(Also known as: ENT 27165; abaphos; abathion; biothion; difenphos)
SUMMARY
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: Moderately persistent; Potential for particle bound transport: Medium
Ecotoxicity High alert: Daphnia acute ecotoxicity: High
Human health High alert: Acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor; Neurotoxicant
GENERAL INFORMATION
Description
An insecticide used to control insect pests often in aquatic situations
Example pests controlled
Mosquitoes; Midge larvae; Black fly; Fleas
Example applications
Aquatic areas including lakes, wetlands, cesspools; marshes, swamps and ponds
Efficacy & activity
-
Availability status
Current
Introduction & key dates
1965, introduced
UK regulatory status
UK COPR regulatory status
Not approved
Date COPR inclusion expires
Expired
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
Expired
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
Example manufacturers & suppliers of products using this active now or historically
BASF
Finechem
Agropharm
American Cyanamid
Example products using this active
Biothion
Temefos
Abate
Abathion
Swebate
Nimitex
Formulation and application details
Usually available as emulsifiable concentrate, granules and capsules
ENVIRONMENTAL FATE
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Solubility - In water at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)
0.001
M4 M = GLEAMS Model database (Groundwater Loading Effects of Agricultural Management Systems). Dataset no longer available. 4 = Verified data
Low
Solubility - In organic solvents at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)
9600
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Hexane
-
Melting point (°C)
30.3
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Boiling point (°C)
-
-
-
Degradation point (°C)
-
-
-
Flashpoint (°C)
-
-
-
Octanol-water partition coefficient at pH 7, 20 °C
P
8.91 X 1004
Calculated
-
Log P
4.95
G4 G = Extension Toxicology network database EXTOXNET. Available online but no longer updated. (click here ) 4 = Verified data
High
Fat solubility of residues
Solubility
-
-
-
Data type
-
-
-
Density (g ml⁻¹)
1.32
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Dissociation constant pKa) at 25 °C
-
-
-
-
Vapour pressure at 20 °C (mPa)
9.50 X 10-03
K4 K = Research datasets (e.g. Pandora, Demetra; these datasets no longer available). Norman Ecotoxicology database. (click here ) 4 = Verified data
Low volatility
Henry's law constant at 25 °C (Pa m³ mol⁻¹)
1.99 X 10-04
V3 V = ChemID Online Databases; Chemspider; PubChem. (ChemID ) 3 = Unverified data of known source
Non-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)
2
K4 K = Research datasets (e.g. Pandora, Demetra; these datasets no longer available). Norman Ecotoxicology database. (click here ) 4 = Verified data
Non-persistent
DT₅₀ (lab at 20 °C)
30
DW4 DW = Don Wauchope personal database for Pka data: Wauchope, R. D. and Edwards, J. Dissociation constants for pesticide active ingredients: a database and comparison with predicted values. Dataset is no longer available. 4 = Verified data
Moderately persistent
DT₅₀ (field)
-
-
-
DT₉₀ (lab at 20 °C)
-
-
-
DT₉₀ (field)
-
-
-
DT₅₀ modelling endpoint
-
-
-
Note
General literature DT₅₀ approx 2 days (R3)
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
2
K4 K = Research datasets (e.g. Pandora, Demetra; these datasets no longer available). Norman Ecotoxicology database. (click here ) 4 = Verified data
Moderately fast
Note
-
Aqueous hydrolysis DT₅₀ (days) at 20 °C and pH 7
Value
10
K4 K = Research datasets (e.g. Pandora, Demetra; these datasets no longer available). Norman Ecotoxicology database. (click here ) 4 = Verified data
Non-persistent
Note
-
Water-sediment DT₅₀ (days)
-
-
-
Water 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)
-
G4 G = Extension Toxicology network database EXTOXNET. Available online but no longer updated. (click here ) 4 = Verified data
Non-mobile
Koc (mL g⁻¹)
100000
Notes and range
-
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
-1.48
Calculated
Low leachability
SCI-GROW groundwater index (μg l⁻¹) for a 1 kg ha⁻¹ or 1 l ha⁻¹ application rate
Value
5.35 X 10-03
Calculated
-
Note
Estimated concentrations of chemicals with Koc values greater than 9995 ml g⁻¹ are beyond the scope of the regression data used in SCI-GROW development. If there are concerns for such chemicals, a higher tier groundwater exposure assessment should be considered, regardless of the concentration returned by SCI-GROW
Potential for particle bound transport index
Medium
Calculated
-
Potential for loss via drain flow
Non-mobile
Calculated
-
Photochemical oxidative DT₅₀ (hrs) as indicator of long-range air transport risk
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