| imidacloprid (Ref: BAY NTN 33893) |
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Environmental Fate - Ecotoxicology - Human Health - A to Z Index - Home
SUMMARY
Imidacloprid is an insecticide approved for use in the EU with certain restrictions for flowering crops. It is highly soluble, non-volatile and persistent in soil. It is moderately mobile. It has a low risk of bioaccumulating. It is highly toxic to birds and honeybees. Moderately toxic to mammals and earthworms. It is non-toxic to fish. GENERAL INFORMATION 
for imidacloprid
Description: A chloronicotine insecticide used to control sucking and soil insects. Also used as a flea treatment for domestic pets.
Example pests controlled: Plant hoppers, Aphids, Termites, Colorado bettle, Fleas, White grups, Craneflies; Crickets, Ants
Example applications: Lawns and turf; Domestic pets; Rice, Cereals; Maize; Potatoes; Sugar beet
Efficacy & activity: -
Availability status: Current
Introduction & key dates: 1990, first reported; 1991, introduced
EC Regulation 1107/2009 (repealing 91/414):
| Status | Approved |
| Dossier rapporteur/co-rapporteur | Germany/Netherlands |
| Date inclusion expires | 31/07/2022 |
| EU Candidate for substitution (CfS) | No |
| Listed in EU database | Yes |
Approved for use (
) or known to be used (
) in the following European countries: 
AT |
BE |
BG |
CY |
CZ |
DE |
DK |
EE |
EL |
ES |
FI |
FR |
HR |
HU |
IE |
IT |
LT |
LU |
LV |
MT |
NL |
PL |
PT |
RO |
SE |
SI |
SK |
UK |
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Also used in: Australia, USA
Chemical structure:
| Isomerism | Isomeric - existing as both the E- and Z- forms however many commerical products are comprised of almost entirely the (E)-isomer |
| Chemical formula | C9H10ClN5O2 |
| Canonical SMILES | C1CN(C(=N1)N[N+](=O)[O-])CC2=CN=C(C=C2)Cl |
| Isomeric SMILES | No data |
| International Chemical Identifier key (InChIKey) | YWTYJOPNNQFBPC-UHFFFAOYSA-N |
| International Chemical Identifier (InChI) | InChI=1S/C9H10ClN5O2/c10-8-2-1-7(5-12-8)6-14-4-3-11-9(14)13-15(16)17/h1-2,5H,3-4,6H2,(H,11,13) |
| 2D structure diagram/image available? | Yes |
General status:
| Pesticide type | Insecticide, Veterinary substance | |
| Substance group | Neonicotinoid | |
| Minimum active substance purity | 970 g/kg | |
| Known relevant impurities | EU dossier - None declared | |
| Substance origin | Synthetic | |
| Mode of action | Systemic with contact and stomach action. Acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonist. | |
| CAS RN | 138261-41-3 | |
| EC number | - | |
| CIPAC number | 582 | |
| US EPA chemical code | 129099 | |
| PubChem CID | 86418 | |
| Molecular mass (g mol-1) | 255.66 | |
| PIN (Preferred Identification Name) | - | |
| IUPAC name | (E)-1-(6-chloro-3-pyridylmethyl)-N-nitroimidazolidin-2-ylideneamine | |
| CAS name | (2E)-1-((6-chloro-3-pyridinyl)methyl)-N-nitro-2-imidazolidinimine | |
| Other status information | NOTE ban or usage restriction may be in place for use on flowering crops in some Member States | |
| Relevant Environmental Water Quality Standards | - | |
| Herbicide Resistance Classification (HRAC) | Not applicable | |
| Herbicide Resistance Classification (WSSA) | Not applicable | |
| Insecticide Resistance Classification (IRAC) | 4A | |
| Fungicide Resistance Classification (FRAC) | Not applicable | |
| Examples of recorded resistance | Aphis gossypii Myzus persicae Phorodon humuli Sogatella furcifera Bemisia argentifolii many others |
|
| Physical state | Colourless to cream crystalline powder depending on purity | |
| Related substances & organisms | ||
Formulations:
| Property |
Value | |||
