Boric acid

Boric acid	Last updated: 24/10/2024
(Also known as: hydrogen borate; boracic acid; orthoboric acid; acidium boricum; sassolite)

SUMMARY

Boric acid has antiseptic and insecticidal activity. It is highly soluble in water but little is known about its environmental fate. It tends to have a low to moderate toxicity to biodiversity. Boric acid has a low oral mammalian toxicity and is a recognised irritant.

Data alerts

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
	Ecotoxicity Moderate alert: Fish acute ecotoxicity: Moderate; Fish chronic ecotoxicity: Moderate	Human health High alert: Reproduction/development effects

GENERAL INFORMATION

Description

A weak acid of boron that has antiseptic and insecticidal activity

Example pests controlled

Cockroaches; Palmetto bugs; Water bugs; Ant; Silverfish; Carpenter Ants; Termites

Example applications

Domestic, commercial and industrial non-food areas

Efficacy & activity

Appearance and life cycle

Availability status

Current

Introduction & key dates

Taxonomic classification

GB regulatory status

GB COPR regulatory status

Not approved

Date COPR inclusion expires

Not applicable

GB LERAP status

No UK approval for use as a pesticide

EC Regulation 1107/2009 (repealing 91/414)

EC Regulation 1107/2009 status

Not approved

Dossier rapporteur/co-rapporteur

Poland

Date EC 1107/2009 inclusion expires

Not applicable

EU Candidate for substitution (CfS)

Not applicable

Listed in EU database

Yes

Approved for use (✓) under EC 1107/2009 in the following EU Member States

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

Approved for use (✓) under EC 1107/2009 by Mutual Recognition of Authorisation and/or national regulations in the following EEA countries

ISIceland	NONorway

Additional information

Known to be also used in the following countries

Chemical structure

Isomerism

None

Chemical formula

H₃BO₃

Canonical SMILES

B(O)(O)O

Isomeric SMILES

No data

International Chemical Identifier key (InChIKey)

KGBXLFKZBHKPEV-UHFFFAOYSA-N

International Chemical Identifier (InChI)

InChI=1S/BH3O3/c2-1(3)4/h2-4H

2D structure diagram/image available?

Yes

Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre diagrams

Common Name	Relationship	Link
boric acid	-

General status

Biopesticide type

Insecticide, Fungicide, Other substance

Other bioactivity & uses

Biocide, Wood preservative, Embalming fluid, Slimicide, Disinfectant, Algicide

Substance groups

Inorganic compound; Monobasic acid

Minimum active substance purity

Known relevant impurities

Substance origin

Natural

Mode of action

Stomach poison. Antifeed for insects distrupting insect enzyme & digestive systems. Multi-site activity.

Substance source

Naturally occurring mineral acid that can be found in soil of certain volcanic areas, seawater and in all plants especially fruit

Substance production

Produced synthetically for commercial use by reacting borax (sodium tetraborate decahydrate) with a mineral acid, such as hydrochloric acid

Uses

Wood preservation; Anti-fungal treatment

Target pests

Cockroaches; Palmetto bugs; Water bugs; Ant; Silverfish; Carpenter Ants; Termites

Target host

Domestic, commercial and industrial non-food areas

Farming system suitability

CAS RN

10043-35-3

EC number

233-139-2

CIPAC number

None allocated

US EPA chemical code

011001

PubChem CID

7628

CLP index number

005-007-00-2

Molecular mass

61.83

PIN (Preferred Identification Name)

IUPAC name

boric acid

CAS name

boric acid

Other status information

Relevant Environmental Water Quality Standards

Herbicide Resistance Class (HRAC MoA class)

Not applicable

Herbicide Resistance Class (WSSA MoA class)

Not applicable

Insecticide Resistance Class (IRAC MoA class)

Fungicide Resistance Class (FRAC MOA class)

Examples of recorded resistance

Physical state

White crystalline, odourless powder

Related substances & organisms

zinc borate

borax

Can be a metabolite of:

Parent

Formation medium

Estimated maximum occurrence fraction

1107/2009 relevancy

disodium octaborate tetrahydrate

Soil

Formulations

Property

Product

Manufacturer

Example products

Formulation and application details

ENVIRONMENTAL FATE

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

Solubility - In water at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)

57000

High

Solubility - In organic solvents at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)

Melting point (°C)

171

Boiling point (°C)

300

Degradation point (°C)

Flashpoint (°C)

Octanol-water partition coefficient at pH 7, 20 °C

1.75 X 10^-01

Calculated

Log P

-0.757

Low

Fat solubility of residues

Solubility

Data type

Density (g ml⁻¹)

1.435

Dissociation constant pKa) at 25 °C

9.24

Vapour pressure at 20 °C (mPa)

Henry's law constant at 25 °C (Pa m³ mol⁻¹)

Volatilisation as max % of applied dose lost

From plant surface

From soil surface

Maximum UV-vis absorption L mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹

Surface tension (mN m⁻¹)

Degradation

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

General biodegradability

Soil degradation (days) (aerobic)

DT₅₀ (typical)

DT₅₀ (lab at 20 °C)

DT₅₀ (field)

DT₉₀ (lab at 20 °C)

DT₉₀ (field)

DT₅₀ modelling endpoint

Note

Naturally occurring as borate in many soils

Dissipation rate RL₅₀ (days) on plant matrix

Value

Note

Dissipation rate RL₅₀ (days) on and in plant matrix

Value

Note

Aqueous photolysis DT₅₀ (days) at pH 7

Value

Note

Aqueous hydrolysis DT₅₀ (days) at 20 °C and pH 7

Value

Note

Water-sediment DT₅₀ (days)

Water phase only DT₅₀ (days)

Sediment phase only DT₅₀ (days)

Air degradation

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.

