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Please be aware that this old REACH registration data factsheet is no longer maintained; it remains frozen as of 19th May 2023.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

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Additional information

Animal data

Kligerman et al. (1994ab) did not observe any cytogenetic damage as measured by chromosome aberrations, sister chromatid exchange or micronuclei induction in hematopoietic tissues of mice and rat exposed to PH3 (16 ppm / 22.72 mg/m3 for 6 hours periods and 5 ppm / 7.1 mg/m3 for 9 days period). Furthermore, the peripheral blood lymphocyte was used to quantify cytogenetic damage, theses studies are more comparable to the human in vivo studies.

Barbosa et al. (1994b) reported a slight but statistically significant increase in micronuclei polychromatid erythrocytes in the bone marrow of female mice and in the bi-nucleated splenocytes of male and female mice exposed to 4.5 ppm (6.39 mg/m3) for 13 weeks. The interpretation of these results is ambiguous because the significantly difference between sexes in the control group and an adverse effect (on weight gain) was also observed at this concentration (it was the highest dose). At the same time no statistically significant increase in HPRT mutagenisis was seen in the splenocytes from the treated mice. Nevertheless, when the concentration of PH3 was 5.5 ppm (7.81 ppm) and the exposure was limited to 2 weeks, no statistically significant increases in micronuclei were seen in the peripheral blood polychromatide erythrocyte or in binucleated keratinocytes.

the table below summarizes the animal data:

Reference Klig, 1994a  Klig, 1994a Barb, 1994b
Exposure 6 hours 9 days 2 weeks 13 weeks
highest concentration (ppm) 16 +/-1.15 5 5.5 4.5 +/-0.8
Type of study Species        
Micronuclei mice negative
(bone marrow)
negative
(blood lymphocyte)
negative
(spleen lymphocyte)
postive at the highest concentation
(bone marrow)
negative
(splenocyte)
  negative
(keratonocyte)
postive at the highest concentation
(spleen lymphocyte)
rat   negative
(bone marrow)
   
Sister Chromatid Exchange mice negative
(splenocyte)
negative
(bloodlymphocyte)
   
rat   negative
(blood lymphocyte)
   
Chromosome Aberration mice negative
(splenocyte)
negative
(blood lymphocyte)
   
rat   negative
(blood lymphocyte)
   
HPRT mice       negative
(spleen lymphocyte)

Human data (not epidemiological studies)

Barbosa et al. (1994a) did not associate occupational exposure to PH3 with increased levels of chromosome damage in peripheral blood lymphocytes (micronuclei) and urine mutagenicty of fumigant applicators

Garry et al. (1989) associated occupational exposure to PH3, with increased levels of chromosome damage in peripheral blood lymphocytes of fumigant applicators. However, when the subjects were studies 6 weeks to 3 months after fumigation with PH3 had ceased, there was no difference in the number of chromosome damage between men exposed and control subject. Due the lack of information in the age and conditions of exposure was not clear, the reliability was 3.

Conclusion

The slight but statistically significant increases in micronuclei observed by Barbosa et al. (1994b) may be due to the extended period of exposure that was used in that study compared to Kligerman et al. (1994ab).

The possibility also exists that the positive response seen in the Human studies were actually not due to PH3 but to other confounding factors in the fumigators’ environment.

The most likely explanation for the disparate cytogenetic responses seen after some of the in vivo rodent PH3 exposures, is that PH3 is at best, a weak genotoxicant, that sometimes will induce marginal increases in cytogenitic damage when exposures are near toxic levels.


Short description of key information:
The most likely explanation for the disparate cytogenetic responses seen after some of the in vivo rodent PH3 exposures is that PH3 is at best, a weak genotoxicant, that sometimes will induce marginal increases in cytogenitic damage when exposures are near toxic levels (Kligerman et al., 1994b)

Endpoint Conclusion: No adverse effect observed (negative)

Justification for classification or non-classification

Phosphine is listed on Annex VI to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 includes lists of harmonised classification and labelling. No change is proposed for these effects.