| Example manufacturers & suppliers of products using this active now or historically |
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| Example products using this active |
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| UK LERAP status | None | |||
| Formulation and application details | Often supplied as granules that are mixed with water and applied as a spray, used as a seed treatment or applied directly to compost. For animal use it is usually supplied as a spot-on solution. | |||
ENVIRONMENTAL FATE
for imidacloprid
| Property |
Value | Source/Quality Score/Other Information |
Interpretation |
|
| Solubility - In water at 20oC (mg l-1) | 610 | A5 | High | |
| Solubility - In organic solvents at 20oC (mg l-1) | 67000 | A5 - Dichloromethane | - | |
| 690 | A5 - Toluene | - | ||
| 100 | A5 - n-Hexane | - | ||
| 2300 | A5 - 2-Propanol | - | ||
| Melting point (oC) | 144 | A5 | - | |
| Boiling point (oC) | Decomposes before boiling | A3 | - | |
| Degradation point (oC) | 230 | A5 | - | |
| Flashpoint (oC) | Not expected to self ignite; Not highly flammable | A5 | - | |
| Octanol-water partition coefficient at pH 7, 20oC | P | 3.72 X 1000 | Calculated | - |
| Log P | 0.57 | A5 | Low | |
| Bulk density (g ml-1)/Specific gravity | 1.54 | A5 | - | |
| Dissociation constant (pKa) at 25oC | Not applicable | A5 | - | |
| Note: No dissociation | ||||
| Vapour pressure at 20oC (mPa) | 4.0 X 10-07 | A5 | Low volatility | |
| Henry's law constant at 25oC (Pa m3 mol-1) | 1.7 X 10-10 | A5 | Non-volatile | |
GUS leaching potential index  |
3.74 | Calculated | High leachability | |
| SCI-GROW groundwater index (μg l-1) for a 1 kg ha-1 or 1 l ha-1 application rate |
Value | 9.29 X 10-01 | Calculated | - |
| Note | - | |||
| Potential for particle bound transport index |
- | Calculated | Medium | |
| Maximum UV-vis absorption L mol-1 cm-1 | 212nm = 13346, 270nm = 22054 | A5 | - | |
| Surface tension (mN m-1) | 72.2 | A5 at 20oC | - | |
Degradation:
| Property |
Value | Source/Quality Score/Other Information |
Interpretation |
General biodegradability | - |
| Soil degradation (days) (aerobic) | DT50 (typical) | 191 | B5 | Persistent |
| DT50 (lab at 20oC) | 187 | A5 | Persistent | |
| DT50 (field) | 174 | A5 | Persistent | |
| DT90 (lab at 20oC) | - | - | - | |
| DT90 (field) | 717 | A5 | - | |
| DT50 modelling endpoint | - | - | - | |
| Note | EU dossier lab studies DT50 range 77-341 days, field studies DT50 range 104-228 days | |||
| Dissipation rate RL50 on plant matrix | Value | 2.5 | R4 | - |
| Note | Published literature RL50 range 1.7-5.1 days, 6 field & undercover grown crops, various matrices, n=8 | |||
| Dissipation rate RL50 on and in plant matrix | Value | 4.9 | R4 | - |
| Note | Published literature RL50 range 0.25-16.6 days, 23 field & undercover grown crops, various matrices, n=61 | |||
| Aqueous photolysis DT50 (days) at pH 7 | Value | 0.2 | A5 | Fast |
| Note | - | |||
| Aqueous hydrolysis DT50 (days) at 20oC and pH 7 | Value | Stable | A5 | - |
| Note | Stable pH 5 to pH 7, DT50 approx 1 year at pH 9, all at 25 deg C | |||
| Water-sediment DT50 (days) | 129 | A5 | Slow | |
| Water phase only DT50 (days) | 30 | A5 | Stable | |
Soil adsorption and mobility:
| Property |
Value | Source/Quality Score/Other Information |
Interpretation |
|
| Linear | Kd | - | - | - |
| Koc | - | |||
| Notes and range | - | |||
| Freundlich | Kf | 2.23 | A5 | Moderately mobile |
| Kfoc | 225 | |||
| 1/n | 0.802 | |||
| Notes and range | EU dossier Kf range 0.956-4.18, Kfoc range 109-411 mL/g, 1/n range 0.744-0.888, Soils=12 | |||
| pH sensitivity | No | |||
Key metabolites:
| Metabolite | Formation medium | Estimated maximum occurrence fraction | 1107/2009 relevancy |
|
| 1-((6-chloro-3-pyridinyl)methyl)N-nitro-1H-imidazol-2-amine | Soil | 0.018 | Minor fraction, Relevant | |
| 6-chloronicotinic acid | Soil | - | Minor fraction, Relevancy unknown | |
Other known metabolites:
| Metabolite name and reference | Aliases | Formation medium / Rate | Estimated maximum occurrence fraction | Metabolising enzymes |
| 1[(6-Chloro-3-pyridinyl)methyl]-4,5-dihydro-2-(nitroamino)-1H-imidazol-4-ol | imidaclopric metabolite M02 | Animal | - | - |
| [(6-Chloro-3-pyridinyl)methyl]-4,5-dihydro-2-(nitroamino)-1H-imidazol-5-ol | imidaclopric metabolite M01 | Rat; Water; Plant | - | - |
| 1-[(6-chloro-3-pyridinyl)methyl]-, oxohydrazone | imidaclopric metabolite M07; NTN33893-nitrosimine | Plant; Animal | - | - |
| 1-[(6-chloropyridin-3-yl)methyl]imidazolidin-2-one | imidaclopric metabolite M12; NTN33893-urea | Plant; Animal | - | - |
| 1-[(6-chloropyridin-3-yl)methyl]imidazolidin-2-imine | imidaclopric metabolite M09; NTN33893-desnitro | Plant; Animal | - | - |
| 6-chloropyridine-3-carboxylic acid | imidaclopric metabolite M14 | Plant | - | - |
ECOTOXICOLOGY
for imidacloprid
| Property |
Value | Source/Quality Score/Other Information |
Interpretation |
|
| Bio-concentration factor | BCF (l kg-1) | 0.61 | Q2 Estimated | Low potential |
| CT50 (days) | Not available | - | ||
| Mammals - Acute oral LD50 (mg kg-1) | 131 | A5 Mouse, LD50 (Rat) = 424 (F4) | Moderate | |
| Mammals - Short term dietary NOEL | (mg kg-1) | > 13 | B5 Rat | High |
| (ppm diet) | > 120 | - | ||
| Birds - Acute LD50 (mg kg-1) | 31 | A5 Coturnix japonica | High | |
| Birds - Short term dietary (LC50/LD50) | - | - | - | |
| Fish - Acute 96 hour LC50 (mg l-1) | > 83 | A5 Oncorhynchus mykiss | Moderate | |
| Fish - Chronic 21 day NOEC (mg l-1) | 9.02 | A5 Oncorhynchus mykiss | Moderate | |
| Aquatic invertebrates - Acute 48 hour EC50 (mg l-1) | 85 | A5 Daphnia magna | Moderate | |
| Aquatic invertebrates - Chronic 21 day NOEC (mg l-1) | 1.8 | A5 Daphnia magna | Moderate | |
| Aquatic crustaceans - Acute 96 hour LC50 (mg l-1) | 0.034 | A5 Americamysis bahia | High | |
| Sediment dwelling organisms - Acute 96 hour LC50 (mg l-1) | 0.055 | A5 Chironomus riparius | High | |
| Sediment dwelling organisms - Chronic 28 day NOEC, static, water (mg l-1) | > 0.0021 | A5 Chironomus riparius | High | |
| Sediment dwelling organisms - Chronic 28 day NOEC, sediment (mg kg-1) | - | - | - | |
| Aquatic plants - Acute 7 day EC50, biomass (mg l-1) | - | - | - | |
| Non-target plants | > 100 | A5 Avena sativa, Brassica rapa Seedling emergence, ER50 as mg/kg soil |
- | |
| > 100 | A5 Avena sativa, Brassica rapa Vegetative vigour, ER50 as mg/kg soil |
- | ||
| Algae - Acute 72 hour EC50, growth (mg l-1) | > 10 | A5 Scenedemus subspicatus | Low | |
| Algae - Chronic 96 hour NOEC, growth (mg l-1) | 10 | A5 Scenedesmus subspicatus | Low | |
| Honeybees | Contact acute 48 hour LD50 (μg bee-1) | 0.081 | A5 Apis mellifera | High |
| Oral acute 48 hour LD50 (μg bee-1) | 0.0037 | A5 Apis mellifera | High | |
| Unknown mode acute 48 hour LD50 (μg bee-1) | - | - | - | |
| Earthworms - Acute 14 day LC50 (mg kg-1) | 10.7 | A5 Eisenia foetida | Moderate | |
| Earthworms - Chronic 14 day NOEC, reproduction (mg kg-1) | >= 0.178 | A5 Eisenia foetida | Moderate | |
| Other soil macro-organisms - e.g. Collembola | LR50 / EC50 / NOEC / % Effect | - | - | - |
| Other arthropod (1) | LR50 g ha-1 | 0.022 | A5 Aphidius rhopalosiphi | - |
| % Effect | - | - | - | |
| Other arthropod (2) | LR50 g ha-1 | 4.23 | A5 Typhlodromus pyri | - |
| % Effect | - | - | - | |
