Triphenylphosphine
MAK Value Documentation, addendum – Translation of the German version from 2022
Andrea Hartwig1 (Chair of the Permanent Senate Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft)MAK Commission2
1 Institute of Applied Biosciences, Department of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Adenauerring 20a, Building 50.41, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
2 Permanent Senate Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Kennedyallee 40, 53175 Bonn, Germany
Abstract
The German Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area (MAK Commission) has re-evaluated the occupational exposure limit value (maximum concentration at the workplace, MAK value), the pregnancy risk group, and the data for sensitization, absorption through the skin and germ cell mutagenicity of triphenylphosphine [603-35-0]. Relevant studies were identified from a literature search and also unpublished study reports were used. The critical effect is neurotoxicity which was observed in a 4-week study in dogs at a respirable aerosol concentration of 30 mg triphenylphosphine in xylene/m3 with a NOAEC of 10 mg/m3. Based on this and taking into account the increased respiratory volume at the workplace, the MAK value is set at 2 mg/m3 as the inhalable fraction (I). Since a systemic effect is critical, Peak Limitation Category II is retained. The default excursion factor of 2 has been confirmed because the half-life is still not known. There is an adequate margin between the NOAEL for developmental toxicity and the MAK value. However, triphenylphosphine is a neurotoxin and data on developmental neurotoxicity are lacking. Therefore, triphenylphosphine is assigned to Pregnancy Risk Group D. Triphenylphosphine is not mutagenic in bacteria and neither clastogenic in vitro nor in vivo. Skin contact is expected to lead to a relatively minor contribution to systemic toxicity. Triphenylphosphine can cause sensitization of the skin in animals and is therefore designated with “Sh”.
