Baby Safety / Compounds / Trimethylarsine

Is Trimethylarsine safe for babies and kids?

Context-dependent for kids

(Babies-specific data is limited; this page draws from human pregnant context.) Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of Trimethylarsine, potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

What is trimethylarsine?

Also known as: trimethylarsane, Trimethylarsenic, Arsine, trimethyl-, AsMe3.

IUPAC name
Trimethylarsine
CAS number
593-88-4
Molecular formula
C3H9As
Molecular weight
119.99 g/mol
SMILES
C[As](C)C
PubChem CID
68978

Risk for babies

Context-dependent

Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of Trimethylarsine, potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

No specific reproductive toxicity data identified, but pregnancy-specific safety data is limited for most chemicals. Precautionary minimization of exposure is recommended.

What to do: Minimize exposure during pregnancy and lactation. Consult healthcare provider regarding specific risks. Consider alternative products with lower hazard profiles.

Risk for pregnant and nursing people

Context-dependent

Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of Trimethylarsine, potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

No specific reproductive toxicity data identified, but pregnancy-specific safety data is limited for most chemicals. Precautionary minimization of exposure is recommended.

What to do: Minimize exposure during pregnancy and lactation. Consult healthcare provider regarding specific risks. Consider alternative products with lower hazard profiles.

Regulatory consensus

2 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Trimethylarsine. The classifications differ — that's the data.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
EPA——
IARC——

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where kids encounter trimethylarsine

  • laboratory settings (restricted)
  • industrial synthesis
  • environmental byproduct of arsenic metabolism

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Trimethylarsine:

  • Trimethylgallium (for MOCVD)
    Trade-offs: Gallium-based compounds instead of arsenide. Different bandgap properties. Pyrophoric.
    Relative cost: Similar

Frequently asked questions

What products contain trimethylarsine?

Trimethylarsine appears in: laboratory settings (restricted); industrial synthesis; environmental byproduct of arsenic metabolism.

See Trimethylarsine in the baby app

Look up products containing trimethylarsine, compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (1)
  1. ATSDR Toxicological Profile — CAS 593-88-4 — reference

Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →