Tetraethyl lead (TEL) in food: ingestion safety
Severe riskNot medical or professional safety advice, and not a substitute for a qualified clinician — consult one. Full disclaimer →
TEL is rapidly absorbed and dealkylated to triethyl lead — neurotoxicity equivalent to or worse than inorganic lead. Documented siphoning-of-leaded-gasoline cases produced acute encephalopathy.
What is tetraethyl lead (tel)?
The IUPAC name is tetraethylplumbane.
Also known as: tetraethylplumbane, Tetraethyllead, Plumbane, tetraethyl-, TETRAETHYL LEAD.
- IUPAC name
- tetraethylplumbane
- CAS number
- 78-00-2
- Molecular formula
- C8H20Pb
- Molecular weight
- 323.0 g/mol
- SMILES
- CC[Pb](CC)(CC)CC
- PubChem CID
- 6511
Risk for people
Severe riskTEL is rapidly absorbed and dealkylated to triethyl lead — neurotoxicity equivalent to or worse than inorganic lead. Documented siphoning-of-leaded-gasoline cases produced acute encephalopathy.
Regulatory consensus
5 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Tetraethyl lead (TEL). The classifications differ — that's the data.
| Agency | Year | Classification | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| EPA CTX / NTP RoC | — | Reasonably Anticipated to be a Human Carcinogen | |
| EPA CTX / Genetox | — | Genotoxicity: negative (Ames: negative, 1 positive / 4 negative reports) | |
| EPA CTX / Genetox | — | Genotoxicity: negative (Ames: negative, 1 positive / 4 negative reports) | |
| EPA CTX / Skin-Eye | — | Eye Irritation: Category 6.4A (Category 2A) (score: high) | |
| EPA CTX / Skin-Eye | — | Skin Irritation: Category 6.3A (Category 2) (score: high) |
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 you encounter tetraethyl lead (tel)
- Contaminated Water — Mining site runoff, Industrial discharge areas, Drinking water from old infrastructure
- Soil Contamination — Industrial sites, Smelter areas, Battery recycling facilities
- Food Chain — Fish from contaminated waters, Shellfish from polluted areas, Crops grown in contaminated soil
Safer alternatives
Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Tetraethyl lead (TEL):
-
Safer process chemistry; Green chemistry alternatives; Exposure controls
Trade-offs: Requires R&D investment to redesign synthesis routes; may reduce yield or throughput initially; long-term benefits include reduced waste treatment costs, regulatory compliance, and worker safety; 12 Principles of Green Chemistry framework available.Relative cost: 2-5×
Frequently asked questions
Is tetraethyl lead (tel) safe for you?
TEL is rapidly absorbed and dealkylated to triethyl lead — neurotoxicity equivalent to or worse than inorganic lead. Documented siphoning-of-leaded-gasoline cases produced acute encephalopathy.
What products contain tetraethyl lead (tel)?
Tetraethyl lead (TEL) appears in: Mining site runoff (Contaminated water); Industrial discharge areas (Contaminated water); Industrial sites (Soil contamination); Smelter areas (Soil contamination); Fish from contaminated waters (Food chain).
Why do regulators disagree about tetraethyl lead (tel)?
Tetraethyl lead (TEL) has been classified by 5 agencies including EPA CTX / NTP RoC, EPA CTX / Genetox, EPA CTX / Genetox, EPA CTX / Skin-Eye, EPA CTX / Skin-Eye, with differing conclusions. 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. See the regulatory consensus table on this page for the full picture.
See Tetraethyl lead (TEL) in the food app
Look up products containing tetraethyl lead (tel), compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.
Open in food View raw API dataSources (3)
- Needleman et al.: Deficits in Psychologic and Classroom Performance of Children with Elevated Dentine Lead Levels — NEJM Leaded Gasoline IQ Study (1979) — study
- ATSDR Toxicological Profile: Lead — TEL Antiknock Additive History, Gasoline Phase-out, Blood Lead Decline, Neurocognitive Effects, Soil Legacy Contamination (2020) — regulatory
- US EPA: Leaded Gasoline Phase-out Final Rule — Complete Ban Effective January 1, 1996; Blood Lead Trend Data; Environmental Lead Burden Reduction (1996) — regulatory
Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →