Toxic Potency Measurement for Fire Hazard Analysis. Technical Note.

Published

December 1, 1992

Author(s)

V Babrauskas, B C. Levin, Richard G. Gann, M Paabo, Richard H. Harris Jr., Richard D. Peacock, S Yusa

Abstract

A comprehensive methodology has been developed for obtaining and using smoke toxicity data for fire hazard analysis. This description of the methodology comprises: determination that the post-flashover fire is the proper focus of smoke inhalation deaths; criteria for a useful bench-scale toxic potency (LC50) measurement method; a method which meets these criteria, especially validation against real-scale fires; a computational procedure for correcting the results for the CO levels observed in real-scale post-flashover fires; procedures for reducing the usage of animals and broadening the applicability of data by interpreting gas measurement data using the N-Gas Model; and a procedure for identifying whether a product produces smoke within the ordinary range of toxic potency for post-flashover fires.

Citation

Fire Technology

Volume

28

Issue

No. 2

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

fire hazard analysis, toxicity test methods, building fires, computer models, fire models, death, N-gas model, radiant heating, smoke toxicity, radiant panel test method

Citation

Babrauskas, V. , Levin, B. , Gann, R. , Paabo, M. , Harris, R. , Peacock, R. and Yusa, S. (1992), Toxic Potency Measurement for Fire Hazard Analysis. Technical Note., Fire Technology (Accessed October 13, 2025)