(Also known as: tar camphor; naphthaline; moth balls)
SUMMARY
Naphthalene is only used for non-food applications. Slightly toxic if ingested but more serious effects may be seen if inhaled. It is considered a skin and eye irritant. It is also thought to be carcinogenic. Little is known about its environmental fate mainly because its usage patterns would minimise its release. Data suggests that it would be rapidly lost from the soil by evaporation, volatilization, and biodegradation. Non-toxic to birds and earthworms. It is moderately toxic to aquatic species but exposure is unlikely. No data for the risk posed to honeybees has been identified.
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
Environmental fate Moderate alert: GUS: Transition state; Drainflow: Slightly mobile; Potential for particle bound transport: Medium
Warning: Significant data are missing
Ecotoxicity Moderate alert: Fish acute ecotoxicity: Moderate; Fish chronic ecotoxicity: Moderate; Daphnia acute ecotoxicity: Moderate
Human health High alert: Neurotoxicant
GENERAL INFORMATION
Description
A largely obsolete insecticide once used as a moth repellant for the protection of textiles and as an animal repellant against nuisance vertebrate pests. It is also a constituent of some inert product additives.
Example pests controlled
Moths
Example applications
Non-cropped situations; Wool clothing and textiles
Efficacy & activity
-
Availability status
Considered obsolete but may be available in some countries
Introduction & key dates
1948, first registered as a pestcide USA
UK regulatory status
UK COPR regulatory status
Not approved
Date COPR inclusion expires
Not applicable
UK LERAP status
No UK approval for use
EC Regulation 1107/2009 (repealing 91/414)
EC Regulation 1107/2009 status
Not approved
Dossier rapporteur/co-rapporteur
Not applicable
Date EC 1107/2009 inclusion expires
Not applicable
EU Candidate for substitution (CfS)
Not applicable
Listed in EU database
No
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
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Dissociation constant pKa) at 25 °C
-
-
-
-
Vapour pressure at 20 °C (mPa)
6500
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Highly volatile. If applied directly to plants or soil, drift is a concern & mitigation is advisable
Henry's law constant at 25 °C (Pa m³ mol⁻¹)
2.78 X 1001
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Moderately volatile
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)
80
F3 F = U.S. EPA ECOTOX database / U.S. EPA pesticide fate database / Miscellaneous WHO documents / FAO data, IPCS INCHEM data (US EPA Databases Related to Pesticide Risk Assessment ) 3 = Unverified data of known source
Moderately persistent
DT₅₀ (lab at 20 °C)
-
-
-
DT₅₀ (field)
-
-
-
DT₉₀ (lab at 20 °C)
-
-
-
DT₉₀ (field)
-
-
-
DT₅₀ modelling endpoint
-
-
-
Note
Literature data reports DT₅₀'s of around 80 days unless the soil is contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons which will facilitate much quicker degradation rates.
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
Stable
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Stable
Note
-
Aqueous hydrolysis DT₅₀ (days) at 20 °C and pH 7
Value
Stable
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Stable
Note
-
Water-sediment DT₅₀ (days)
Stable
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Stable
Water phase only DT₅₀ (days)
Stable
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Stable
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
Kd (mL g⁻¹)
-
F3 F = U.S. EPA ECOTOX database / U.S. EPA pesticide fate database / Miscellaneous WHO documents / FAO data, IPCS INCHEM data (US EPA Databases Related to Pesticide Risk Assessment ) 3 = Unverified data of known source
Slightly mobile
Koc (mL g⁻¹)
750
Notes and range
Literature states Koc values range 200-1470 ml/g
Freundlich
Kf (mL g⁻¹)
-
-
-
Kfoc (mL g⁻¹)
-
1/n
-
Notes and range
-
pH sensitivity
-
Fate indices
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
GUS leaching potential index
2.14
Calculated
Transition state
SCI-GROW groundwater index (μg l⁻¹) for a 1 kg ha⁻¹ or 1 l ha⁻¹ application rate
Value
9.84 X 10-02
Calculated
-
Note
-
Potential for particle bound transport index
Medium
Calculated
-
Potential for loss via drain flow
Slightly mobile
Calculated
-
Photochemical oxidative DT₅₀ (hrs) as indicator of long-range air transport risk
-
-
-
Bio-concentration factor
BCF (l kg⁻¹)
714
F3 F = U.S. EPA ECOTOX database / U.S. EPA pesticide fate database / Miscellaneous WHO documents / FAO data, IPCS INCHEM data (US EPA Databases Related to Pesticide Risk Assessment ) 3 = Unverified data of known source
Cyprinodon variegatus Whole fish
Threshold for concern
CT₅₀ (days)
Not available
-
Known soil and groundwater metabolites
None
Other known metabolites
Metabolite name and reference
Aliases
Formation medium / Rate
Estimated maximum occurrence fraction
cis-1,2-dihydroxy-1,2-dihydronaphthalene
-
-
-
1,2-dihydroxy-naphthalene
-
-
-
2-hydroxchromene-2-carboxylate
HCCA
-
-
trans-o-hydroxy-benzylidenpyruvate
tHBPA
-
-
salicyladehyde
-
-
-
ECOTOXICOLOGY
Terrestrial ecotoxicology
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Mammals - Acute oral LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)
> 2200
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Exposure may occur via inhalation, skin absorption, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact
MRLs
European
EU MRL pesticide database
Great Britain
GB MRL Register
Notes
-
Drinking Water Standards
-
-
-
Drinking Water MAC (μg l⁻¹)
-
-
-
Mammalian dose elimination route and rate
-
-
-
Health issues
Specific human health issues
Carcinogen
Genotoxic
Endocrine disruptor
?Possibly, status not identified
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
No data found
Reproduction / development effects
Acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor
Neurotoxicant
?Possibly, status not identified
No data found
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
Respiratory tract irritant
Skin irritant
Skin sensitiser
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
No data found
No data found
Eye irritant
Phototoxicant
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
No data found
General human health issues
Blood toxicant at high doses Liver toxicant May cause hemolytic anemia IARC Group 2B carcinogen; CLP data - suspected carcinogen; US NTP - suspected carcinogen; OSHA - Anticipated human carcinogen
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
Environmental fate
Warning:
Human health
