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Hydrogen Chloride (HCl) is a colorless gas at room temperature and is used in many applications in the technology and chemical industry.

Typical applications where dangerous levels of Hydrogen Chloride might occur and benefit from a Hydrogen Chloride gas detector are:

• Chemical industry
• Petrochemical industry
• Rubber manufacturing
• Semiconductor industry
• Cotton production

Hydrogen chloride forms corrosive hydrochloric acid on contact with water found in body tissue. Inhalation of the fumes can cause coughing, choking, inflammation of the nose, throat and upper respiratory tract and in severe cases, pulmonary edema circulation system failure and death.

Exposure Limits (Source: OSHA)

Following are Hydrogen Chloride exposure limits that industries should be aware of when researching Hydrogen Chloride gas detectors and gas detection systems.

• Agency	Exposure Limits
  OSHA PEL (General Industry)	5 ppm ceiling
  OSHA PEL (Construction Industry)	5 ppm ceiling
  OSHA PEL (Maritime)	5 ppm ceiling
  ACGIH TLV	2 ppm TWA
  NIOSH REL	5 ppm TWA
  NIOSH IDLH	50 ppm

  Definitions:

  • TWA = Time Weighted Average exposure concentration for a normal 8-hour workday and 40-hour workweek
  • STEL = Short Term Exposure Limit (Usually a 15-minute time-weighted average exposure that should not be exceeded at any time during a workday
  • NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)
    • REL = Recommended Exposure Limit
    • IDLH = Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentration
  • OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)
    • PEL = Permissible Exposure Limit
  • ACGIH (American Conference of Government Industrial Hygienists)
    • TLV = Threshold Limit Value

Sierra Monitor has a 4-20 mA Hydrogen Chloride gas detector.

• Model 5100-21 gas detector utilizes electrochemical technology to detect levels of Nitric Oxide in the range 0 to 20 ppm.
• Model 4101-21 gas detector utilizes electrochemical technology to detect levels of Hydrogen Cyanide in the range 0 to 20 ppm.