Citric acid esters of mono- & diglyceride fatty acids
Last updated: 24/02/2026
(Also known as: E472c; CITRAM; CAEM)
SUMMARY
Hazard alerts
The following Pesticide Hazard Tricolour (PHT) 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. The alerts for Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs) are based on applying the FAO/WHO (Type 1) and the PAN (Type II) criteria to PPDB data. Further details on the HHP indicators are given in the tables below. Neither the PHT nor the HHP hazard alerts take account of usage patterns or exposure, thus they do not represent risk.
Peppers; Avocados; Melons; Citrus including lemons
Efficacy & activity
Extensive field trials demonstrate effectiveness against various agricultural pests
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 crop protection agent
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
ISIceland
NONorway
Additional information
Also used in
Japan
Chemical structure
Isomerism
The general structural formula is based on a glycerol backbone, where at least one of the positions (R1, R2, or R3) is a citryl moiety, one is a fatty acyl moiety, and the remaining position can be a citryl moiety, fatty acyl moiety, or hydrogen. This results in a high number of positional isomers depending on the fatty acid source.
FAO data: Possible impurities include lead (<2 mg kg⁻¹), cadmium and arsenic
Substance origin
Natural; Complex mixture
Mode of action
When applied substance forms a thin, flexible film on leaves, stems, and fruits, blocking pests’ access to the plant’s epidermis. This reduces dehydration, limits egg-laying, and prevents feeding or penetration by insects and pathogens. It also is foul-tasting, delaying or preventing attacks without direct toxicity.
CAS RN
977093-28-9
EC number
-
CIPAC number
-
US EPA chemical code
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PubChem CID
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Molecular mass
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Chemical name
citric acid esters of mono- & diglyceride fatty acids
Example manufacturers & suppliers of products using this active now or historically
Spell Organics
Henan Zhengtong Chemical
Example products using this active
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Formulation and application details
Applied by foliar spraying, fogging, wetting, or atomisation using standard agricultural equipment
Commercial production
The biopesticide is commercially produced through an esterification reaction involving citric acid and mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids or alternatively, by reacting citric acid, glycerol and edible fatty acids derived from food-grade oils and fats such as palm oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil, or high-oleic sunflower oil. In the main industrial method, mono- and diglycerides, first prepared via glycerolysis of triglycerides (fats/oils) with glycerol under alkaline catalysis and high temperatures, followed by purification like molecular distillation, are esterified with citric acid at elevated temperatures, often without additional catalysts or under controlled conditions to form the mixed esters. The product may then be partially or fully neutralised to improve solubility and functionality and purified through processes such as filtration, drying or removal of excess reactants and minor by-products.
Impact on climate of production and use
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ENVIRONMENTAL FATE
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Solubility - In water at 20 °C at pH 7 (mg l⁻¹)
-
-
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Solubility - In organic solvents at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)
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-
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Melting point (°C)
-
-
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Boiling point (°C)
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-
-
Degradation point (°C)
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-
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Flashpoint (°C)
-
-
-
Octanol-water partition coefficient at pH 7, 20 °C
P
-
-
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Log P
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-
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Fat solubility of residues
Solubility
-
-
-
Data type
-
-
-
Density (g ml⁻¹)
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-
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Dissociation constant pKa) at 25 °C
-
-
-
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Vapour pressure at 20 °C (mPa)
-
-
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Henry's law constant at 25 °C (Pa m³ mol⁻¹)
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Volatilisation as max % of applied dose lost
From plant surface
-
-
-
From soil surface
-
-
-
Maximum UV-vis absorption L mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹
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-
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Surface tension (mN m⁻¹)
-
-
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Degradation
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
General biodegradability
Readily biodegradable
Soil degradation (days) (aerobic)
DT₅₀ (typical)
-
-
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DT₅₀ (lab at 20 °C)
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-
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DT₅₀ (field)
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-
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DT₉₀ (lab at 20 °C)
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DT₉₀ (field)
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DT₅₀ modelling endpoint
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-
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Note
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Dissipation rate RL₅₀ (days) on plant matrix
Value
-
-
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Note
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Dissipation rate RL₅₀ (days) on and in plant matrix
Value
-
-
-
Note
-
Aqueous photolysis DT₅₀ (days) at pH 7
Value
-
-
-
Note
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Aqueous hydrolysis DT₅₀ (days) at 20 °C and pH 7
Value
-
-
-
Note
-
Water-sediment DT₅₀ (days)
-
-
-
Water phase only DT₅₀ (days)
-
-
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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
Kd (mL g⁻¹)
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-
-
Koc (mL g⁻¹)
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Notes and range
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Freundlich
Kf (mL g⁻¹)
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-
-
Kfoc (mL g⁻¹)
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1/n
-
Notes and range
-
pH sensitivity
-
Fate indices
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
GUS leaching potential index
-
-
-
SCI-GROW groundwater index (μg l⁻¹) for a 1 kg ha⁻¹ or 1 l ha⁻¹ application rate
Value
Cannot be calculated
-
-
Note
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Potential for particle bound transport index
-
-
-
Potential for loss via drain flow
-
-
-
Photochemical oxidative DT₅₀ (hrs) as indicator of long-range air transport risk
Contact acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)
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-
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Oral acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)
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Unknown mode acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)
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Chronic
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-
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Notes
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Bumblebees (Bombus spp.)
Contact acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)
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-
-
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Oral acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)
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-
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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)
-
-
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Mode of exposure
-
Other bee species (2)
Acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg insect⁻¹)
-
-
-
Mode of exposure
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Beneficial insects (Ladybirds)
-
-
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Beneficial insects (Lacewings)
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-
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Beneficial insects (Parasitic wasps)
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-
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Beneficial insects (Predatory mites)
-
-
-
Beneficial insects (Ground beetles)
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-
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Beneficial insects (Butterflies)
Contact
-
-
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Notes
-
Oral
-
-
-
Notes
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Aquatic ecotoxicology
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Temperate Freshwater Fish - Acute 96 hour LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)
> 100
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
Unknown species
Low
Temperate Freshwater Fish - Chronic 21 day NOEC (mg l⁻¹)
-
-
-
Tropical Freshwater Fish - Acute 96 hour LC₅₀ (mg l⁻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
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
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
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Ecotoxicity
Warning:
