| glufosinate (Ref: HOE 00661) |
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Environmental Fate - Ecotoxicology - Human Health - A to Z Index - Home
GENERAL INFORMATION 
for glufosinate
Description: A herbicide, usually used as the ammonium salt, for total vegetation control and to control a wide range of weeds and grasses
Example pests controlled: Annual broad-leaved weeds including nightshade, lamb's quarters, ragweed, velvetleaf, wild mustard; Annual grasses including barnyard grass, bristly foxtail, witchgrass
Example applications: Oilseed rape; Potatoes; Maize; Soybean; Non-cropped areas
Efficacy & activity: -
Availability status: Current
Introduction & key dates: 1984, first introduced in Japan
EC Regulation 1107/2009 (repealing 91/414):
| Status | Not approved |
| Dossier rapporteur/co-rapporteur | Germany/France |
| Date inclusion expires | Not applicable |
| EU Candidate for substitution (CfS) | Yes - toxic for reproduction |
| 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
Chemical structure:
| Isomerism | Glufosinate is a chiral molecule. The technical material has unstated stereochemistry. |
| Chemical formula | C5H12NO4P |
| Canonical SMILES | CP(=O)(CCC(C(=O)O)N)O |
| Isomeric SMILES | No data |
| International Chemical Identifier key (InChIKey) | IAJOBQBIJHVGMQ-UHFFFAOYSA-N |
| International Chemical Identifier (InChI) | InChI=1S/C5H12NO4P/c1-11(9,10)3-2-4(6)5(7)8/h4H,2-3,6H2,1H3,(H,7,8)(H,9,10) |
| 2D structure diagram/image available? | Yes |
Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre diagrams:
| Common Name | Relationship | Link |
| Glufosinate | - |  |
General status:
| Pesticide type | Herbicide | |
| Substance group | Organophosphate | |
| Minimum active substance purity | - | |
| Known relevant impurities | - | |
| Substance origin | Synthetic | |
| Mode of action | Non-selective, contact with some systemic action. Glutamine synthetase inhibitor: accumulates ammonium ions, inhibits photosynthesis. | |
| CAS RN | 51276-47-2 | |
| EC number | 257-102-5 | |
| CIPAC number | 437 | |
| US EPA chemical code | - | |
| PubChem CID | 4794 | |
| Molecular mass (g mol-1) | 181.13 | |
| PIN (Preferred Identification Name) | (2RS)-2-amino-4-[hydroxy(methyl)phosphinoyl]butyric acid | |
| IUPAC name | (2RS)-2-amino-4-[hydroxy(methyl)phosphinoyl]butyric acid | |
| CAS name | 2-amino-4-(hydroxymethylphosphinyl)butanoic acid | |
| Other status information | - | |
| Relevant Environmental Water Quality Standards | - | |
| Herbicide Resistance Classification (HRAC) | H | |
| Herbicide Resistance Classification (WSSA) | 10 | |
| Insecticide Resistance Classification (IRAC) | Not applicable | |
| Fungicide Resistance Classification (FRAC) | Not applicable | |
| Examples of recorded resistance | - | |
| Physical state | Solid | |
| Related substances & organisms | ||
Formulations:
| Property |
Value | |||
| Example manufacturers & suppliers of products using this active now or historically | - | |||
| Example products using this active |
|
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| UK LERAP status | None (may vary with mixtures) | |||
| Formulation and application details | Usually applied as the ammonium variant formulated as a water soluble concentrate. | |||
ENVIRONMENTAL FATE
for glufosinate
| Property |
Value | Source/Quality Score/Other Information |
Interpretation |
|
| Solubility - In water at 20oC (mg l-1) | - | - | - | |
| Solubility - In organic solvents at 20oC (mg l-1) | - | - | - | |
| Melting point (oC) | 230 | V3 | - | |
| Boiling point (oC) | - | - | - | |
| Degradation point (oC) | - | - | - | |
| Flashpoint (oC) | - | - | - | |
| Octanol-water partition coefficient at pH 7, 20oC | P | 1.10 X 10-04 | Calculated | - |
| Log P | -3.96 | V3 | Low | |
| Bulk density (g ml-1)/Specific gravity | - | - | - | |
| Dissociation constant (pKa) at 25oC | 2 | L2 | - | |
| Note: Strong acid, pKa(2)= 2.0; pKa(3)=9.8 | ||||
