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Tributyl phosphate

May 1994
Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)

CAS number: 126–73–8

NIOSH REL: 0.2 ppm (2.5 mg/m3) TWA

Current OSHA PEL: 5 mg/m3 TWA

1989 OSHA PEL: 0.2 ppm (2.5 mg/m3) TWA

1993-1994 ACGIH TLV: 0.2 ppm (2.2 mg/m3) TWA

Description of substance: Colorless to pale-yellow, odorless liquid.

LEL: . . Unknown

Original (SCP) IDLH: 125 ppm

Basis for original (SCP) IDLH: The chosen IDLH is based on the only available data on acute inhalation toxicity of exposure to tributyl phosphate. Patty [1963] reported that 0 of 3 rats succumbed to a 6-hour exposure to 123 ppm (1,337 mg/m3) [Fassett]. No other quantitative data are available on which to base the IDLH.

Short-term exposure guidelines: None developed

ACUTE TOXICITY DATA:

Lethal concentration data:

Species Reference LC50

(ppm)

LCLo

(ppm)

Time Adjusted 0.5-hr

LC (CF)

Derived value
Cat Eller 1937 ----- 2,214 5 hr 4,760 ppm (2.15) 476 ppm
Cat IPCS 1991 227 ----- 4-5 hr 454-488 ppm (2.0/2.15) 45-49 ppm
Rat IPCS 1991 123 ----- 6 hr 283 ppm (2.3) 28 ppm
Rat Kalinina 1971 117 ----- ? ? ?
Rat TSCATS 2,529 ----- 1 hr 3,161 ppm (1.25) 316 ppm

Lethal dose data:

Species Reference Route LD50

(mg/kg)

LDLo

(mg/kg)

Adjusted LD Derived value
Mouse Kalinina 1971 oral 1,189 ----- 752 ppm 75 ppm
Rat Smyth & Carpenter 1944 oral 3,000 ----- 1,897 ppm 190 ppm

Other animal data: It has been reported that rats survived a 6-hour exposure to 123 ppm (1,337 mg/m3) [Patty 1963].

Human data: Nausea and headache have been reported in workers exposed to 15 mg/m3 (1.4 ppm) [Mastromatteo 1964].

Revised IDLH: 30 ppm

Basis for revised IDLH: The revised IDLH for tributyl phosphate is 30 ppm based on acute inhalation toxicity data in animals [IPCS 1991]. This may be a conservative value due to the lack of relevant acute toxicity data in humans exposed to concentrations above 1.4 ppm.

REFERENCES:

1. ACGIH [1991]. Tributyl phosphate. In: Documentation of the threshold limit values and biological exposure indices. 6th ed. Cincinnati, OH: American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, pp. 1600-1601.

2. Eller H [1937]. Beitrag zur toxikologie technischer weichmachungsmittel (dissertation). Pharmakologishen Institut der Universitat Wursburg, Germany.

3. Fassett DW [?]. Unpublished data from the Laboratory of Industrial Medicine, Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY. [From Patty FA, ed. [1963]. Industrial hygiene and toxicology. 2nd rev. ed. Vol. II. Toxicology. New York, NY: Interscience Publishers, Inc., p. 1915.]

4. IPCS [1991]. Environmental health criteria 112, tri-n-butyl phosphate. Geneva, Switzerland: World health Organization, International Programme on Chemical Safety. [From ACGIH [1991]. Tributyl phosphate. In: Documentation of the threshold limit values and biological exposure indices. 6th ed. Cincinnati, OH: American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, pp. 1600-1601.]

5. Kalinina NI [1971]. Toxicity of phosphoroorganic platificators tributyl phosphate and di(2-ethylhexyl)phenyl phosphate. Gig Tr Prof Zabol 15(8):30-33 (in Russian).

6. Mastromatteo E [1964]. Personal communication to TLV Committee. [From ACGIH [1991]. Tributyl phosphate. In: Documentation of the threshold limit values and biological exposure indices. 6th ed. Cincinnati, OH: American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, pp. 1600-1601.]

7. Patty FA, ed. [1963]. Industrial hygiene and toxicology. 2nd rev. ed. Vol. II. Toxicology. New York, NY: Interscience Publishers, Inc., p. 1915.

8. Smyth HF Jr, Carpenter CP [1944]. The place of the range-finding test in the industrial toxicology laboratory. J Ind Hyg Toxicol 26:269-273.

9. TSCATS. Office of Toxic Substances Report FYI-OTS-0285-0380.

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