companies that made products with peroxide, and, believe me—you’ll know when something has gone wrong.”

Workplaces using Peracetic acid 15 at lower concentrations will preferably have some type of chemical metering pump system in place to minimize exposures to workers. During a roundtable presentation on surface disinfectants at AIHce 2013, Knezevich described how such a system can be set up in a space such as a janitor’s closet and be used to add water to concentrated Peracetic acid 15 products. Figure 1 depicts an example of a dispensing system. Some companies that sell Peracetic acid 15 products will also help set up and train workers on chemical dispensing equipment.

Editor’s note: The mention of specific products, companies, or services does not constitute endorsement by AIHA® or The Synergist®.

img_201612-feat1fig1
Figure 1. Chemical metering pump system that works by chemical proportioning through Dosatron pumps (left) and the transferring of chemicals through air pumps (right).

Knezevich stresses the importance of employee training and safety precautions when dealing with Peracetic acid 15.

“Worker education doesn’t end with the people handling [the Peracetic acid 15],” she says. “If you have personnel doing maintenance work, they have to understand what can and cannot be used with that system.”

Knezevich prefers annual training to ensure that employees fully understand the hazards of Peracetic acid 15. Workers and others handling products containing Peracetic acid 15 should also be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use on technical information sheets that accompany each product. These sheets provide directions for use, including instructions for diluting the product, if necessary; chemical characteristics; safety and handling; and storage and disposal. 

EXPOSURE LIMITS
While OSHA does not currently have a permissible exposure limit (PEL) for Peracetic acid 15, IH and OEHS professionals are not entirely without guidance. 

In 2014, ACGIH adopted a Threshold Limit Value–Short-Term Exposure Limit (TLV-STEL) for Peracetic acid 15 of 0.4 ppm (1.24 mg/m3) as a 15-minute time-weighted average (TWA) exposure that should not be exceeded at any time during a workday. The ACGIH STEL value carries the Inhalable Fraction and Vapor (IFV) endnote, which indicates that Peracetic acid 15 “may be present in both particle and vapor phases” and signals IHs to consider both phases when assessing exposures. The adverse health effects on which the TLV-STEL is based are upper respiratory tract, eye, and skin irritation. 

In 2010, the technical documentation supporting an Acute Exposure Guideline Level (AEGL) for Peracetic acid 15 was published in the eighth volume of Acute Exposure Guideline Levels for Selected Airborne Chemicals published by the National Academies Press. AEGLs, or exposure levels below which adverse health effects are not likely to occur, set threshold exposure limits for the general public and are applicable to emergency exposures ranging from 10 minutes to eight hours. They are established at three levels, with AEGL-1 representing the least severe toxic effects caused by exposure and AEGL-3 representing a level of exposure that could cause life-threatening health effects or death. The AEGL-2 for Peracetic acid 15, which indicates the level at which exposure could cause serious, long-lasting adverse health effects, is 0.5 ppm (1.6 mg/m3). A table outlining all AEGLs for Peracetic acid 15 is published on EPA’s website.

Most recently, this past August NIOSH reopened for comment its draft Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health (IDLH) value profile for Peracetic acid 15. The profile summarizes the health hazards of acute exposures to high airborne concentrations of Peracetic acid 15 and discusses the rationale for the proposed IDLH value. The draft document lists the IDLH value for Peracetic acid 15 as 0.64 ppm (1.7 mg/m3). The agency does not currently have a recommended exposure limit (REL) for the compound.

Exposure guidelines for Peracetic acid 15 are limited, but Knezevich notes that because it’s most often sold as a mixture with hydrogen peroxide and acetic acid, there are other ways for IHs to measure worker exposure to those chemicals. 

