Reference values
Definitions and chemicals concerned
To characterise the link between exposure to a chemical and the occurrence of an adverse effect, several types of reference values, based on criteria relating exclusively to health, have been developed and recommended by ANSES. They include:
- toxicity reference values (TRVs),
- indoor air quality guidelines (IAQGs),
- occupational exposure limits (OELs),
- biological limit values (BLVs) and biological reference values (BRVs) for the biological monitoring of occupational exposure.
Values based on the results of impregnation studies are also proposed for biological monitoring of exposure: populational impregnation values (PIVs) (formerly known as "biological reference values" or "BRVs" for workers).
TRVs can be used in quantitative health risk assessments (QHRA) conducted at the population level, thus helping to choose risk management measures. They can also be used to prioritize chemicals and assist in the development of guideline values (IAQGs, health guidance values for drinking water). Internal TRVs are used to interpret biological indicator of exposure (BIEs) in the context of biological monitoring of exposure to chemicals in the general population.
IAQGs are specific to the general population's exposure to a given chemical found in the air inside buildings. Those developed by Anses form the initial basis of the institutional process aimed at setting regulatory values as part of the monitoring of indoor air quality in certain public places. They can also be used to prioritize chemical agents for air measurement campaigns in indoor environments and to interpret the results of such campaigns in order to compare the observed levels to health criteria.
Health-based guideline values for drinking-water developed by Anses correspond to the concentration of a chemical agent that is recommended not to be exceeded in drinking water in order to protect the health of the entire population. Health-based guideline values for drinking-water are established on the assumption that the population consumes this water over its entire lifetime and by taking into account possible variations in sensitivity at different stages of an individual’s life. Health-based guideline values for drinking-water support health authorities, in particular the Ministry of Health, in managing situations involving the detection of chemical agents in drinking water. They enable public authorities to determine the concentration above which actions must be implemented, such as informing the public, restricting water consumption, and carrying out remediation measures, etc.
OELs and BLVs developed by Anses are intended for use by the Ministry of Labour to set regulatory values as part of occupational risk prevention. OELs are specific to exposure to a given chemical in the workplace through air. They can be used to interpret results from air measurement campaigns in workplaces, guide the implementation of preventive measures, and assess their effectiveness. BLVs can be used to interpret results within the context of biological monitoring of exposure in the workplace, guide preventive measures, and assess their effectiveness.
PIVs are used to interpret concentrations of BIEs in the context of biological monitoring of exposure to chemical agents. Based on the results of biomonitoring studies, they do not allow for an interpretation in terms of health risk. They are used only to assess an individual's exposure within the population to which they belong.
The definition of these different reference values, their conditions of use, and the methods used by ANSES for their development are described in a methodological guide (Anses 2025, report in French only). This guide consolidates several previous guides by harmonizing methods and updating them to reflect new scientific developments. It is intended for ANSES staff and experts, as well as for decision-makers and users of reference values (government services, consulting firms, industry, occupational physicians, prevention professionals, etc.).
These values should be distinguished according to the following considerations:
- duration of exposure (short, medium or long term);
- route of exposure (oral, respiratory, dermal or internal);
- type de population (general public or workers);
IAQGs and OELs are accompanied by recommendations concerning measurement methods for comparison with the established reference values. The methodology for evaluating measurement methods is described in a methodological guide updated in 2025 (report in French only).
After conducting a survey of the methods used to take mixtures into account, ANSES carried out expert appraisal work to establish reference values for chemical mixtures, including IAQGs for mixtures of irritant chemicals and TRVs for the mixture of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX).
What are the chemicals ANSES has worked on?
As part of its missions, the Agency has established TRVs (external and internal), IAQGs, OELs and PIVs for the biological monitoring of occupational exposure for the following substances (individual substance or mixture), in alphabetical order. These reference values are updated on a case-by-case basis, according to advances in knowledge on the substances.