| Soil micro-organisms | Nitrogen mineralisation: No significant adverse effect Carbon mineralisation: No significant adverse effect |
A5 Dose: 2.25 kg ha-1, 28 days |
- | |
| Mesocosm study data | NOEAEC mg l-1 | 0.0006 | A5 Chironomids, Batidae | - |
| NOEAEC mg l-1 | - | - | - | |
HUMAN HEALTH AND PROTECTION
for imidacloprid
General:
| Property |
Value | Source/Quality Score/Other Information |
Interpretation |
|
| Threshold of Toxicological Concern (Cramer Class) |
High (class III) | - | - | |
| Mammals - Acute oral LD50 (mg kg-1) | 131 | A5 Mouse, LD50 (Rat) = 424 (F4) | Moderate | |
| Mammals - Dermal LD50 (mg kg-1 body weight) | > 5000 | A5 Rat | - | |
| Mammals - Inhalation LC50 (mg l-1) | > 0.069 | A5 Rat, 4 hr (aerosol) | - | |
| Other Mammal toxicity endpoints | Intraperitoneal LD50 = 35 mg kg-1 | V3 Mouse | - | |
| ADI - Acceptable Daily Intake (mg kg-1bw day-1) | 0.06 | A5 Rat, SF=100 | - | |
| ARfD - Acute Reference Dose (mg kg-1bw day-1) | 0.08 | A5 Dog, SF=100 | - | |
| AAOEL - Acute Acceptable Operator Exposure Level (mg kg-1 bw day-1) | - | - | - | |
| AOEL - Acceptable Operator Exposure Level - Systemic (mg kg-1bw day-1) | 0.08 | A5 Dog, SF=100 | - | |
| Dermal penetration studies (%) | 0.3-8.0 | A5, Concentration dependent | - | |
| Dangerous Substances Directive 76/464 | - | - | - | |
| Exposure Limits | - | - | - | |
| Exposure Routes | Public | Acceptable for proposed uses | ||
| Occupational | Acceptable for proposed uses Occupational exposure may occur through dermal contact |
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| European MRLs | Click here for the EU MRL pesticide database | |||
| Drinking Water Standards | - | - | - | |
| Drinking Water MAC (μg l-1) | - | - | - | |
Health issues:
| Carcinogen | Mutagen | Endocrine disrupter | Reproduction / development effects | Cholinesterase inhibitor | Neurotoxicant | |||
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| Respiratory tract irritant | Skin irritant | Skin sensitiser | Eye irritant | Phototoxicant | ||||
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| General human health issues | Moderately toxic Potential liver, kidney, thyroid, heart and spleen toxicant |
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: Yes, known to cause a problem
: No, known not to cause a problem
: Possibly, status not identified
- : No data found
Handling issues:
| Property |
Value | Source/Quality Score/Other Information |
Interpretation |
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| General |
Not explosive or oxidising IMDG Transport Code is usually 9 |
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| CLP classification 2013 | Health: H302 Environment: H400, H410 |
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| EC Risk Classification |
Xn - Harmful: R22 N - Dangerous for the environment: R50, R53 |
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| EC Safety Classification |
S2, S22, S57, S60, S61 | |||
| WHO Classification | II | - | Moderately hazardous | |
| US EPA Classification (formulation) | II | - | Warning - Moderately toxic | |
| UN Number | Usually 3082 | |||
| Waste disposal & packaging |
Packaging Group III (minor danger) | |||
| Language | Name |
| English | imidacloprid |
| French | imidaclopride |
| German | Imidacloprid |
| Danish | imidacloprid |
| Italian | imidacloprid |
| Spanish | imidacloprid |
| Greek | - |
| Slovenian | imidakloprid |
| Polish | imidachlopryd |
| Swedish | imidakloprid |
| Hungarian | imidaklorid |
| Dutch | imidacloprid |
Record last updated: Tuesday 14 May 2019
Contact: aeru@herts.ac.uk
© University of Hertfordshire