Trimethyl Phosphate

log Kow = -0.52 and -0.78

-0.52,-0.78

-0.52

1.2144 at 68 °F (NTP, 1992) - Denser than water; will sink

1.2144 g/cu cm at 20 °C

Relative density (water = 1): 1.2

1.97 @ 19.5°C

Liquid

Colorless liquid

greater than or equal to 100 mg/mL at 68 °F (NTP, 1992)

In water, 5.0X10+5 mg/L at 25 °C

Slightyl soluble in ethanol; soluble in ethyl ether

Soluble in alcohol, ether and organic solvents

Soluble in gasoline

Solubility in water, g/100ml at 25 °C: 50 (good)

greater than 300 °F (NTP, 1992)

107 °C

150 °C (302 °F) (Closed cup)

107 °C

387 °F at 760 mmHg (NTP, 1992)

197.2 °C

197.2 °C

197.2 °C @760 [mm Hg]

-51 °F (NTP, 1992)

-46 °C

-46 °C

1 mmHg at 78.8 °F ; 5 mmHg at 128.7 °F; 10 mmHg at 154.0 °F (NTP, 1992)

0.85 mm Hg at 25 °C

Vapor pressure, kPa at 20 °C: 0.11

This chemical does not meet GHS hazard criteria for 35.1% (121 of 345) of reports.

Danger

H302 (58.6%): Harmful if swallowed [Warning Acute toxicity, oral]

P203, P264, P264+P265, P270, P280, P301+P317, P302+P352, P305+P351+P338, P318, P321, P330, P332+P317, P337+P317, P362+P364, P405, and P501 (click each P-code to see the statement)

Aggregated GHS information provided per 345 reports by companies from 12 notifications to the ECHA C&L Inventory. Each notification may be associated with multiple companies.

Danger

Chemical: Phosphoric acid, trimethyl ester

Hazard Traits - Carcinogenicity

Phosphoric acid, trimethyl ester is listed on the EPA's Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) system. Manufacturers and importers of Phosphoric acid, trimethyl ester are required to report information about their production and use of this chemical to the EPA under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). (40 eCFR Part 711)

Status: Active Update: 16-11-2022 https://echa.europa.eu/registration-dossier/-/registered-dossier/22505

Trimethyl phosphate: Does not have an individual approval but may be used under an appropriate group standard

This chemical is nonflammable. (NTP, 1992)

Combustible. Gives off irritating or toxic fumes (or gases) in a fire.

Danger of cutaneous absorption; Carcinogenicity in man cannot be assessed conclusively because of insufficient data (Group 3B); Germ cell mutagens that have shown to increase the mutant frequency in the progeny of exposed mammals. [MAK] A skin, eye, and respiratory tract irritant; Chronic or repeated exposure may cause flaccid paralysis and genetic damage; [ICSC] An irritant; Targets CNS; [MSDSonline]

TRIMETHYL PHOSPHATE may explode when heated. Residue from a large scale atmospheric pressure distillation of this chemical has exploded violently. It is incompatible with nitrates. (NTP, 1992). Organophosphates are susceptible to formation of highly toxic and flammable phosphine gas in the presence of strong reducing agents such as hydrides. Partial oxidation by oxidizing agents may result in the release of toxic phosphorus oxides.

Acute Tox. 4 (58.6%)

Acute toxicity (ingestion) - category 4

Acute toxicity (Oral) - Category 4

Carcinogenicity - Category 2

Fresh air, rest. Refer for medical attention.

Remove contaminated clothes. Rinse skin with plenty of water or shower.

First rinse with plenty of water for several minutes (remove contact lenses if easily possible), then refer for medical attention.

Rinse mouth. Induce vomiting (ONLY IN CONSCIOUS PERSONS!). Refer for medical attention .

EYES: First check the victim for contact lenses and remove if present. Flush victim's eyes with water or normal saline solution for 20 to 30 minutes while simultaneously calling a hospital or poison control center. Do not put any ointments, oils, or medication in the victim's eyes without specific instructions from a physician. IMMEDIATELY transport the victim after flushing eyes to a hospital even if no symptoms (such as redness or irritation) develop.

Suitable extinguishing media: Use water spray, alcohol-resistant foam, dry chemical or carbon dioxide.

Advice for firefighters: Wear self contained breathing apparatus for fire fighting if necessary.

