Benzoic acid

Benzoic acid	Last updated: 04/06/2025
(Also known as: dracylic acid; benzeneformic acid; flowers of benjamin)

SUMMARY

Benzoic acid is used as a multi-purpose insecticide, fungicide and preservative sometimes added to food-grade oils. It is highly soluble in water and is non-volatile. It tends not to be persistent in soil systems and is not expected to leach to groundwater. Generally, its toxicity to biodiversity is low. It also has a low toxicity to mammals if ingested although there are some concerns regarding its potential as a reproduction/developmental toxin. It is a skin and eye irritant.

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	Ecotoxicity Moderate alert: Earthworms acute ecotoxicity: Moderate	Human health High alert: Reproduction/development effects

GENERAL INFORMATION

Description

Used as a multi purpose insecticide, fungicide and preservative sometimes added to food-grade oils

Example pests controlled

Microbial pathogens

Example applications

Equipment and machinery where incidental food contact may occur; Rooms and buildings where food is grown or stored]

Efficacy & activity

Availability status

Current

Introduction & key dates

2013, registered EU

GB regulatory status

GB COPR regulatory status

Approved

Date COPR inclusion expires

31/08/2032

GB LERAP status

None

EC Regulation 1107/2009 (repealing 91/414)

EC Regulation 1107/2009 status

Approved

Dossier rapporteur/co-rapporteur

Hungary/Netherlands

Date EC 1107/2009 inclusion expires

31/08/2032

EU Candidate for substitution (CfS)

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

Also used in

Chemical structure

Isomerism

None

Chemical formula

C₇H₆O₂

Canonical SMILES

C1=CC=C(C=C1)C(=O)O

Isomeric SMILES

No data

International Chemical Identifier key (InChIKey)

WPYMKLBDIGXBTP-UHFFFAOYSA-N

International Chemical Identifier (InChI)

InChI=1S/C7H6O2/c8-7(9)6-4-2-1-3-5-6/h1-5H,(H,8,9)

2D structure diagram/image available?

Yes

Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre diagrams

Common Name	Relationship	Link
benzoic acid	-

General status

Pesticide type

Insecticide; Fungicide; Other substance

Metabolite Type

Microbiocide; Preservative; Disinfectant; Algicide

Substance groups

Aromatic carboxylic acid pesticide

Minimum active substance purity

99%

Known relevant impurities

EU dossier: None declared

Substance origin

Synthetic

Mode of action

Contact action, non-selective

CAS RN

65-85-0

EC number

200-618-2

CIPAC number

622

US EPA chemical code

009101

PubChem CID

243

CLP index number

No data found

Molecular mass

122.12

PIN (Preferred Identification Name)

IUPAC name

benzoic acid

CAS name

carboxybenzene

Other status information

Food and Feed additive as a acidity regulator (FLAVIS no. 08.021)

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)

UNM

Fungicide Resistance Class (FRAC MOA class)

None allocated

Examples of recorded resistance

Physical state

White crystalline solid

Formulations

Property

Value

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

Brinkman UK
Fargro

Example products using this active

Menno Florades
MICROL Preservative
Tulsa

Formulation and application details

Usually supplied as a soluble concentrate

ENVIRONMENTAL FATE

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

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

6930

High

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

41400

Carbon tetrachloride

556000

Acetone

9400

Hexane

715000

Methanol

Melting point (°C)

122.4

Boiling point (°C)

249.2

Degradation point (°C)

>100

Flashpoint (°C)

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

7.41 X 10⁰¹

Calculated

Log P

1.87

Low

Fat solubility of residues

Solubility

Insoluble

Data type

Regulatory data based on LogP

Density (g ml⁻¹)

1.32

Dissociation constant pKa) at 25 °C

4.19

Weak acid

Vapour pressure at 20 °C (mPa)

320

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)

6.714 X 10^-04

Non-volatile

Volatilisation as max % of applied dose lost

From plant surface

From soil surface

Maximum UV-vis absorption L mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹

pH 2: max @ 230nm
pH 4 max @ 228nm
pH 7 max at 224nm

Surface tension (mN m⁻¹)

