Office of Aerospace Medicine Technical Reports

FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine
Civil Aerospace Medical Institute


Report No: DOT/FAA/AM-71/41

Title and Subtitle: The acute toxicity of brief exposure of HF, HCl, and N02 and HCN singly and in combination with CO

Report Date: November 1971

Authors: Higgins EA, Fiorica V, Thomas AA, Davis HV

Abstract: Experiments were conducted with animals to determine the toxic effect of short-term exposures to some of the products produced in aircraft fires; the products were tested both singly and in combination with carbon monoxide. These studies show the toxicity rankings of the four materials tested to be HCN, NO2, HF and HCl, in decreasing order. Carbon monoxide concentrations which alone are not hazardous to life do not enhance the toxic response to these substances.

Key Words: Aircraft Fines, Pyrolysis Products, Toxic Gases, Lethal Concentration

No. of Pages: 8

Last updated: Friday, June 1, 2012