Accidental Release Measures. Personal precautions, protective equipment and emergency procedures: Use personal protective equipment. Avoid breathing vapours, mist or gas. Ensure adequate ventilation. Evacuate personnel to safe areas. Environmental precautions: Prevent further leakage or spillage if safe to do so. Do not let product enter drains. Methods and materials for containment and cleaning up: Soak up with inert absorbent material and dispose of as hazardous waste. Keep in suitable, closed containers for disposal.

Keep sparks, flames, and other sources of ignition away. Keep material out of water sources and sewers. Build dikes to contain flow as necessary. Apply water spray or mist to knock down vapors. Land spill: Dig a pit, pond, lagoon, holding area to contain liquid or solid material. Dike surface flow using soil, sand bags, foamed polyurethane, or foamed concrete. Absorb bulk liquid with fly ash, cement powder, or commercial sorbents. Neutralize with dilute caustic soda (NaOH) or soda ash (Na2CO3). Water spill: Use natural barriers or oil spill control booms to limit spill travel. Neutralize with agricultural lime (CaO), crushed limestone (CaCO3), or sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3). Remove trapped material with suction hoses.

SRP: The most favorable course of action is to use an alternative chemical product with less inherent propensity for occupational harm/injury/toxicity or environmental contamination. Recycle any unused portion of the material for its approved use or return it to the manufacturer or supplier. Ultimate disposal of the chemical must consider: the material's impact on air quality; potential migration in soil or water; effects on animal and plant life; and conformance with environmental and public health regulations.

Waste treatment methods. Product: Offer surplus and non-recyclable solutions to a licensed disposal company. Contact a licensed professional waste disposal service to dispose of this material. Dissolve or mix the material with a combustible solvent and burn in a chemical incinerator equipped with an afterburner and scrubber. Contaminated packaging: Dispose of as unused product.

Personal protection: chemical protection suit including self-contained breathing apparatus. Ventilation. Collect leaking liquid in sealable containers. Absorb remaining liquid in sand or inert absorbent. Then store and dispose of according to local regulations.

Avoidance of skin contact and inhalation of mist, dust, or vapor (esp if heated liquids are handled) will usually be desirable ... . /Phosphate esters/

SRP: The scientific literature for the use of contact lenses by industrial workers is inconsistent. The benefits or detrimental effects of wearing contact lenses depend not only upon the substance, but also on factors including the form of the substance, characteristics and duration of the exposure, the uses of other eye protection equipment, and the hygiene of the lenses. However, there may be individual substances whose irritating or corrosive properties are such that the wearing of contact lenses would be harmful to the eye. In those specific cases, contact lenses should not be worn. In any event, the usual eye protection equipment should be worn even when contact lenses are in place.

Precautions for safe handling: Avoid contact with skin and eyes. Avoid inhalation of vapour or mist. Normal measures for preventive fire protection.

Appropriate engineering controls: Handle in accordance with good industrial hygiene and safety practice. Wash hands before breaks and at the end of workday.

Gloves must be inspected prior to use. Use proper glove removal technique (without touching glove's outer surface) to avoid skin contact with this product. Dispose of contaminated gloves after use in accordance with applicable laws and good laboratory practices. Wash and dry hands.

LD50; Species: Quail oral 750 mg/kg

LC50; Species: Pimephales promelas (fathead minnow); Conditions: flow-through bioassay with measured concentrations, 24.4 °C, dissolved oxygen 6.9 mg/L, hardness 45.8 mg/L calcium carbonate, alkalinity 36.4 mg/L calcium carbonate, and pH 7.7; Concentration: 7.01 g/L for 96 hr (confidence limit: 6.48-7.58 g/L)

EC50; Species: Pimephales promelas (fathead minnow); Conditions: flow-through bioassay with measured concentrations, 24.4 °C, dissolved oxygen 6.9 mg/L, hardness 45.8 mg/L calcium carbonate, alkalinity 36.4 mg/L calcium carbonate, and pH 7.7; Concentration: 6.74 g/L for 96 hr (confidence limit: 6.20-7.33 g/L); Effect: loss of equilibrium

TERRESTRIAL FATE: Based on a classification scheme(1), an estimated Koc value of 11(SRC), determined from a structure estimation method(2), indicates that trimethyl phosphate is expected to have very high mobility in soil(SRC). Volatilization of trimethyl phosphate from moist soil surfaces is not expected to be an important fate process(SRC) given a Henry's Law constant of 7.2X10-9 atm-cu m/mole(3). Trimethyl phosphate is not expected to volatilize from dry soil surfaces(SRC) based upon a vapor pressure of 0.85 mm Hg at 25 °C(4). Utilizing the Japanese MITI test, 0% of the theoretical BOD was reached in 4 weeks(5) indicating that biodegradation is not a fast environmental fate process in soil(SRC).

