Respirator Cartridge Color Chart — NIOSH Color Code Guide (2026)

Respirator Cartridge Color Chart — Every Color, Every Hazard, Every Product

Reviewed by the WC Safety Editorial Team — Last updated: May 2026.

Short answer: NIOSH standardizes respirator cartridge colors under 42 CFR Part 84. Black = organic vapor. Magenta = P100 particulate. White = acid gas. Yellow = OV + acid gas. Green = ammonia. Olive = multi-gas. Brown = formaldehyde specialty. Blue = carbon monoxide. Combination cartridges show two colors simultaneously. Every NIOSH-approved brand — 3M, Honeywell North, Moldex, MSA — follows the same system. Use the fast-lookup table below to go from color to product.

Fast Lookup: Color → Hazard → Product

Find your color, confirm the hazard, click the product. For full selection guidance see the complete respirator cartridge selection guide.

NIOSH regulatory basis: Color coding is mandatory under NIOSH 42 CFR Part 84. All NIOSH-approved cartridges must display the correct color — it is a federal marking requirement. OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134(d)(1) requires NIOSH-approved respirators matched to the specific hazard. Shop 3M cartridges and Honeywell North cartridges at WC Safety.

How to Verify Your Cartridge Color Before Every Use

A wrong cartridge on the right facepiece provides no protection. This three-step field check takes under thirty seconds and should happen before every donning.

Common Respirator Cartridge Color Mistakes

What Does Each Respirator Cartridge Color Mean?

Black — Organic Vapor (OV)

Black cartridges contain activated carbon that adsorbs vapor-phase organic chemicals: solvents (xylene, toluene, MEK, acetone, mineral spirits), paint fumes during brush or roller application, lacquers, degreasers, and petroleum vapors. OV cartridges are rated for chemicals with boiling points above 65°C and require a written OSHA change schedule. Black does not protect against particles, acid gases, or ammonia. Products: 3M 6001 (3M half-mask) · North N75001L (North half-mask).

Magenta / Purple — P100 Particulate

Magenta indicates P100 — 99.97% efficiency at the most penetrating particle size (0.3 microns), oil-proof rated. Protects against silica dust, lead, asbestos, welding fume, mold spores, wood dust. Does not protect against gases or vapors of any kind. Products: 3M 2091 · North 7580P100.

White — Acid Gas

White cartridges use chemisorbent media (impregnated activated carbon or inorganic base) that reacts with acid gas molecules. Protects against chlorine (Cl₂), hydrogen chloride (HCl), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), and hydrogen fluoride (HF). At elevated acid gas concentrations, a full-face respirator is required because acid gases also severely irritate eyes. Products: 3M 6002 · North N75002L.

Yellow — OV + Acid Gas

Yellow combines an activated carbon OV layer with an acid gas chemisorbent in one cartridge. No P100 particulate protection. Use when solvents and acid gases are both present but particles are not. Product: 3M 6003 (SKU: 3M-6003).

Green — Ammonia / Methylamine

Green cartridges use specialized impregnated sorbent for alkaline gases — ammonia is not captured by standard OV carbon. At ammonia concentrations above 25 ppm (OSHA PEL), eye irritation warrants a full-face respirator. Products: 3M 6004 (SKU: 3M-6004) · 3M 60924 (green + magenta, adds P100).

Olive / Tan — Multi-Gas Vapor

Olive is the broadest vapor-only color — OV, acid gas, ammonia, and methylamine simultaneously in one cartridge. No P100. Used in chemical plants, environmental remediation, and any scenario requiring broad gas coverage. Products: 3M 6006 · North 75SCL Defender.

Black + Magenta — OV / P100 Combination

The most common combination cartridge in general industry. Black + magenta means organic vapor plus P100 particulate in one unit — the correct cartridge for spray painting, epoxy, polyurethane clearcoat, and isocyanate coatings. The OV layer captures solvent vapor; the P100 layer captures atomized mist and aerosol. Products: 3M 60921 · North 75SCP100L · North 7581P100L. See: paint fumes guide.

White + Magenta — Acid Gas / P100

White + magenta provides acid gas protection plus P100 particulate filtration in one cartridge. Use when acid gases (Cl₂, HCl, SO₂) and solid particulates are present simultaneously — for example, pool chemical handling with calcium hypochlorite dust, or metal pickling with mist and particles. Provides no OV protection. Products: 3M 60922 (SKU: 3M-60922) · North 7582P100L.

Yellow + Magenta — OV / Acid Gas / P100

Yellow + magenta delivers organic vapor, acid gas, and P100 particulate protection together — one of the broadest combination cartridges available in the 3M lineup without adding ammonia coverage. Use in industrial chemical processing environments where solvents, acid gases, and particles are all simultaneously present. Product: 3M 60923 (SKU: 3M-60923). For the North platform, the North 7582P100L covers acid gas/P100 and the North 75SCP100L covers OV/P100.

