The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies the acute toxicity of pesticides based on 5 types of exposure.
Types of exposure:
(1) oral LD50
(2) dermal LD50
(3) inhalation LC50
(4) eye irritation
(5) skin irritation
|
Exposure |
Level I (Most Toxic) |
Level II |
Level III |
Level IV |
|
oral LD50 |
<= 50 mg/kg |
50.1 to 500 mg/kg |
500.1 to 5,000 mg/kg |
> 5,000 mg/kg |
|
dermal LD50 |
<= 200 mg/kg |
200.1 to 2,000 mg/kg |
2,000.1 to 20,000 mg/kg |
> 20,000 mg/kg |
|
inhalation LC50 |
<= 0.2 mg/L |
0.201 to 2.0 mg/L |
2.01 to 20 mg/L |
> 20 mg/L |
|
eye |
corrosive; corneal opacity persists for > 7 days |
irritation and corneal opacity, both clear in <= 7 days |
irritation clears in <= 7 days; no corneal opacity |
no irritation |
|
skin |
highly corrosive |
severe irritation at 72 hours |
moderate irritation at 72 hours |
minimal to mild irration at 72 hours |
where:
• LD = lethal dose; LD50 = dose killing 50% of those exposed = median lethal dose
• LC = lethal concentration
Specialty: Toxicology, Emergency Medicine, Critical Care
