Registration Dossier

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Please be aware that this old REACH registration data factsheet is no longer maintained; it remains frozen as of 19th May 2023.

The new ECHA CHEM database has been released by ECHA, and it now contains all REACH registration data. There are more details on the transition of ECHA's published data to ECHA CHEM here.

Diss Factsheets

Administrative data

Hazard for aquatic organisms

Freshwater

Hazard assessment conclusion:
PNEC aqua (freshwater)
PNEC value:
3.2 mg/L
Assessment factor:
100
Extrapolation method:
assessment factor
PNEC freshwater (intermittent releases):
10 mg/L

Marine water

Hazard assessment conclusion:
PNEC aqua (marine water)
PNEC value:
0.32 mg/L
Assessment factor:
1 000
Extrapolation method:
assessment factor
PNEC marine water (intermittent releases):
10 mg/L

STP

Hazard assessment conclusion:
PNEC STP
PNEC value:
100 mg/L
Assessment factor:
10
Extrapolation method:
assessment factor

Sediment (freshwater)

Hazard assessment conclusion:
PNEC sediment (freshwater)
PNEC value:
11 523 mg/kg sediment dw
Extrapolation method:
equilibrium partitioning method

Sediment (marine water)

Hazard assessment conclusion:
PNEC sediment (marine water)
PNEC value:
11 523 mg/kg sediment dw
Extrapolation method:
equilibrium partitioning method

Hazard for air

Air

Hazard assessment conclusion:
no hazard identified

Hazard for terrestrial organisms

Soil

Hazard assessment conclusion:
PNEC soil
PNEC value:
427.2 mg/kg soil dw
Extrapolation method:
equilibrium partitioning method

Hazard for predators

Secondary poisoning

Hazard assessment conclusion:
no potential for bioaccumulation

Additional information

Trimethyl phosphate is a stable liquid.

This chemical is used as an intermediate for pesticides in closed systems or as a polymerization catalyst in industry. Also, this chemical is used as an ignition control agent in gasoline. Release to the environment may occur at the production site, specific industrial sites. All wastes are treated by incineration. Trimethyl phosphate seems to be released into water and air from its production sites after biological treatment.

This chemical is stable in neutral, acidic or alkaline solutions, and is classified as "not readily biodegradable". Direct photodegradation is not expected because trimethyl phosphate does not absorb UV light.

Due to the low vapour pressure of trimethyl phosphate, it is unlikely to evaporate into air.

Predicted environmental concentration (PEClocal) of this chemical was estimated to be 1.5 x 10-4 mg/l from a Japanese local exposure scenario. Various NOEC and LC50 values were gained from above tests; LC50 = > 1,050 mg/l (acute fish); EC50 = > 1,000 mg/l (acute daphnia); EC50 = > 1,000 mg/l (acute algae); NOEC = 320 mg/l (longterm daphnia reproduction). Therefore, the chemical is considered to be slightly toxic to daphnids and non-toxic to fish and algae. As the lowest chronic toxicity result, the 21 d-NOEC (reproduction) of Daphnia magna (320 mg/l), was adopted. An assessment factor of 100 is applied. Thus the PNEC freshwater of trimethyl phosphate is 3.2 mg/l. Since the PEC is lower than the PNEC, environmental risk is presumably low.

Conclusion on classification

L(E)C50 values from studies on acute aquatic toxicity of trimethyl phosphate are >= 1000 mg/L for all 3 trophic levels.

Trimethyl phosphate is not readily biodegradable but the BCF = 1.5 – 2.4 in carp (6 weeks at 25 °C) suggests that the potential for bioconcentration in aquatic organisms is low. There is no immediate concern with regard to bioaccumulation.

In addition a NOEC (21 d) of = 320 mg/L from a reproduction study conducted with Daphnia magna is available.

In conclusion timethyl phosphate does not need to be classified for environmental effects.