Oleum

Synonyms

Fuming sulfuric acid; Oleum; Oleum iodisum; Sulfur trioxide, mixt. with sulfuric acid; Sulfuric acid fuming; Sulfuric acid mixture with sulfur trioxide; Sulfuric acid, mixt with sulfur trioxide; [ChemIDplus] UN1831

Category

Acids, Inorganic

Description

Colorless to brown, fuming, viscous, and hygroscopic liquid; [ICSC]

Sources/Uses

Used to make surfactants, dyes, nitrocellulose, explosives, and caprolactam; Also used in petroleum refining and as a drying agent for chlorine & nitric acid; [HSDB] Oleum is a solution of sulfur trioxide in 100% sulfuric acid used in the synthesis of organic chemicals; [Britannica]

Comments

Highly corrosive to skin; [Quick CPC] A corrosive substance that can cause pulmonary edema; May cause erosion of teeth enamel; [ICSC] Can cause severe burns of the skin and eyes; [CAMEO] See "Sulfuric acid."

Biomedical References

0.2 mg/m3, thoracic fraction

1 mg/m3

0.1 mg/m3, inhalable fraction

15 mg/m3

LC50 (rat) = 347 ppm/1h

Explanatory Notes

Exposure assessment values refer to sulfuric acid. Cancer designations refer to sulfuric acid contained in strong inorganic acid mists.

2 mg/m3

10 mg/m3

120 mg/m3

Yes

Skin burns

Established

Human carcinogen

Suspected Human

Processes

Industrial Processes with risk of exposure:

• Petroleum Production and Refining