Clove oil

Clove oil	Last updated: 24/08/2025
(Also known as: Essential clove oil; Eugenol; Clove bud oil)

GENERAL INFORMATION

Description

A plant-based oil, of which the main consituents are eugenol and 4-allyl-2-methoxyphenol, which has fungicidal, herbicidal and insecticidal activity.

Examples of veterinary uses

Examples of species treated

Approval status

VMR 2013/2033 approval status (GB/UK)

EU Regulatory approval status

Chemical structure

Isomerism

Clove oil, as a complex mixture, contains isomeric compounds. The most notable are eugenine that is thought to be isomeric with eugenic acid, and caryophyllene which is a sesquiterpene found in clove oil that is isomeric with camphor.

Chemical formula

Canonical SMILES

Isomeric SMILES

International Chemical Identifier key (InChIKey)

VEEIFXWJNCAVEQ-FYZOBXCZSA-N

International Chemical Identifier (InChI)

2D structure diagram/image available?

Yes

General status

Veterinary substance type

Other bioactivity & uses

Bactericide

Substance groups

Plant-derived substance; Plant oil

Minimum active substance purity

>800 g kg⁻¹ eugenol

Known relevant impurities

Substance origin

Natural; Complex mixture

Mode of action

Contact, non-selective, causes breakdown of cell structure

Molecular targets

CAS RN

84961-50-2

Alternative/old CAS RN

8000-34-8

EC number

284-638-7

CIPAC number

906

US EPA chemical code

PubChem CID

Therapeutic Class

ATCvet Code

Controlled Drug?

Regulation 37/2010 MRL Classification

Molecular mass

Chemical name

clove oil

PIN (Preferred Identification Name)

IUPAC name

CAS name

Forever chemical

Other status information

Highly phytotoxic; FEMA=2323/2325; FLAVIS=09.11; USEPA minimum risk pesticide

Relevant Environmental Water Quality Standards

Physical state

Pale yellow oily liquid that is a complex chemical mixture which includes eugenol (~80-95%), beta-caryophyllene (~5-17%) and alpha-humulene (~2%)

Related substances & organisms

eugenol

Commercial

Property

Value

Availability status

Current

Introduction & key dates

Example manufacturers & suppliers of products using this active now or historically

Xeda International
Ecosmart
St Gabriel Laboratories

Example products using this active

Bioxeda
Matran EC
Poison Ivy Defoliant

Formulation and application details

Usually applied as a post-harvest drench. The commercial product is an oil emulsion.

Commercial production

Commercial production of clove oil begins with harvesting the unopened flower buds of the Syzygium aromaticum tree. The buds are carefully handpicked and sun-dried to enhance their aroma and oil content. Once dried, the buds undergo steam distillation, the most common extraction method, where steam releases volatile compounds that are condensed and separated into clove oil and hydrosol. The oil is then refined through filtration or fractional distillation to remove impurities and concentrate its active components, primarily eugenol.

Impact on climate of production and use

Data for specific plant oils is scarce. However, from publicly available data the carbon footprint of plant oils has been estimated at between 1.0 and 4.0 kg CO₂e per kg of oil. This depends on the plant oil content, agricultural practices and processing methods used.

ENVIRONMENTAL FATE

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

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

2170

High

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

Miscible

Ethanol

Miscible

Methanol

Miscible

Ether

Miscible

Chloroform

Melting point (°C)

-21.2

Boiling point (°C)

232.9

Degradation point (°C)

Flashpoint (°C)

121

Eugenol

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

1.10 X 10⁰²

Calculated

Log P

2.04

Low

Fat solubility of residues

Solubility

Data type

Density (g ml⁻¹)

1.04

Dissociation constant pKa) at 25 °C

at 25 °C

Vapour pressure at 20 °C (mPa)

12200

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)

0.9

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)

35.1

undiluted

Refractive Index

Environmental release

Degradation

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

Soil degradation (days) (aerobic)

DT₅₀ (typical)

1.08

Non-persistent

DT₅₀ (lab at 20 °C)

2.09

Non-persistent

DT₅₀ (field)

DT₉₀ (lab at 20 °C)

DT₉₀ (field)

Note

EU 2021 dossier Lab studies DT₅₀ (normalised) range 0.99-1.16 days, Soils=4

Manure DT₅₀ (days)

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

Fate indices

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

GUS leaching potential index

Bio-concentration factor

BCF (l kg⁻¹)

14.61

Low potential

CT₅₀ (days)

Known metabolites

None

ECOTOXICOLOGY

Terrestrial ecotoxicology

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

Mammals - Acute oral LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)

> 1930

Rat as Eugenol

Moderate

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)

Birds - Short term dietary (LC₅₀/LD₅₀)

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

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

> 1000

Eisenia foetida

Low

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

> 1000

Eisenia foetida

Low

Soil micro-organisms

Nitrogen mineralisation: No significant adverse effect

Dose 112.5 mg product/kg soil 28 Day

Collembola

Acute LC₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)

34.45

Folsomia candida as Eugenol

Chronic NOEC (mg kg⁻¹)

8.34

Folsomia candida as Eugenol

Non-target plants

Vegetative vigour ER₅₀ (g ha⁻¹)

Seedling emergence ER₅₀ (g ha⁻¹)

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

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) as Mortality LR₅₀ g ha⁻¹

33.45

Aphidius rhopalosiphi as Eugenol

Moderate

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)

7.5

Oncorhynchus mykiss as Eugenol

Moderate

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

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

13.0

Danio rerio as Eugenol

Moderate

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

1.9

Daphnia magna as Eugenol

Moderate

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 (free-floating, fonds growth, fresh) - 7 day (mg l⁻¹)

Aquatic plants (rooted, growth rate, fresh) - 14 day (mg l⁻¹)

Algae - Acute (growth rate, fresh; mg l⁻¹) (72 hr ErC₅₀, Static)

41.0

Desmodesmus subspicatus as Eugenol

Low

Algae - Chronic (growth rate, fresh; 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)

Low (class I)

Mammals - Acute oral LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)

> 1930

Rat as Eugenol

Moderate

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

Mammals - Inhalation LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

Other Mammal toxicity endpoints

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

1.0

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

None allocated

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

None allocated

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

1.0

Dermal penetration studies (%)

25-70

concentration dependent

Dangerous Substances Directive 76/464

Exposure Routes

Public

Acceptable for proposed uses

Occupational

Acceptable for proposed uses

Mammalian dose elimination route and rate

Rapid and extensive urinary excretion approx.94.5 % within 24 h in humans

Health issues

Specific human health issues (hazard-based)

Carcinogen

Genotoxic

Endocrine disruptor

; ; ; ;

No data found

Reproduction / development effects

Acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor

Neurotoxicant

No data found

Respiratory tract irritant

Skin irritant

Skin sensitiser

Eye irritant

Phototoxicant

No data found

General human health issues

Major consitituent Eugenol may be a skin sensitiser; Toxic
Cytotoxic
Potential liver toxicant
May cause acute respiratory distress at high doses
CNS depression at high doses

Handling issues

Property

Value and interpretation

General

Not highly flammable
Not explosive or oxidising

CLP classification 2013

Health: H302, H315, H319, H317

WHO Classification

Not listed (Not listed)

UN Number

Waste disposal & packaging

Shelf-life, storage, stability and reactivity

TRANSLATIONS

Language

Name

English

clove oil

French

Huile essentielle de Clous de Girofle

German

Danish

Italian

Spanish

Greek

Polish

Swedish

Hungarian

Dutch

Norwegian

Record last updated:	24/08/2025
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