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Magnesium oxide fume

Finely divided magnesium oxide particulate generated when magnesium is burned, thermally cut, or welded.

Airborne form

fume

The form describes what is suspended in air at the point of exposure. A material can produce more than one form, such as dust during handling and fume during heating.

Health effects

eye irritationnose irritationmetal fume fevercoughchest painflu-like feverchronic respiratory disease concern

Evidence

The current NIOSH Pocket Guide identifies magnesium oxide fume as finely divided particulate dispersed in air during burning, thermal cutting, or welding of magnesium and reports a 15 mg/m3 OSHA PEL.

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Exposure Limits; Physical Description · 1
OSHA PEL TWA 15 mg/m3. Physical Description Finely divided white particulate dispersed in air. [Note: Exposure may occur when magnesium is burned, thermally cut, or welded upon.]

NIOSH identifies eye and nose irritation and metal fume fever, including cough, chest pain, and flu-like fever, as effects of magnesium oxide fume exposure.

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Exposure Limits; Exposure Routes; Symptoms; Target Organs · 1
OSHA PEL TWA 15 mg/m³. Exposure Routes inhalation, skin and/or eye contact. Symptoms irritation eyes, nose; metal fume fever: cough, chest pain, flu-like fever. Target Organs Eyes, respiratory system.

NIOSH reports that magnesium oxide exposure may cause chronic respiratory disease and lists a revised IDLH of 750 mg/m³ based on acute human inhalation data.

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MAGNESIUM OXIDE · 2
NIOSH notes that exposure to magnesium oxide may also cause chronic respiratory disease.
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Human data; Revised IDLH · 1
Volunteers exposed to freshly generated fume at concentrations ranging from 410 to 580 mg/m³ experienced only slight (unspecified) reactions ... The revised IDLH for magnesium oxide fume is 750 mg/m³ based on acute inhalation toxicity data in humans.

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