Olive + Magenta — Multi-Gas / P100

Olive + magenta is the broadest single-cartridge option available for most elastomeric respirators — OV, acid gas, ammonia, methylamine, and P100 particulate in one unit. If you need to cover multiple unknown or variable gas/vapor hazards plus dust, olive + magenta is the correct selection. It still does not protect against carbon monoxide, oxygen deficiency, or IDLH concentrations. Product: 3M 60926 (SKU: 3M-60926).

Brown — Formaldehyde (Specialty)

Brown indicates formaldehyde-specific impregnation. Standard OV (black) cartridges provide inadequate protection against formaldehyde because of its low boiling point (−19°C) and high polarity — formaldehyde requires an impregnated sorbent, not plain activated carbon. Brown-component cartridges appear as brown + black + magenta in combination products. Governed by OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1048. Applications: embalming, phenol-formaldehyde resin manufacturing, particle board and MDF fabrication. Primary product in the WC Safety catalog: North 7583P100L (formaldehyde / OV / P100) — a specialty cartridge with no 3M equivalent.

Blue — Carbon Monoxide (CO)

Blue is the NIOSH color for carbon monoxide cartridges. CO cartridges use hopcalite catalyst (a manganese/copper oxide mixture) that oxidizes CO to CO₂. In practice, standalone CO APR cartridges have very limited use: hopcalite is sensitive to moisture, has a short service life once opened, and CO's IDLH of 1,200 ppm is only 20× its PEL of 50 ppm — making the margin between permissible and immediately dangerous very narrow. OSHA generally requires supplied-air or SCBA for serious CO exposure rather than air-purifying CO cartridges. If CO appears on an SDS as a co-hazard, consult an industrial hygienist before selecting an APR solution.

3M Respirator Cartridge Color Chart — All Major Models

All 3M cartridges use the NIOSH color system and fit only 3M bayonet facepieces (6000, 6500, 7500 half-mask series and 7800S/FF-400 full-face). Note the separate filter series for full-face — the 2291/2296/2297 are the 7800S equivalents of the 2091/2096/2097 disc filters used on half-masks. See the 3M filter and cartridge guide for complete selection detail.

Rows highlighted amber (2291/2296/2297) are for 3M 7800S and FF-400 full-face only. The disc-style 2091/2096/2097 do not seat correctly on the full-face bayonet. 60000-series combination cartridges fit both half-mask and full-face.

Shop: 3M cartridge collection at WC Safety

Honeywell North Cartridge Colors

North cartridges follow identical NIOSH color codes and fit only North bayonet facepieces (7700/5500 half-mask, 5400/7600 full-face). See the Honeywell North cartridge guide.

Shop: Honeywell North cartridge collection at WC Safety

Moldex Cartridge Colors

Moldex cartridges follow the same NIOSH color system and fit only Moldex 7000/7800 series facepieces (including the Moldex 7002 stocked at WC Safety) via snap-on connector. Not compatible with 3M, North, or MSA facepieces.

Are Respirator Cartridge Colors Universal?

The color system is universal. The physical cartridges are not. And the color system does not apply to disposable N95 respirators.

Colors — universal across NIOSH-approved brands: NIOSH 42 CFR Part 84 mandates the same color for the same hazard class for every approved manufacturer. Black always means OV. Magenta always means P100. A compliance inspector, a safety manager, or a worker picking up a cartridge from any approved brand can immediately identify the protection class by color.

Physical compatibility — brand-specific only: 3M cartridges fit only 3M bayonet facepieces. North cartridges fit only North bayonet facepieces. Moldex snap-on cartridges fit only Moldex facepieces. Forcing a non-matching cartridge onto a facepiece breaks the seal — the color-matched protection disappears the moment sealing integrity is lost.

Counterfeits — not covered by the standard: The NIOSH color coding mandate applies only to products submitted for and granted NIOSH approval. Counterfeit and unapproved cartridges are not bound by it. They may display NIOSH-reserved colors with no corresponding protective function. Verify the TC approval number (TC-23C-XXXX format) before using any cartridge purchased outside an authorized distributor channel.

N95 disposables — a separate system: The 42 CFR Part 84 cartridge color codes apply to cartridges and canisters for elastomeric respirators. N95/N99/N100 disposable filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) are governed by a different portion of 42 CFR Part 84 and have no mandated color coding. The teal or white body of a 3M 8511 N95 is not part of the cartridge color chart. See our N95 vs. P100 guide for disposable vs. elastomeric comparisons.

From Color to Cartridge — Related Resources

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Respirator Cartridge Color Chart — Frequently Asked Questions