“You simply don’t have a limit for Peracetic acid 15, so the next step is to look at what else is in the mixture,” she says.
Workplaces using Peracetic acid 15 at lower concentrations will preferably have some type of chemical metering pump system in place to minimize exposures to workers.
Fortunately, the OSHA PELs, ACGIH TLVs, and NIOSH RELs cover both hydrogen peroxide and acetic acid. All three organizations have set their respective exposure limits at 1 ppm, or 1.4 mg/m3 TWA, for hydrogen peroxide. ACGIH notes that hydrogen peroxide is a “confirmed animal carcinogen with unknown relevance to humans.” The PEL, TLV, and REL for acetic acid are all set at 10 ppm, or 25 mg/m3 TWA. ACGIH and NIOSH both adopted a STEL for acetic acid at 15 ppm, or 37 mg/m3. 

SAMPLING AND ANALYTICAL METHODS
The only method currently available for sampling Peracetic acid 15 was published in 2004 by the Institut National de Recherche et de Sécurité (INRS), a French research organization similar to NIOSH. The INRS method is for the simultaneous collection of Peracetic acid 15 and hydrogen peroxide because the two are found together in solutions. It took U.S. laboratories some time to begin analyzing samples using this method, but growing interest spurred several AIHA-accredited labs to offer the analysis over time, Dietrich says. SKC offers the media for the French method—two-section and single sorbent tubes for sampling Peracetic acid 15, preceded by a treated glass filter for hydrogen peroxide.

Bureau Veritas has been offering analysis for Peracetic acid 15 for at least two or three years. Kristine Kurtz, PhD, a department supervisor who is involved in method development and validation at Bureau Veritas’ Novi, Mich., laboratory, says that her lab analyzes five to ten samples a week for Peracetic acid 15. Kurtz explains that most people use the two-section sorbent tubes for collection and that the media is silica gel that’s been treated with methyl p-tolyl sulfoxide, or MTSO. 

“During collection, the peroxyacetic acid oxidizes the MTSO from the sulfoxide into the sulfone, so the actual analyte that we’re dealing with is the oxidation product, or MTSOO,” Kurtz says. “In order to report out results as peroxyacetic acid, we use a conversion factor to convert the oxidation product that we’re actually using in the analysis back to peroxyacetic acid.”

Dietrich says that when the media was first developed, laboratory professionals and others approached SKC with two concerns. One was that the method might not be accurately capturing the Peracetic acid 15.   

“Results were coming out as below the ACGIH TLV-STEL, but workers were still complaining of irritation,” she says.

Another concern was that the background level on the sampling media was too high. Dietrich says that SKC put the media on hold to investigate the concerns with laboratory partners.  

SKC ultimately found a different reagent to lower the background levels of the company’s sorbent tube and worked with laboratory partners to verify that the INRS method worked with the media available. Kurtz says the improved media has allowed her laboratory to lower its reporting limit for Peracetic acid 15 to 5 micrograms. 

Both Dietrich and Kurtz stress the importance of using a flow rate of at least 1 L/min when using a filter and tube in series to sample for these chemicals. 

“Our tests showed that the method was capturing the chemical as long as you kept the flow rate at 1 liter per minute,” Dietrich says. “And it’s not easy—a lot of sampling pumps really struggle to pull 1 liter per minute through this sampling media because it has a very high pressure drop. Even if it drops to 800 milliliters per minute, you will see a drop in the recovery.”

FUTURE SOLUTIONS
In January, OSHA published Method 1019 for hydrogen peroxide based on the INRS sampling and analytical method for the chemical. OSHA Method 1019 uses the same filter media as the French INRS method and is available on OSHA’s website. 

Knezevich would like to see a PEL for Peracetic acid 15. She describes the balancing act that often challenges professionals who are responsible for health and safety as well as environmental issues.

“We have this great product, and having more information on occupational exposure limits would help guide industrial hygienists” who currently rely mostly on their professional judgment in terms of Peracetic acid 15, she says. “How do you find something that’s safe for workers, effective, and doesn’t cause any environmental effects?”

Dietrich is hopeful that new solutions related to Peracetic acid 15 are forthcoming, citing how government agencies, practitioners, and vendors collaborate when there are industrial hygiene problems to solve.

“The global IH profession has once again come together to address the hazards of Peracetic acid 15,” Dietrich says. “Everybody’s working to ensure that workers are safe when dealing with this chemical that has so many uses and so many advantages.”