Nicotine	Last updated: 13/02/2025
(Not known by any other names)

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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: Drainflow: Moderately mobile Warning: Significant data are missing	Ecotoxicity High alert: Birds acute ecotoxicity: High	Human health High alert: Mammals acute toxicity: High; Genotoxic; Reproduction/development effects; Neurotoxicant

GENERAL INFORMATION

Description	A general purpose, plant-derived non-persistent insecticide
Example pests controlled	Aphids; Thrips; Whiteflies
Example applications	Fruit; Vegetables; Grapes; Protected ornamentals
Efficacy & activity	-
Appearance and life cycle	-
Availability status	Current
Introduction & key dates	pre-1940, introduced
Taxonomic classification	-

GB regulatory status

GB COPR regulatory status	Not approved
Date COPR inclusion expires	Expired
GB LERAP status	Not applicable

EC Regulation 1107/2009 (repealing 91/414)

EC Regulation 1107/2009 status	Not approved
Dossier rapporteur/co-rapporteur	-
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	ISIceland NONorway

Additional information

Known to be also used in the following countries	-

Chemical structure

Isomerism	A chiral molecule. The technical material is a racemate composed of equimolar amounts of (R)- and (S)-nicotine.
Chemical formula	C₁₀H₁₄N₂
Canonical SMILES	CN1CCCC1C2=CN=CC=C2
Isomeric SMILES	CN1CCC[C@H]1C2=CN=CC=C2
International Chemical Identifier key (InChIKey)	SNICXCGAKADSCV-JTQLQIEISA-N
International Chemical Identifier (InChI)	InChI=1S/C10H14N2/c1-12-7-3-5-10(12)9-4-2-6-11-8-9/h2,4,6,8,10H,3,5,7H2,1H3/t10-/m0/s1
2D structure diagram/image available?	Yes

General status

Biopesticide type	Insecticide
Substance groups	Plant-derived substance; Alkaloid insecticide
Minimum active substance purity	950 g kg⁻¹
Known relevant impurities	EU dossier - None declared
Substance origin	Natural
Mode of action	Broad-spectrum and fast acting nerve toxin. Mainly respiratory action but some contact and stomach activity. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) channel blocker.
Substance source	Isolated from tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum) and from other plants including those belonging to the Lycopodiaceae, Grassulaceae & Leguminosae families
Substance production	Commercial production of nicotine pesticide typically involves extracting nicotine from tobacco plants. Tobacco plants, such as Nicotiana tabacum and Nicotiana rustica, are cultivated and harvested. The leaves of these plants contain the highest concentration of nicotine. The harvested tobacco leaves are dried and then subjected to a solvent extraction process. Common solvents include water, ethanol, or hexane. The solvent dissolves the nicotine from the leaves. The nicotine-laden solvent is then purified to remove impurities. This can involve filtration, distillation, or other chemical processes to isolate the nicotine. Recent approaches include extraction from cigarette waste
Uses	Crop protection
Target pests	Aphids; Thrips; Whiteflies
Target host	Fruit; Vegetables; Grapes; Protected ornamentals
Farming system suitability	-
CAS RN	54-11-5
EC number	200-193-3
CIPAC number	8
US EPA chemical code	056702
PubChem CID	-
Molecular mass	162.23
PIN (Preferred Identification Name)	-
IUPAC name	(S)-3-(1-methylpyrrolidin-2-yl)pyridine
CAS name	3-((2S)-1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinyl)pyridine
Other status information	Chemical subject to PIC regulations; Subject to the provisions of the UK Poisons Act 1972
Relevant Environmental Water Quality Standards	-
Herbicide Resistance Class (HRAC MoA class)	Not applicable
Herbicide Resistance Class (WSSA MoA class)	Not applicable
Insecticide Resistance Class (IRAC MoA class)	4B
Fungicide Resistance Class (FRAC MOA class)	Not applicable
Examples of recorded resistance	-
Physical state	Colourless liquid with brown tint

Formulations

Property	Product	Manufacturer
Example products	Nicotine 40% Shreds	Dow AgroSciences
Formulation and application details	Often used as smoke generating formulations within glasshouses and potato chitting houses. Typically around 225g product per 560 cubic metres are used.

ENVIRONMENTAL FATE

Property		Value	Source; quality score; and other information	Interpretation
Solubility - In water at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)		1000000	A5 A = EU regulatory and evaluation data as published by EC, EFSA (RAR, DAR & Conclusion dossiers), EMA (e.g. EU Annex III PIC DGD) (EU - Pesticides database; EFSA Scientific Publications ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes	High
Solubility - In organic solvents at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)		Miscible	L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source Ethanol	-
		Miscible	L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source Diethyl ether	-
Melting point (°C)		-79	A5 A = EU regulatory and evaluation data as published by EC, EFSA (RAR, DAR & Conclusion dossiers), EMA (e.g. EU Annex III PIC DGD) (EU - Pesticides database; EFSA Scientific Publications ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes	-
Boiling point (°C)		247	A5 A = EU regulatory and evaluation data as published by EC, EFSA (RAR, DAR & Conclusion dossiers), EMA (e.g. EU Annex III PIC DGD) (EU - Pesticides database; EFSA Scientific Publications ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes	-
Degradation point (°C)		247	A5 A = EU regulatory and evaluation data as published by EC, EFSA (RAR, DAR & Conclusion dossiers), EMA (e.g. EU Annex III PIC DGD) (EU - Pesticides database; EFSA Scientific Publications ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes	-
Flashpoint (°C)		101	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	1.48 X 1001	Calculated	-
	Log P	1.17	A5 A = EU regulatory and evaluation data as published by EC, EFSA (RAR, DAR & Conclusion dossiers), EMA (e.g. EU Annex III PIC DGD) (EU - Pesticides database; EFSA Scientific Publications ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes	Low
Fat solubility of residues	Solubility	Insoluble	A4 A = EU regulatory and evaluation data as published by EC, EFSA (RAR, DAR & Conclusion dossiers), EMA (e.g. EU Annex III PIC DGD) (EU - Pesticides database; EFSA Scientific Publications ) 4 = Verified data	-
	Data type	Regulatory data based on LogP	A4 A = EU regulatory and evaluation data as published by EC, EFSA (RAR, DAR & Conclusion dossiers), EMA (e.g. EU Annex III PIC DGD) (EU - Pesticides database; EFSA Scientific Publications ) 4 = Verified data	-
Density (g ml⁻¹)		1.01	L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source	-
Dissociation constant pKa) at 25 °C		3.1	A5 A = EU regulatory and evaluation data as published by EC, EFSA (RAR, DAR & Conclusion dossiers), EMA (e.g. EU Annex III PIC DGD) (EU - Pesticides database; EFSA Scientific Publications ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes	-
		Nicotine is a base pKb1= 6.16; pKb2= 10.96 (CA3)
Vapour pressure at 20 °C (mPa)		5620	A5 A = EU regulatory and evaluation data as published by EC, EFSA (RAR, DAR & Conclusion dossiers), EMA (e.g. EU Annex III PIC DGD) (EU - Pesticides database; EFSA Scientific Publications ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes	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)		9.0 X 10-04	A5 A = EU regulatory and evaluation data as published by EC, EFSA (RAR, DAR & Conclusion dossiers), EMA (e.g. EU Annex III PIC DGD) (EU - Pesticides database; EFSA Scientific Publications ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes	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	Q2 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 2 = Unverified data of unknown source	Non-persistent
	DT₅₀ (lab at 20 °C)	-	-	-
	DT₅₀ (field)	-	-	-
	DT₉₀ (lab at 20 °C)	-	-	-
	DT₉₀ (field)	-	-	-
	DT₅₀ modelling endpoint	-	-	-
	Note	Best available data
Dissipation rate RL₅₀ (days) on plant matrix	Value	-	-	-
	Note	-
Dissipation rate RL₅₀ (days) on and in plant matrix	Value	11.6	R4 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications 4 = Verified data	-
	Note	Published literature RL₅₀ range 3.5-28.0 days, 3 field crops, various matrices, n=3
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	Kd (mL g⁻¹)	-	V1 V = ChemID Online Databases; Chemspider; PubChem. (ChemID ) 1 = Estimated data with little or no verification	Moderately mobile
	Koc (mL g⁻¹)	100
	Notes and range	Estimated
Freundlich	Kf (mL g⁻¹)	-	-	-
	Kfoc (mL g⁻¹)	-
	1/n	-
	Notes and range	-
pH sensitivity		-

Known soil metabolites

Metabolite	Major/Minor fraction	Estimated maximum occurrence fraction	Notes
nornicotine	Minor fraction	-	-

Known groundwater metabolites

None

Other known metabolites

Metabolite name and reference	Aliases	Formation medium / Rate	Estimated maximum occurrence fraction
nicotinic acid	-	Plant	-

