Benfuresate is a post-emergence herbicide. It has a moderate aqueous solubility and is relatively volatile. It is not persistent in soil systems but not normally persistent in water. It has a low mammalian toxicity and a low potential for bioaccumulation. It is relatively non-toxic to birds but moderately toxic to honeybees and most aquatic organisms.
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: Moderately mobile
Example manufacturers & suppliers of products using this active now or historically
Hoechst Schering
Example products using this active
-
Formulation and application details
-
ENVIRONMENTAL FATE
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Solubility - In water at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)
261
E4 E = Manufacturers safety data sheets 4 = Verified data
Moderate
Solubility - In organic solvents at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)
1220000
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Dichloromethane
-
1050000
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Acetone
-
1040000
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Toluene
-
51000
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Cyclohexane
-
Melting point (°C)
30.01
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Boiling point (°C)
241
E4 E = Manufacturers safety data sheets 4 = Verified data
-
Degradation point (°C)
-
-
-
Flashpoint (°C)
37.5
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Octanol-water partition coefficient at pH 7, 20 °C
P
2.57 X 1002
Calculated
-
Log P
2.41
E4 E = Manufacturers safety data sheets 4 = Verified data
Low
Fat solubility of residues
Solubility
-
-
-
Data type
-
-
-
Density (g ml⁻¹)
0.96
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Dissociation constant pKa) at 25 °C
Not applicable
Q4 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 4 = Verified data
-
No dissociation
Vapour pressure at 20 °C (mPa)
1.43
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Low volatility. 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)
-
-
-
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)
18
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Non-persistent
DT₅₀ (lab at 20 °C)
19
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Non-persistent
DT₅₀ (field)
18
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Non-persistent
DT₉₀ (lab at 20 °C)
-
-
-
DT₉₀ (field)
-
-
-
DT₅₀ modelling endpoint
-
-
-
Note
Lab studies DT₅₀ range 18-20 days, field studies DT₅₀ range 7-29 days
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
7
E4 E = Manufacturers safety data sheets 4 = Verified data
Moderately fast
Note
-
Aqueous hydrolysis DT₅₀ (days) at 20 °C and pH 7
Value
31
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Moderately persistent
Note
Not pH sensitive between pH 5 and 9.2
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)
-
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Moderately mobile
Koc (mL g⁻¹)
214
Notes and range
Best available data
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
2.10
Calculated
Transition state
SCI-GROW groundwater index (μg l⁻¹) for a 1 kg ha⁻¹ or 1 l ha⁻¹ application rate
Value
6.87 X 10-02
Calculated
-
Note
-
Potential for particle bound transport index
Low
Calculated
-
Potential for loss via drain flow
Moderately mobile
Calculated
-
Photochemical oxidative DT₅₀ (hrs) as indicator of long-range air transport risk
-
-
-
Bio-concentration factor
BCF (l kg⁻¹)
22
Q2 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 2 = Unverified data of unknown source
Estimated
Low potential
CT₅₀ (days)
Not available
-
Known metabolites
None
ECOTOXICOLOGY
Terrestrial ecotoxicology
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Mammals - Acute oral LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)
> 4000
E4 E = Manufacturers safety data sheets 4 = Verified data
Rat
Low
Mammals - Short term dietary NOEL
(mg kg⁻¹)
3.1
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Rat
High
(ppm diet)
60
-
Mammals - Chronic 21d NOAEL (mg kg⁻¹ bw d⁻¹)
-
-
-
Birds - Acute LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)
> 10000
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
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)
> 734
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Moderate
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)
-
-
-
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
-
-
-
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)
> 12.3
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Oncorhynchus mykiss
Moderate
Temperate Freshwater Fish - Chronic 21 day NOEC (mg l⁻¹)
-
-
-
Tropical Freshwater Fish - Acute 96 hour LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)
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
