The combustion toxicology of polyvinylchloride (PVC) has been studied extensively against a background of increasing understanding of the relevance of the toxicity of combustion products in fires. Most materials have a similar toxic potency and demonstrate asphyxia and irritancy when thermally decomposed. Hydrogen chloride is a major toxicant produced by PVC, which accounts for the irritancy shown by PVC combustion products. Carbon monoxide is also produced which becomes the most significant toxicant if the hydrogen chloride levels are reduced, which can occur rapidly in fires. The toxic potency lies within the range of 300-3000 mg/l. mins, which is similar to the majority of polymeric materials whether natural or synthetic.The toxicity of PVC can be accounted for in hazard estimation either by an assumed toxic potency based on weight loss calculations or by predicting the concentrations of hydrogen chloride and carbon monoxide. The toxicology of hydrogen chloride has been well studied and has been overestimated in the past and codes using toxicity factors for hydrogen chloride should be revised in the light of modern data. In addition, hydrogen chloride levels have been shown to decay rapidly in fires and this factor, coupled with the good flammability per-
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