ECOTOXICOLOGY

Terrestrial ecotoxicology

Property		Value	Source; quality score; and other information	Interpretation
Mammals - Acute oral LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)		50	F4 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 ) 4 = Verified data Rat	High
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)		> 17.8	V2 V = ChemID Online Databases; Chemspider; PubChem. (ChemID ) 2 = Unverified data of unknown source Unknown species	High
Birds - Short term dietary (LC₅₀/LD₅₀)		-	-	-
Birds - Chronic 21d NOEL (mg kg⁻¹ bw d⁻¹)		-	-	-
Earthworms - Acute 14 day LC₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)		-	-	-
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)	> 50	Q2 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 2 = Unverified data of unknown source	Moderate
	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)		Harmful	Q2 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 2 = Unverified data of unknown source Parasitic wasp	-
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)		4.0	A5 A = EU regulatory and evaluation data as published by EC, EFSA (RAR, DAR & Conclusion dossiers), EMA (e.g. EU Annex III PIC DGD) (EU - Pesticides database; EFSA Scientific Publications ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes Oncorhynchus mykiss	Moderate
Temperate Freshwater Fish - Chronic 21 day NOEC (mg l⁻¹)		2.9	Q2 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 2 = Unverified data of unknown source Oncorhynchus mykiss	Moderate
Tropical Freshwater Fish - Acute 96 hour LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)		> 8.11	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 Danio rerio Eggs	Moderate
Temperate Freshwater Aquatic invertebrates - Acute 48 hour EC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)		0.242	A5 A = EU regulatory and evaluation data as published by EC, EFSA (RAR, DAR & Conclusion dossiers), EMA (e.g. EU Annex III PIC DGD) (EU - Pesticides database; EFSA Scientific Publications ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes Daphnia pulex	Moderate
Temperate Freshwater Aquatic invertebrates - Chronic 21 day NOEC (mg l⁻¹)		0.2	A5 A = EU regulatory and evaluation data as published by EC, EFSA (RAR, DAR & Conclusion dossiers), EMA (e.g. EU Annex III PIC DGD) (EU - Pesticides database; EFSA Scientific Publications ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes Daphnia pulex	Moderate
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, growth) - Acute 7 day EC₅₀, biomass (mg l⁻¹)		-	-	-
Aquatic plants (rooted, growth) - Acute 14 day EC₅₀, biomass (mg l⁻¹)		-	-	-
Algae - Acute 72 hour EC₅₀, growth (mg l⁻¹)		-	-	-
Algae - Chronic 96 hour NOEC, growth (mg l⁻¹)		-	-	-
Mesocosm study data	NOEAEC mg l⁻¹	-	-	-
	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)		High (class III)	-	-
Mammals - Acute oral LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)		50	F4 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 ) 4 = Verified data Rat	High
Mammals - Dermal LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹ body weight)		50.0	L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source Rat	-
Mammals - Inhalation LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)		-	-	-
Other Mammal toxicity endpoints		Subcutaneous LD₅₀ = 25 mg kg⁻¹	V3 V = ChemID Online Databases; Chemspider; PubChem. (ChemID ) 3 = Unverified data of known source Rat	-
		Intraperitoneal LD₅₀ = 5.9 mg kg⁻¹	V3 V = ChemID Online Databases; Chemspider; PubChem. (ChemID ) 3 = Unverified data of known source Mouse	-
ADI - Acceptable Daily Intake (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)		0.0001	A2 A = EU regulatory and evaluation data as published by EC, EFSA (RAR, DAR & Conclusion dossiers), EMA (e.g. EU Annex III PIC DGD) (EU - Pesticides database; EFSA Scientific Publications ) 2 = Unverified data of unknown source Humans SF=1000	-
ARfD - Acute Reference Dose (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)		0.0001	A2 A = EU regulatory and evaluation data as published by EC, EFSA (RAR, DAR & Conclusion dossiers), EMA (e.g. EU Annex III PIC DGD) (EU - Pesticides database; EFSA Scientific Publications ) 2 = Unverified data of unknown source Humans SF=1000	-
AAOEL - Acute Acceptable Operator Exposure Level (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)		-	-	-
AOEL - Acceptable Operator Exposure Level - Systemic (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)		0.001	A2 A = EU regulatory and evaluation data as published by EC, EFSA (RAR, DAR & Conclusion dossiers), EMA (e.g. EU Annex III PIC DGD) (EU - Pesticides database; EFSA Scientific Publications ) 2 = Unverified data of unknown source Humans SF=1000	-
Dermal penetration studies (%)		-	-	-
Dangerous Substances Directive 76/464		-	-	-
Exposure Routes	Public	Bystanders may be exposed during glasshouse venting operations
	Occupational	High risk of operator exposure via inhalation
Mammalian dose elimination route and rate		-	-	-

Health issues

Specific human health issues		Carcinogen Genotoxic Endocrine disruptor XNo, known not to cause a problem 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 ; E1 E = Unspecified genotoxicity type (miscellaneous data source) 1 = Positive No data found Reproduction / development effects Acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor Neurotoxicant ✓Yes, known to cause a problem XNo, known not to cause a problem ✓Yes, known to cause a problem Respiratory tract irritant Skin irritant Skin sensitiser No data found ✓Yes, known to cause a problem XNo, known not to cause a problem Eye irritant Phototoxicant   ?Possibly, status not identified No data found
General human health issues		Highly toxic May cause cardiovasular diseases Some data suggests nicotine may be carcinogenic

Handling issues

Property	Value and interpretation
General	Not explosive or oxidising IMDG Transport Hazard Class 6.1
CLP classification 2013	Health: H300, H310, H330 Environment: H400
WHO Classification	Ib (Highly hazardous)
UN Number	UN1654
Waste disposal & packaging	Packaging Group II (moderate danger)
Shelf-life, storage, stability and reactivity	-

TRANSLATIONS

Language	Name
English	nicotine
French	nicotine
German	Nikotin
Danish	nikotin
Italian	nicotina
Spanish	nicotina
Greek	-
Polish	nikotyna
Swedish	-
Hungarian	-
Dutch	-
Norwegian	-

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Record last updated:	13/02/2025
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