AQUATIC FATE: Based on a classification scheme(1), an estimated Koc value of 11(SRC), determined from a structure estimation method(2), indicates that trimethyl phosphate is not expected to adsorb to suspended solids and sediment(SRC). Volatilization from water surfaces is not expected(3) based upon a Henry's Law constant of 7.2X10-9 atm-cu m/mole(4). The hydrolysis half-life of trimethyl phosphate is 120-900 days based on experimental hydrolysis rate constants(5-7). According to a classification scheme(8), BCFs of <1.4 and 0.2-0.4 reported in carp(9), suggest bioconcentration in aquatic organisms is low(SRC). Utilizing the Japanese MITI test, 0% of the theoretical BOD was reached in 4 weeks(9) indicating that biodegradation is not a fast environmental fate process in water(SRC).

ATMOSPHERIC FATE: According to a model of gas/particle partitioning of semivolatile organic compounds in the atmosphere(1), trimethyl phosphate, which has a vapor pressure of 0.85 mm Hg at 25 °C(2), is expected to exist solely as a vapor in the ambient atmosphere. Vapor-phase trimethyl phosphate is degraded in the atmosphere by reaction with photochemically-produced hydroxyl radicals and ozone(SRC); the half-lives for these reactions in air are estimated to be 52 hours and 190 days(SRC), calculated from its respective rate constants of 7.37X10-12(3) and <6X10-20(4) cu cm/molecule-sec at 25 °C. Trimethyl phosphate does not contain chromophores that absorb at wavelengths >290 nm(5) and, therefore, is not expected to be susceptible to direct photolysis by sunlight(SRC).

IDENTIFICATION AND USE: Trimethyl phosphate is a colorless liquid. It is used as a gasoline additive for controlling surface ignition and spark plug fouling; methylating agent, chemical intermediate in the production of polymethyl polyphosphates; flame retardant solvent for paints and polymers; catalyst in the preparation of polymers and resins. HUMAN EXPOSURE AND TOXICITY: Weakness and paralysis are neurotoxic effects of trimethyl phosphate. ANIMAL STUDIES: Trimethyl phosphate was a rabbit eye irritant. In rabbits oral or dermal administration produced flaccid and spastic paralysis. Trimethyl phosphate was neurotoxic in beagle dogs. After 4 wk, neurotoxicity was noted in impairment of hopping, tactile placing, and atactic gait. Electrophysiologic tests indicated a prolonged latency of neuromuscular impulse transmission after wk 9, followed by a decrease in maximum conduction velocity of sensory fibers. Peripheral nerve fibers also had abnormalities at this time, including paranodal and internodal swelling, paranodal demyelination, and distal fragmentation. Trimethyl phosphate induced sterility in mice, rats and rabbits. Trimethyl phosphate primarily affected epididymal spermatozoa, probably by action of sperm motility. Trimethyl phosphate causes aspermia in D. melanogaster males. Evidence from cytological studies of larval testes suggests that the chemosterilizing effect of the chemical is upon early primary spermatocytes. In developmental studies in mice, F1 male progeny were sterile or semi-sterile, resulting from heritable translocations. Thus, trimethyl phosphate is capable of causing chromosomal damage in mouse spermatids. in NTP carcinogenicity studies trimethyl phosphate was associated with the induction of benign fibromas of the subcutaneous tissue in male Fischer rats. No evidence of carcinogenicity of the compound was obtained in female rats. Trimethylphosphate was carcinogenic in female mice, inducing adenocarcinomas of the uterus/endometrium. No evidence of carcinogenicity of the compound was obtained in male mice. ECOTOXICITY STUDIES: In Japanese quail treated orally with trimethyl phosphate, there was rapid decline in the percentage of fertile eggs during the 10 day period following the first dose. In another study it was reported that only 81% of eggs laid between 1 and 35 days after treatment of male quail with trimethyl phosphate were fertile, significantly less than in the control group .