Decay in stored produce DT₅₀

Soil adsorption and mobility

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

Linear

K_d (mL g⁻¹)

K_oc (mL g⁻¹)

Notes and range

Freundlich

K_f (mL g⁻¹)

K_foc (mL g⁻¹)

¹/_n

Notes and range

pH sensitivity

Known metabolites

None

ECOTOXICOLOGY

Terrestrial ecotoxicology

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

Mammals - Acute oral LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)

2660

Rat

Low

Mammals - Short term dietary NOEL

(mg kg⁻¹)

(ppm diet)

Mammals - Chronic 21d NOAEL (mg kg⁻¹ bw d⁻¹)

Birds - Acute LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)

> 5620

Anas platyrhynchos

Low

Birds - Short term dietary (LC₅₀/LD₅₀)

Birds - Chronic 21d NOEL (mg kg⁻¹ bw d⁻¹)

Earthworms - Acute 14 day LC₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)

> 1000

Unknown species

Low

Earthworms - Chronic NOEC, reproduction (mg kg⁻¹)

Soil micro-organisms

Collembola

Acute LC₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)

Chronic NOEC (mg kg⁻¹)

Non-target plants

Honeybees (Apis spp.)

Contact acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)

> 362

Low

Oral acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)

Unknown mode acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)

Chronic

Notes

Bumblebees (Bombus spp.)

Contact acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)

Oral acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)

Mason bees (Osmia spp.)

Contact acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)

Oral acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)

Other bee species (1)

Acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg insect⁻¹)

Mode of exposure

Other bee species (2)

Acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg insect⁻¹)

Mode of exposure

Beneficial insects (Ladybirds)

Beneficial insects (Lacewings)

Beneficial insects (Parasitic wasps)

Beneficial insects (Predatory mites)

Beneficial insects (Ground beetles)

Aquatic ecotoxicology

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

Temperate Freshwater Fish - Acute 96 hour LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

> 50.0

Oncorhynchus mykiss

Moderate

Temperate Freshwater Fish - Chronic 21 day NOEC (mg l⁻¹)

> 2.1

Oncorhynchus mykiss

Moderate

Tropical Freshwater Fish - Acute 96 hour LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

1456

Danio rerio Embryo

Low

Temperate Freshwater Aquatic invertebrates - Acute 48 hour EC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

< 115

Daphnia magna

Low

Temperate Freshwater Aquatic invertebrates - Chronic 21 day NOEC (mg l⁻¹)

Tropical Freshwater Aquatic invertebrates - Acute 48 hour EC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

Aquatic crustaceans - Acute 96 hour LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

Sediment dwelling organisms - Acute 96 hour LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

Sediment dwelling organisms - Chronic 28 day NOEC, static, water (mg l⁻¹)

Sediment dwelling organisms - Chronic 28 day NOEC, sediment (mg kg⁻¹)

Aquatic plants - Acute 7 day EC₅₀, biomass (mg l⁻¹)

Algae - Acute 72 hour EC₅₀, growth (mg l⁻¹)

Algae - Chronic 96 hour NOEC, growth (mg l⁻¹)

Mesocosm study data

NOEAEC mg l⁻¹

Marine bivalves

HUMAN HEALTH AND PROTECTION

General

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

Threshold of Toxicological Concern (Cramer Class)

High (class III)

Mammals - Acute oral LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)

2660

Rat

Low

Mammals - Dermal LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹ body weight)

2000

Rat

Mammals - Inhalation LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

Other Mammal toxicity endpoints

Intravenous LD₅₀ = 1330 mg kg⁻¹

Rat

Subcutaneous LD₅₀ = 1400 mg kg⁻¹

Rat

ADI - Acceptable Daily Intake (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)

ARfD - Acute Reference Dose (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)

AAOEL - Acute Acceptable Operator Exposure Level (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)

AOEL - Acceptable Operator Exposure Level - Systemic (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)

Dermal penetration studies (%)

Dangerous Substances Directive 76/464

Exposure Routes

Public

Occupational

Mammalian dose elimination route and rate

Boric acid is rapidly excreted, primarily in the urine, 89-98% of boric acid and inorganic borates are eliminated in the urine over a 96-hour period.

Health issues

Specific human health issues

Carcinogen

Genotoxic

Endocrine disruptor

; ; ; ;

Reproduction / development effects

Acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor

Neurotoxicant

Respiratory tract irritant

Skin irritant

Skin sensitiser

No data found

Eye irritant

Phototoxicant

No data found

General human health issues

Slightly toxic, may cause gastro-intestinal problems

Handling issues

Property

Value and interpretation

General

Non-flammable, flame retardant

CLP classification 2013

Health: H360FD

WHO Classification

Not listed (Not listed)

UN Number

Not regulated

Waste disposal & packaging

Shelf-life, storage, stability and reactivity

TRANSLATIONS

Language

Name

English

boric acid

French

German

Borsaure

Danish

Italian

Spanish

Greek

Polish

Swedish

Hungarian

Dutch

Norwegian

Record last updated:	24/10/2024
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