60.0

Degradation

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

General biodegradability

Soil degradation (days) (aerobic)

DT₅₀ (typical)

0.5

Non-persistent

DT₅₀ (lab at 20 °C)

0.5

Non-persistent

DT₅₀ (field)

DT₉₀ (lab at 20 °C)

2.1

Non-persistent

DT₉₀ (field)

DT₅₀ modelling endpoint

Note

EU dossier (RAR 2015) lab studies DT₅₀ range 0.23-0.62 days, Soils=3; General literature give DT₅₀ 1-10 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

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)

Moderately mobile

K_oc (mL g⁻¹)

250

Notes and range

Estimated

Freundlich

K_f (mL g⁻¹)

1.66

Slightly mobile

K_foc (mL g⁻¹)

547

¹/_n

0.9

Notes and range

EU dossier (2015 RAR) scant & incomplete data K_f range 0.23-3.56 mL g⁻¹, K_foc range 18-1550 mL g⁻¹

pH sensitivity

Fate indices

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

GUS leaching potential index

-0.38

Calculated

Low leachability

SCI-GROW groundwater index (μg l⁻¹) for a 1 kg ha⁻¹ or 1 l ha⁻¹ application rate

Value

8.02 X 10^-05

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)

3.16

Low potential

CT₅₀ (days)

No data

Known soil and groundwater metabolites

None

Other known metabolites

Metabolite name and reference

Aliases

Formation medium / Rate

Estimated maximum occurrence fraction

Benzoylaminoethanoic acid

Hippuric acid

Human (Urine)

Benzoyl-glucuronic acid

Human (Urine)

ECOTOXICOLOGY

Terrestrial ecotoxicology

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

Mammals - Acute oral LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)

> 2100

Rat

Low

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)

384

Eisenia foetida

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

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)

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)

> 120

Oncorhynchus mykiss

Low

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

90.5

Oncorhynchus mykiss

Low

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

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

> 120

Daphnia magna

Low

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

Daphnia magna

Low

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)

> 10

Scenedesmus quadricauda

Low

Algae - Chronic 96 hour NOEC, growth (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)

> 2100

Rat

Low

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

2000

Rabbit

Mammals - Inhalation LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

> 1.2

Rat 6 hr (whole body)

Other Mammal toxicity endpoints

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

5.0

Rat SF=100

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

None allocated

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

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

5.0

Rat SF=100

Dermal penetration studies (%)

100

default

Dangerous Substances Directive 76/464

Exposure Routes

Public

Risks acceptable for intended uses

Occupational

Risks acceptable for intended uses

MRLs

European

EU MRL pesticide database

Great Britain

GB MRL Register

Notes

Drinking Water Standards

Drinking Water MAC (μg l⁻¹)

Mammalian dose elimination route and rate

Excreted as hippuric acid in urine

Health issues

Specific human health issues

Carcinogen

Genotoxic

Endocrine disruptor

; ; ; ;

Reproduction / development effects

Acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor

Neurotoxicant

Respiratory tract irritant

Skin irritant

Skin sensitiser

Eye irritant

Phototoxicant

General human health issues

Large oral doses may cause abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting
May cause urticaria, asthma, rhinitis and anaphylactic shock
Possible liver, kidney and brain toxicant

Handling issues

Property

Value and interpretation

General

Not explosive or oxidising
Not expected to auto-ignite; Not highly flammable

CLP classification 2013

Health: H315, H372, H318

WHO Classification

Not listed (Not listed)

UN Number

Waste disposal & packaging

Shelf-life, storage, stability and reactivity

TRANSLATIONS

Language

Name

English

benzoic acid

French

acide benzoique

German

Benzoesäure

Danish

Italian

acido benzoico

Spanish

acido benzoico

Greek

Polish

Swedish

Hungarian

Dutch

Norwegian

Record last updated:	04/06/2025
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