Cough. Sore throat.

Redness.

Redness.

Shortness of breath. Weakness. Hyperexcitability. Tremor.

EPA has released the first beta version (version 0.5) of the Interactive Chemical Safety for Sustainability (iCSS) Dashboard. The beta version of the iCSS Dashboard provides an interactive tool to explore rapid, automated (or in vitro high-throughput) chemical screening data generated by the Toxicity Forecaster (ToxCast) project and the federal Toxicity Testing in the 21st century (Tox21) collaboration. /The title compound was tested by ToxCast and/or Tox21 assays; See the data in Chemical Explorer/[USEPA; ICSS Dashboard Application; Available from, as of June 27, 2014: http://actor.epa.gov/dashboard/]

The following link will take the user to the National Toxicology Program (NTP) Test Agent Search Results page, which tabulates all of the "Standard Toxicology & Carcinogenesis Studies", "Developmental Studies", and "Genetic Toxicity Studies" performed with this chemical. Clicking on the "Testing Status" link will take the user to the status (i.e., in review, in progress, in preparation, on test, completed, etc.) and results of all the studies that the NTP has done on this chemical.[Available from, as of September 2, 2014: http://ntp-apps.niehs.nih.gov/ntp_tox/index.cfm?fuseaction=ntpsearch.searchresults&searchterm=512-56-1]

Trimethyl phosphate was qualitatively identified in effluents discharged into the upper reaches of the River Lee in the United Kingdom from 2 sewage treatment facilities(1). Trimethyl phosphate was identified as a reaction product during the chlorination of terrestrial humic acid commonly used in the production of drinking water(2). Trimethyl phosphate was not detected in sludge samples taken from 11 sewage treatment plants located throughout Sweden, samples were collected 2002 to 2003(3). The concentration of trimethyl phosphate in influent and effluent samples taken concurrently from these same plants was <0.8-584 and <0.8-79 ng/L, respectively(3).

Using a structure estimation method based on molecular connectivity indices(1), the Koc of trimethyl phosphate can be estimated to be 11(SRC). According to a classification scheme(2), this estimated Koc value suggests that trimethyl phosphate is expected to have very high mobility in soil.

Rats treated orally at 100 mg/kg and mice treated ip at 1000 mg/kg with (32)P-labeled trimethyl phosphate excreted primarily dimethyl phosphate in the urine. Only traces of the parent compound were detected, and only in the rats at less than 6 hr after treatment. S-Methyl cysteine and S-methyl cysteine N-acetate were also isolated. Small amounts of S-methyl glutathione were detected, presumably the initial methylation product in this series of metabolites ... . Metabolism of trimethyl phosphate was faster in the mouse than in the rat, but there was no evidence of further conversion to monomethyl phosphate in either species ... .

Used as a gasoline additive, methylating agent, flame-resistant solvent for paints and polymers, catalyst in polymers and resins, and to make polymethyl polyphosphates; [HSDB]

Painting (Solvents) [Category: Paint]

For controlling spark plug fouling, surface ignition and rumble in gasoline engines.

Gasoline additive at 0.25 g/gal for controlling surface ignition and spark plug fouling; methylating agent, chemical intermediate in the production of polymethyl polyphosphates; flame retardant solvent for paints and polymers; catalyst in the preparation of polymers and resins.

Stabilizer; antioxidant

2023: 50,000 - <75,000 lb

(1977) NOT PRODUCED COMMERCIALLY IN USA

(1979) NOT PRODUCED COMMERCIALLY IN USA

Production volume for non-confidential chemicals reported under the 2006 Inventory Update Rule. Chemical: Phosphoric acid, trimethyl ester. Aggregated National Production Volume: 1 to < 10 million pounds.

Non-confidential 2012 Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) information on the production and use of chemicals manufactured or imported into the United States. Chemical: Phosphoric acid, trimethyl ester. National Production Volume: Withheld.

Not Known or Reasonably Ascertainable

Phosphoric acid, trimethyl ester: ACTIVE

Trimethyl phosphate ... retards the velocity of a methane-oxygen flame with about the same molar efficiency as antimony trichloride.