Is Triethyl Phosphate safe in cosmetics?
Triethyl Phosphate has a safety rating of "MODERATE" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted. 3 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Triethyl Phosphate
Also known as: BRN 1705772, EINECS 201-114-5, Triethylfosfat, UNII-QIH4K96K7J, TEP (+3 more)
INCI: TRIETHYL PHOSPHATE
Triethyl Phosphate (CAS 78-40-0) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Solvent. Reported NOAEL =125 mg/kg bw/day in Rat (ECHA); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted; GHS signal word WARNING. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data.
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Triethyl Phosphate is classified GHS CMR hazard (H302, H319, H336, H361, H371) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu status; Chemicals: ghs classifications.signal word/hazard statement code
Function
Solvent
Editorial assessment
MODERATE
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
triethyl phosphate
InChIKey
DQWPFSLDHJDLRL-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Permitted for cosmetic use; also has GRAS status for certain applications
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Triethyl Phosphate.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
3 study endpoints found for Triethyl Phosphate. NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) values are used to calculate the Margin of Safety per SCCS methodology.
| Endpoint | Value | Route | Species | Study Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOAEL | =125 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | reproduction developmental | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =200 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | subchronic | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =625 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | developmental | ECHA |
GHS Hazard Classification
Globally Harmonized System classification per ECHA C&L inventory and ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards.
Signal Word
WARNING
Pictograms
Excl markWarn
Hazard Statements
Harmful if swallowed May cause drowsiness or dizziness
Short-term Exposure Effects
The substance is mildly irritating to the eyes. The substance may cause effects on the central nervous system.
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by ingestion.
EU CLP Annex VI Harmonized Classification
Legally binding harmonized classification per Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP) Annex VI.
Signal Word
Warning
Pictograms
Harmful / Irritant
Hazard Class and Category
Acute Tox. 4 *
Hazard Statements
- H302 Harmful if swallowed
Inserted via ATP: CLP00
Endocrine Disruptor Evidence (Expanded)
Cross-referenced EDC classifications, mechanism data, and dose-response evidence from EDLists, SIN List, and cosmetic-specific detail sources.
Suspected
Evidence: Moderate
(2025)
Health effects: Yes
Affected pathways: Thyroid, Anti-androgenic
Regulatory framework: REACH
Source list: II
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
10,000 - 100,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Hazard classification: Restricted (Annex XVII)
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (2)
Endocrine Disruptors
Potential endocrine disrupting compound
Source: NORMAN Suspect List Exchange
ICSC Safety Card
1730
Source: WHO/JECFA
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Flame retardant
Plasticizer
Solvent
Regulatory List Membership (1)
FDA Indirect Food Contact Additives
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Triethyl Phosphate — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Triethyl Phosphate by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
3
Lowest NOAEL
125 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
625 mg/kg bw/day
ECHA
Known Synonyms
BRN 1705772
EINECS 201-114-5
Triethylfosfat
UNII-QIH4K96K7J
TEP
Triethylphosphate
Tris(ethyl) phosphate
o-Phosphoric acid triethyl ester
Chemical Function
Solvent
Flame retardant
Plasticizer
Regulatory Lists
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
CEDI
Indirect additives food contact (10/2018)
Europe; plastic_additive
Canada; pharmaceutical
detected; Europe; Other direct contact consumer goods
detected; Europe; Other direct contact consumer goods
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in pharmaceutical data.
SOURCE
ChEMBL / DrugCentral / FAERS
DB_PHARMA CAS match
Pharmaceutical Data
Same-CAS rows from the pharmaceutical spoke database.
Compound
TRIETHYL PHOSPHATE
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL1236251
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Triethyl Phosphate allowed in the EU?
Triethyl Phosphate EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Triethyl Phosphate do in cosmetics?
Triethyl Phosphate functions as: Solvent. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 78-40-0.
What is the NOAEL for Triethyl Phosphate?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Triethyl Phosphate is =125 mg/kg bw/day based on a reproduction developmental study via oral route in Rat. A total of 3 study endpoints are available. Source: ECHA.
Is Triethyl Phosphate classified as hazardous under GHS?
Triethyl Phosphate carries a GHS signal word of "WARNING". Hazard statements: Harmful if swallowed May cause drowsiness or dizziness. This classification is based on the ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Card and ECHA C&L inventory data. Note: GHS classification applies to the pure substance — at cosmetic use concentrations, hazard thresholds may not be met.
Is Triethyl Phosphate used outside cosmetics?
Triethyl Phosphate also appears in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Does Triethyl Phosphate have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Triethyl Phosphate is classified GHS CMR hazard (H302, H319, H336, H361, H371) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Compliance Tools
Check Triethyl Phosphate compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
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82 Allergen Checker
Check for EU declarable fragrance allergens
Substance Compliance
Check compliance across multiple jurisdictions
MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
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