Urea |
Last updated: 17/07/2024
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(Also known as: carbamide ) |
Urea has several different applications in crop protection demonstrating both fungicidal and insecticidal activity as well as having value as a wood preservative. Urea rapidly degrades to carbon dioxide and ammonia and so is not expected to present significant environmental risks although it may contribute to nitrate leaching. There are no significant ecotoxicological or huma toxicological concerns. |
The following alerts are based on the data in the tables below. An absence of an alert does not imply the substance has no implications for human health, biodiversity or the environment but just that we do not have the data to form a judgement.
Environmental fate |
Ecotoxicity |
Human health |
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Normally thought of as a nitrogen fertiliser, however, it is also used to control certain insect and wood rotting pests |
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Olive fruit fly (Bactrocera oleae); Conifer root & butt rot (Heterobasidion annosum |
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Olive trees; Conifers; Pines; Wood structures |
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- |
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- |
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Current |
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1773, discovered |
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- |
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Approved |
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31/08/2029 |
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No UK approval for use |
EC Regulation 1107/2009 (repealing 91/414) |
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Approved |
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Greece/Finland |
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30/11/2026 |
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No |
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Yes |
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ATAustria |
BEBelgium |
BGBulgaria |
CYCyprus |
CZCzech Republic |
DEGermany |
DKDenmark |
EEEstonia |
ELGreece |
  |
  |
  |
✓ |
  |
  |
  |
  |
✓ |
ESSpain |
FIFinland |
FRFrance |
HRCroatia |
HUHungary |
IEIreland |
ITItaly |
LTLithuania |
LULuxembourg |
✓ |
✓ |
  |
  |
  |
  |
  |
  |
  |
LVLatvia |
MTMalta |
NLNetherlands |
PLPoland |
PTPortugal |
RORomania |
SESweden |
SISlovenia |
SKSlovakia |
  |
  |
  |
  |
✓ |
  |
  |
  |
  |
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ISIceland |
NONorway |
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None |
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CH₄N₂O |
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C(=O)(N)N |
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- |
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XSQUKJJJFZCRTK-UHFFFAOYSA-N |
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InChI=1S/CH4N2O/c2-1(3)4/h(H4,2,3,4) |
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Yes |
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Fungicide, Insecticide, Other substance |
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Fertiliser, Wood preservative, Microbiocide |
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Animal-derived substance |
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98% w/w |
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EU dossier - None declared |
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Natural |
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Unclear but thought to be related to elevation in pH and ammonia levels as urea degrades |
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A naturally occurring molecule that is produced by protein metabolism and found abundantly in mammalian urine |
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Mainly produced on an industrial scale by a two step process where the ammonia and carbon dioxide react to form ammonium carbamate which is then dehydrated to urea |
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Crop protection and general pest control |
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Olive fruit fly (Bactrocera oleae); Conifer root & butt rot (Heterobasidion annosum |
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Olive trees; Conifers; Pines; Wood structures |
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- |
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57-13-6 |
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200-315-5 |
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913 |
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085702 |
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1176 |
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No data found |
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60.06 |
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- |
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urea |
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urea |
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- |
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- |
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Not applicable |
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Not applicable |
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UNM |
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NC |
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None identified |
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White solid with ammoniacal odour |
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590000 |
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High |
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- |
- |
- |
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133 |
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- |
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Decomposes before boiling |
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- |
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135 |
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- |
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73 |
O2 O = Miscellaneous data from online sources 2 = Unverified data of unknown source |
- |
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2.57 X 10-02 |
Calculated |
- |
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-1.59 |
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Low |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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1.32 |
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 3 = Unverified data of known source |
- |
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13.90 |
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 3 = Unverified data of known source |
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Data as pKb |
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1.1 |
at 25 °C |
Low volatility. If applied directly to plants or soil, drift is a concern & mitigation is advisable |
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4.4 X 10-08 |
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Non-volatile |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
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5.0 |
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 3 = Unverified data of known source |
Non-persistent |
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5 |
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 3 = Unverified data of known source |
Non-persistent |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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Soil nutrient - main mode of degradation is via enzymatic mineralisation |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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As this parameter is not normally measured directly, a surrogate measure is used: ‘Photochemical oxidative DT₅₀’. Where data is available, this can be found in the Fate Indices section below. |
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- |
Soil adsorption and mobility |
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- |
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Very mobile |
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14 |
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In high peat soils Koc ~ 0.79 mL g⁻¹ |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
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- |
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- |
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No but adsorption increases with organic carbon |
Known groundwater metabolites |
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None
None
Terrestrial ecotoxicology |
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> 8471 |
Rat |
Low |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
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> 2250 |
Rat Reproductive NOAEL |
Low |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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> 50.0 |
Cyprinus carpio |
Moderate |
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> 2000 |
P3 P = Other non-EU, UK or US Governments and Regulators 3 = Unverified data of known source Heteropneustes fossilis |
Low |
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> 4.65 |
Danio rerio |
Moderate |
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> 10000 |
P3 P = Other non-EU, UK or US Governments and Regulators 3 = Unverified data of known source Daphnia magna |
Low |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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10.7 |
Unknown species |
Low |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
HUMAN HEALTH AND PROTECTION |
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Low (class I) |
- |
- |
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> 8471 |
Rat |
Low |
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8200 |
O3 O = Miscellaneous data from online sources 3 = Unverified data of known source Rat |
- |
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0.022 |
Rat (dust) |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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None allocated |
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- |
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None allocated |
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- |
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None allocated |
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- |
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None allocated |
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- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
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- |
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- |
- |
- |
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Carcinogen |
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Endocrine disruptor |
XNo, known not to cause a problem |
A0 A = Chromosome aberration (EFSA database) 0 = No data ; B0 B = DNA damage/repair (EFSA database) 0 = No data ; C0 C = Gene mutation (EFSA database) 0 = No data ; D0 D = Genome mutation (EFSA database) 0 = No data ; E0 E = Unspecified genotoxicity type (miscellaneous data source) 0 = No data |
XNo, known not to cause a problem |
Reproduction / development effects |
Acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor |
Neurotoxicant |
✓Yes, known to cause a problem |
XNo, known not to cause a problem |
XNo, known not to cause a problem |
Respiratory tract irritant |
Skin irritant |
Skin sensitiser |
✓Yes, known to cause a problem |
✓Yes, known to cause a problem |
XNo, known not to cause a problem |
Eye irritant |
Phototoxicant |
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✓Yes, known to cause a problem |
No data found |
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May cause gastrointestinal irritation, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea May cause cardiac disturbances May damage vital organs |
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Uncontaminated urea is not explosive but it may form explosive products with chlorinating substances |
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Health: H315, H319, H334, H371 Environment: H413 |
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Not listed (Not listed) |
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- |
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- |
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- |
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urea |
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- |
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- |
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- |
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- |
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- |
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- |
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- |
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- |
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- |
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- |
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- |
Record last updated: |
17/07/2024 |
Contact: |
aeru@herts.ac.uk |
Please cite as: |
Lewis, K.A., Tzilivakis, J., Warner, D. and Green, A. (2016) An international database for pesticide risk assessments and management. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal, 22(4), 1050-1064. DOI: 10.1080/10807039.2015.1133242 |