| General population | Workers | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemicals | External and internal TRVs and PIVs | IAQGs | health-based guideline values for drinking-water | OELs |
BLVs and PIVs
|
| Chemicals | |||||
1,2-dichloroethane (CAS 107-06-2) |
Long-term TRV without threshold
| ||||
1,3-Butadiene (CAS 106-99-0) | Long-term TRVs with and without threshold (In French only) Inhalation route 2022 | Report 2011 | Report 2020 | ||
2-butoxyethanol (CAS 111-76-2) | (in French only) | Report 2010 | |||
2-butoxyethyle acetate (CAS 112-07-2) | (in French only) | Report 2010 | |||
2-chloroaniline (CAS 95-51-2) | |||||
2-ethoxyethanol (EGEE) (CAS 110-80-5) | Report 2017 | ||||
2-ethoxyethyl acetate (EGEEA) | Report 2017 | ||||
2-methoxy-1-propanol (CAS 1589-47-5) and 2-methoxypropyle acetate (CAS 70657-70-4) | Report 2021 | ||||
3-chloroaniline (CAS 108-42-9) | |||||
4-chloroaniline (CAS 106-47-8) | |||||
4-vinyl-1-cyclohexene (CAS 100-40-3) | Chronic and carcinogen Long-term TRVs with and without threshold | ||||
6:2 fluorotelomer of octanesulfonic acid (6:2 FTSA) and its sodium, potassium and salts ammonium (CAS 27619-97-2, 27619-94-9, 59587-38-1, 59587-39-2) | Opinion and report 2025 (in French only) | ||||
Acetaldehyde (CAS 75-07-0) | (in French only) | Report 2025 | |||
Acetic acid (CAS 64-19-7) | Report 2019 | ||||
Acroleine (CAS 107-02-8) | Short, medium and long-term TRVs (in French only) | (in French only) | |||
Acrylamide (CAS 79-06-1) | Report 2011 | Report 2017 | |||
Acetic anhydride (CAS 108-24-7) | Report 2019 | ||||
| Aluminium and its inorganic compounds | Long-term TRVs Oral and inhalation route Internal TRV and PIV 2025 | Report 2025 | Report 2025 | ||
Ammonia (CAS 7664-41-7) | (in French only) | ||||
| Asbestos fibers | (in French only) | ||||
Benzene (CAS 71-43-2) | (in French only) | ||||
Benzylbutyl phthalate (BBP) (CAS 85-68-7) | Report 2017 | Report 2017 | |||
Beryllium and its compounds (CAS 7440-41-7, 1304-56-9, 7787-47-5, 13327-32-7, 13597-99-4, 7787-56-6) | Report 2010 | Report 2018 | |||
Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalaye (DEHP) (CAS 117-81-7) | Report 2011 | Report 2016 | |||
Boron trifluoride (CAS 7637-07-2) | Report 2019 | ||||
| Black carbon | Short and long-term without threshold TRVs Inhalation route 2024 | ||||
Bromochloroacetic acid (CAS 5589-96-8) | Long-term TRV without threshold (In French only) | Opinion and report 2023 (in French only) | |||
Bromodichloroacetic acid (CAS 71133-14-7) | Long-term TRV without threshold (In French only) | Opinion and report 2023 (in French only) | |||
Cadmium and its compounds (CAS 7440-43-9, 10108-6-2, 1306-19-0, 10124-36-4, 1306-23-6, 10325-94-7)
| (In French only) | ||||
| Report 2018 | Report 2018 | ||||
Carbon monoxide (CAS 630-08-0) | (in French only) | (in French only) | |||
Carbon tetrachloride (CAS 56-23-5) | |||||
Chloral hydrate (CAS 302-17-0) | |||||
Chlorine (CAS 7782-50-5) | Report 2019 | ||||
Chlorine trifluoride (CAS 7790-91-2) | Report 2019 | ||||
Chlordecone (CAS 143-50-0) | Oral route and internal TRV 2021 (in French only) | ||||
Chloroform (CAS 67-66-3) | |||||
Cobalt and its compounds except cobalt combined with tungsten carbide (CAS 7440-48-4, 1307-96-6, 1308-06-1, 1308-04-9, 1317-42-6, 1333-88-6, 10026-24-1, 7646-79-9, 7791-13-1, 10124-43-3, 10026-22-9) | Report 2014 | Report 2018 | |||
Cylindrospermopsine (CAS 143 545-90-8) | |||||
Cyanogen chloride (CAS 506-77-4) | Report 2019 | ||||
Decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5) (CAS 541-02-6) | Report 2019 | ||||
Dibromoacetic acid (CAS 631-64-1) | |||||
Long-term TRV without threshold (In French only) | Opinion and report 2023 (in French only) | ||||
| Dibromochloroacetic acid (CAS 5278-95-5) | (In French only) | No health-based guideline values for drinking-water | |||
Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) (CAS 84-74-2) | Report 2017 | Report 2017 | |||
Diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP) (CAS 84-69-5) | |||||
Diisobutylene (DIB) (CAS 25167-70-8) | |||||
Diisopropyl ether (DIPE) (CAS 108-20-3) | Long-term TRVs with and without threshold and developmental TRV | ||||
Diisooctyl phthalate (DIOP) (CAS 27554-26-3) | |||||
Dichloroacetic acid (CAS 79-43-6) | Opinion and report 2023 (in French only) | ||||
Dichloromethane (CAS 75-09-2) | (in French only) | Report 2018 | |||
Dimethylformamide (DMF) (CAS 68-12-2) | Report 2023 | ||||
Dimethyl phthalate (DMP) (CAS 131-22-3) | (In French only) | ||||
Di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP) (CAS 117-84-0) | No TRV 2017 | ||||
| Dinitrotoluene – isomer 2,4 (CAS 121-14-2) | Long-term TRVs with or without threshold Inhalation route 2024 | Opinion 2025 (in French only) | |||
| Dinitrotoluene – isomer 2,6 (CAS 121-14-2) | Long-term TRVs with or without threshold Inhalation route 2024 | Opinion 2025 (in French only) | |||
| Endotoxins | Report 2024 | ||||
Ethyl acetate (CAS 141-78-9) | |||||
Ethylbenzene (CAS 100-41-1) | Short, medium and long-term TRVs
| (in French only) |
| ||
Refactory ceramic fiber (CAS 142844-00-6) | (in French only) | ||||
Formaldehyde (CAS 50-00-0) | (in French only) | Report 2018 | |||
| Genistein (CAS 446-72-0) | Long term TRV Oral route 2025 | ||||
Hexavalent chromium and its compounds | Report 2010 | Report 2017 | |||
Hydrogen cyanide (CAS 74-90-8) | (in French only) | ||||
| Isoflavones | Long term TRV Oral route 2025 | ||||
Lead (CAS 7439-92-1) | Internal TRV 2012 | Report 2022 | Report 2019 | ||
Linuron (CAS 330-55-2) | |||||
m-nitrochlorobenzene (CAS 121-73-3) | |||||
Methyl methacrylate (CAS 80-62-6) | |||||
Methyl tert-butylethyl (MTBE) (CAS 1634-04-4) | Note d'appui scientifique et technique 2022 | ||||
Methylamine (CAS 74-89-5) | Report 2019 | ||||
Methylethylketone peroxide (CAS 1338-38-4) | Report 2019 | ||||
Microcystine-LR (CAS 101043-37-02) | |||||
Monochloroacetic acid (CAS 79-11-8) | (In French only) | Opinion and report 2023 (in French only) | |||
n-butyl acetate (CAS 74-90-8) | |||||
n-Butanol (CAS 71-36-3) | Report 2017 | ||||
n-Butylamine (CAS 109-73-9) | Report 2019 | ||||
n-hexane (CAS 110-54-3) | |||||
N-nitrosomorpholine (CAS 59-89-2) | Long-term TRV without threshold (in French only) | Opinion 2012 (in French only) | |||
Naphtalene (CAS 91-20-3) | (in French only) | ||||
Nitrogen dioxide (CAS 10102-44-0) | (in French only) | ||||
Nitrous oxide (CAS 10024-97-2) | Report 2024 | ||||
Nonylphenol linear (CAS 25154-52-3 / 104-40-5) | |||||
Nonylphenol branched (CAS 90481-04-2 84852-15-3) | |||||
o-nitrochlorobenzene (CAS 88-73-3) | |||||
Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4) (CAS 556-67-2) | Report 2019 | ||||
Palytoxin (CAS 77734-91-9) | No short- and medium-term TRV by the respiratory and dermal route 2023 (In French only) | ||||
| Particles | (in French only) | ||||
| Particulate matter in ambient air: PM2,5 et PM10 | |||||
Perchlorates ions (CAS 14797-73-0) | |||||
Perchloroethylene (CAS 127-18-4) | Report 2010 | Report 2019 | |||
Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) (CAS 375-73-5) | |||||
Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) and its sodium, potassium and ammonium salts (CAS 375-22-4, 2218-54-4, 2966-54-3, 10495-86-0) | Opinion and report 2025 (in French only) | ||||
Perfluorodecanesulfonic acid (PFDS) and its sodium, potassium and ammonium salts (CAS 335-77-3, 2806-15-7, 2806-16-8, 67906-42-7) | No health-based guideline values for drinking-water | ||||
Perfluorododecanesulfonic acid (PFDoDS) and its sodium, potassium and ammonium salts (CAS 79780-39-5, 98789-57-2, 85187-17-3, 1260224-54-1) | No health-based guideline values for drinking-water | ||||
Perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS) and its sodium, potassium and ammonium salts (CAS 375-92-8, 21934-50-9, 60270-55-5, 68259-07-4) | No health-based guideline values for drinking-water | ||||
Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and its sodium, potassium and ammonium salts (CAS 307-24-4, 2923-26-4, 3109-94-2, 21615-47-4) | Opinion and report 2025 (in French only) | ||||
Perfluorononanesulfonic acid (PFNS) and its sodium, potassium and ammonium salts (CAS 68259-12-1, 98789-57-2, 29359-39-5, 17202-41-4) | No health-based guideline values for drinking-water | ||||
Perfluoropentanesulfonic (PFPeS) and its sodium, potassium and ammonium salts (CAS 2706-91-4, 630402-22-1, 3872-25-1, 68259-09-6) | No health-based guideline values for drinking-water | ||||
Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA) and its sodium, potassium and ammonium salts (CAS 2706-90-3, 2706-89-0, 336-23-2, 68259-11-0) | Opinion and report 2025 (in French only) | ||||
Perfluoroundecanesulfonic acid (PFUnDS) (CAS 749786-16-1) | No health-based guideline values for drinking-water | ||||
Perfluorotridecanesulfonic acid (PFTrDS) and its sodium, potassium and ammonium salts (CAS 791563-89-8, 174675-49-1, 2795-39-3, 29081-56-9) | No health-based guideline values for drinking-water | ||||
Pinnatoxine G (CAS 1312711-74-2) | (in French only) | ||||
p-nitrochlorobenzene (CAS 100-00-5) | |||||
Potassium hydroxyde (CAS 1310-58-3) | Report 2019 | ||||
| Dust without specific effects (DWSE) | Report on health effects 2019 | ||||
| Report on analytical methods 2020 | |||||
Saxitoxin (CAS 35523-89-8) | |||||
Sec butyl ether (CAS 6863-58-7) | No TRV 2015 | ||||
Sodium valproate (CAS 1069-66-5) | Oral and inhalation routes 2021 (in French only) | (in French only) | (in French only) | ||
Styrene (CAS 100-42-5) | Report 2010 | Report 2014 | |||
Styrene oxide (CAS 96-09-3) | Report 2022 | ||||
Tert-butanol (TBA) (CAS 75-65-0) | |||||
| Tert-butylethyl ether (ETBE) (CAS 637-92-3) | Note d’appui scientifique et technique 2022 (in French only) | ||||
Titanium dioxide under nanoform (P25) (CAS 13463-67-7) | Report 2021 | ||||
Toluene (CAS 108-88-3) | Report 2008 | Report 2011 | |||
Toluene diisocyanate (CAS 26471-62-5) | Consultation report from 19/08/2019 to 19/10/2019 | ||||
Tribromoacetic acid (ATBA) | (In French only) | No health-based guideline values for drinking-water Opinion and report 2023 (in French only) | |||
Trichloroacetic acid (CAS 76-03-9) | Opinion and report 2023 (in French only) | ||||
(In French only) | Opinion and report 2023 (in French only) | ||||
Trichloroethylene (CAS 79-01-6) | Report 2019 | Report 2017 | Report 2021 | ||
Trimethylamine (CAS 75-50-3) | Report 2019 | ||||
Vinyl chloride (CAS 75-01-4) | Opinion 2014 (in French only) | ||||
Xylenes (mixed xylene CAS n°1330-20-7, m-xylene CAS n°108-38-3, o-xylene CAS n°95-47-6, p-xylene CAS n°106-42-3) | |||||
| Mixtures | |||||
| BTEX mixture (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes) | (in French only) | ||||
| Mixture of irritant substances (acrolein, ozone, crotonaldehyde, formaldehyde, phenol, NO2, styrene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, α-pinene, hexaldehyde, butyraldehyde, ethylbenzene, p-xylene, limonene, m-xylene, o-xylene, xylenes, propionaldehyde, 2-butoxyethanol, acetaldehyde, toluene) | Rapport 2022 | ||||
Update date: February 2026