# The AN Group — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 05-0142
- **title:** The AN Group — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2005-12-07
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 05-0142 response to The AN Group concerning 172.101, 173.121.
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- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-05-0142.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-05-0142
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2005/050142.pdf
**body:**

<<<PAGE 1>>>

U.S. Department
400 Saventh Street, S.W.
of Transportation
Washington, D.C. 20590
Pipeline and
Hazardous Materials Safety
Administration
DEC - 7 2005
Mr. Robert J. Fersterheim
Ref No.: 05-0142
Executive Director
The AN Group
1250 Connecticut Avenue, N.W.
Suite 700
Washington, DC 20036
Dear Mr. Fersterheim:
This responds to your June 1, 2005 letter and subsequent conversations with Ben Supko
of my staff requesting clarification of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49
I be reclassified as a PG II material because it has a flashpoint of approximately 1° C and
CFR Parts 171-180). Specifically, you request that Acrylonitrile, stabilized, UN1093, PG
a boiling point of approximately 77° C, which is consistent with that of a PG II
flammable liquid.
A material with a flashpoint of approximately 1° C and a boiling point of approximately
77° C, that meets no other hazard, is best classified as a flammable liquid in Packing
Group I! However, acrylonitrile also exhibits the subsidiary hazard of a Packing Group I
poison. In accordance with the precedence of hazard table in § 173.2a(b), a material that
meets Class 3, PG II and Division 6.1, PG I is assigned to Class 3. Note 1 following the
precedence of hazard table states that the most stringent packing group assigned to a
hazard of the material takes precedence over other packing groups. Therefore, a material
meeting Class 3 PG II and Division 6.1 PG I is classified as Class 3 PG I.
I hope this information is helpful. Please contact us if you require additional assistance.
050142

<<<PAGE 2>>>

•
supkc
5/72.10,
THE AN GROUP
$173.12/
250 Connecticut Avenue, NW Suite 700 Washington, DC 2003
hone: 202-419-1500 Fax: 202-659-8037 www.angroup.or
Classification
June 1, 2005
05 - 0142
Mr. Edward Mazzullo
Director
ipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administratior
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
400 Sect, 5. 0. Transportation
Washington, DC 20590
RE: Request for Reclassification of Acrylonitrile to Packing Group II
Dear Mr. Mazzullo:
I am writing to request a review and reclassification of the Packing Group
assignment for acrylonitrile under the provisions of 49 CFR 172.101. We believe that the
assigned Packing Group is an error and does not adequately consider the known
properties of acrylonitrile.
Acrylonitrile is currently designated as a Class 3 material under Packing Group I
(as reflected on the Hazardous Material Table in 49 CFR 172.101). We believe this
designation is intended to be based on the flammability hazard of the substance.
According to 49 CFR Part 173.121, Class 3 materials that have a flash point less
than 23° C and a boiling point of greater than 35° C are to be designated as Packing
Group II. Since acrylonitrile has a flash point (closed-cup) of approximately 1° C (which
is considerably less than 23º C) and a boiling point of approximately 77° C (which is
significantly greater than 35° C), we believe acrylonitrile should appropriately be
classified in Packing Group II.
The primary references that are often cited are as follows:
There are various references to support this flash point and boiling point values.
Boiling point:
Verschueren K. 1983. Handbook of environmental data on
organic chemicals. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Van Nostrand
Reinhold Company, 162-165.
Flash Point:
Sax NI. 1984. Dangerous properties of industrial materials.
6th ed. New York, NY: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company,
132-133.

<<<PAGE 3>>>

•
Mr. Edward Mazzullo
June 1, 2005
Page 2 of 2
These specific values are cited in the Agency for Toxic Substances Disease Registry
Toxicological profile on Acrylonitrile, which can be obtained from
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp125.html. Comparable values are also found in
various other sources. See for example:
OSHA:
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?
P table-STANDARDS&p_id=10067
NIOSH:
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/78127_18.html
aditio a mout treaty apprecio, your ries of ring ailer rese alise king erup
I to Packing Group II.
Please let me know if you need any further clarification.
Sincerely,
Robert J. Fensterheim
Executive Director

<<<PAGE 4>>>

Supko, Ben <PHMSA>
Sent:
From:
Supko, Ben <PHMSA>
Subject:
To:
Tuesday, October 25, 2005 3:49 PM
'Bob Fensterheim'
RE: Acrylonitrile Inhalation Study
Mr. Fensterheim,
of the acrylonitrile requirements in the HMR.
This memo is regarding your June 1, 2005 letter requesting clarification
were interested in submitting additional studies on acrylonitrile.
In our discussions you indicated that you
received is mentioned below, I have not received additional studies. Therefore, I am
The only study I have
prepared to complete the letter based on the information you have submitted.
like to submit any additional information please do so by COB on Wednesday, October 26,
If you would
Thank you,
Ben
From: Supko, Ben <PHMSA>
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Tuesday, July 26, 2005 11:25 AM
Subject: FW: Acrylonitrile Inhalation Study
' Bob Fensterheim'
Mr. Fensterheim,
Thank you for the toxicology study on acrylonitrile.
Before he makes any determination he asked if you could provide results for the 1-
Our chemist has taken a look at the
hour test (49 CFR 173.132), if you have them or are aware of them.
you are in the process of producing a dermal study on acrylonitrile. He is interested in
I informed him that
seeing that as well.
Thank you,
Ben
From: Cushmac, George <PHMSA>
----Original Message--
To: Supko, Ben <PHMSA>
Sent: Monday, July 25, 2005 7:47 AM
Subject: RE: Acrylonitrile Inhalation Study
Cc: Cushmac, George <PHMSA>
Thanks Ben.
vant to see the results of the 1-hour test/study.
Per our discussion about a 1-hour tox study iaw the HMR (49 CFR 173.132), 1
George
From: Supko, Ben < PHMSA>
----Original Message-----
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2005 3:20 PM
To: Cushmac,
Subject: FW: Acrylonitrile Inhalation Study
George <PHMSA>
George,
Here's the study on acrylonitrile.
Let me know what you think.
Thanks,
Ben

<<<PAGE 5>>>

From: Bob Fensterheim
-----Original Message-----
Cc: Greg Suber; Maria Stubbs
To: Supko, Ben <PHMSA>
Subject: Acrylonitrile Inhalation Study
Sent: 7/19/2005 1:59 PM
AN. As you are likely aware, there is a significant amount of information on the
As we discussed, I am providing in the attached a new acute inhalation toxicology study on
I am only providing at this time the new unpublished study. Let me know what other
toxicology of AN. While we can provide a compendium of information and different studies,
information you would like.
development of an Acute Exposure Guideline Level for AN.
FYI, we are planning to provide this to EPA as part of their
of yet.
I had also mentioned that there would be a new dermal study as well. I do not have this as
Please let me know if I can clarify.
Bob Fensterheim
<<NOSE ONLY FINAL REPORT Acrylonitrile.paf>>
N
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