Toxicity assessment of hydrazine fuels.

The major health aspects of exposure to hydrazine propellants are reviewed. Toxic effects of hydrazine fuels on humans and animals as well as in vitro studies are discussed with emphasis on recent findings and USAF studies. Propellant hydrazines have been found to be genotoxic in in vitro studies and oncogenic in animal studies. Embryotoxicity has been demonstrated at very high exposures but not at occupationally encountered levels for hydrazine and unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine. Epidemiologic evidence to support these findings is lacking; however, the results of animal and in vitro studies have resulted in lowering both the time-weighted average-threshold limit values and short-term exposure limits for these propellants.