| Vapour pressure at 20oC (mPa) | - | - | - | |
| Henry's law constant at 25oC (Pa m3 mol-1) | - | - | - | |
GUS leaching potential index  |
- | - | - | |
| SCI-GROW groundwater index (μg l-1) for a 1 kg ha-1 or 1 l ha-1 application rate |
Value | - | - | - |
| Note | - | |||
| Potential for particle bound transport index |
- | - | - | |
| Maximum UV-vis absorption L mol-1 cm-1 | - | - | - | |
| Surface tension (mN m-1) | - | - | - | |
Degradation:
| Property |
Value | Source/Quality Score/Other Information |
Interpretation |
General biodegradability | - |
| Soil degradation (days) (aerobic) | DT50 (typical) | - | - | - |
| DT50 (lab at 20oC) | - | - | - | |
| DT50 (field) | - | - | - | |
| DT90 (lab at 20oC) | - | - | - | |
| DT90 (field) | - | - | - | |
| DT50 modelling endpoint | - | - | - | |
| Note: | - | |||
| Dissipation rate RL50 on plant matrix | Value | - | - | - |
| Note | - | |||
| Dissipation rate RL50 on and in plant matrix | Value | - | - | - |
| Note | - | |||
| Aqueous photolysis DT50 (days) at pH 7 | Value | - | - | - |
| Note | - | |||
| Aqueous hydrolysis DT50 (days) at 20oC and pH 7 | Value | - | - | - |
| Note | - | |||
| Water-sediment DT50 (days) | - | - | - | |
| Water phase only DT50 (days) | - | - | - | |
Soil adsorption and mobility:
| Property |
Value | Source/Quality Score/Other Information |
Interpretation |
|
| Linear | Kd | - | - | - |
| Koc | - | |||
| Notes and range | - | |||
| Freundlich | Kf | - | - | - |
| Kfoc | - | |||
| 1/n | - | |||
| Notes and range | - | |||
| pH sensitivity | - | |||
| Property |
Value | Source/Quality Score/Other Information |
Interpretation |
|
| Bio-concentration factor | BCF (l kg-1) | Low risk | Q3 Based on LogP < 3 | Low potential |
| CT50 (days) | - | - | ||
| Mammals - Acute oral LD50 (mg kg-1) | 1625 | F4 Rat | Moderate | |
| Mammals - Short term dietary NOEL | (mg kg-1) | - | - | - |
| (ppm diet) | - | - | ||
| Birds - Acute LD50 (mg kg-1) | - | - | - | |
| Birds - Short term dietary (LC50/LD50) | - | - | - | |
| Fish - Acute 96 hour LC50 (mg l-1) | - | - | - | |
| Fish - Chronic 21 day NOEC (mg l-1) | - | - | - | |
| Aquatic invertebrates - Acute 48 hour EC50 (mg l-1) | - | - | - | |
| Aquatic invertebrates - Chronic 21 day NOEC (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 - Acute 7 day EC50, biomass (mg l-1) | - | - | - | |
| Non-target plants | - | - | - | |
| - | - | - | ||
| Algae - Acute 72 hour EC50, growth (mg l-1) | - | - | - | |
| Algae - Chronic 96 hour NOEC, growth (mg l-1) | - | - | - | |
| Honeybees (Apis spp.) | Contact acute LD50 (worst case from 24 , 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee-1) | > 345 | A4 as ammonium variant | Low |
| Oral acute LD50 (worst case from 24 , 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee-1) | > 600 | A4 as ammonium variant | Low | |
| Unknown mode acute LD50 (worst case from 24 , 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee-1) | - | - | - | |
| 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 pollinators (1) | Acute LD50 (worst case from 24 , 48 and 72 hour values - μg insect-1) | - | - | - |
| Mode of exposure | - | |||
| Other pollinators (2) | Acute LD50 (worst case from 24 , 48 and 72 hour values - μg insect-1) | - | - | - |
| Mode of exposure | - | |||
| Earthworms - Acute 14 day LC50 (mg kg-1) | - | - | - | |
| Earthworms - Chronic NOEC, reproduction (mg kg-1) | - | - | - | |
| Other soil macro-organisms | Acute LC50 (mg kg-1) | - | - | - | Chronic NOEC (mg kg-1) | - | - | - |
| Other arthropod (1) | LR50 g ha-1 | - | - | - |
| % Effect | - | - | - | |
| Other arthropod (2) | LR50 g ha-1 | - | - | - |
| % Effect | - | - | - | |
| Soil micro-organisms | - | - | - | |
| Mesocosm study data | NOEAEC mg l-1 | - | - | - |
| NOEAEC mg l-1 | - | - | - | |
HUMAN HEALTH AND PROTECTION
for glufosinate
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) | 1625 | F4 Rat | 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-1bw day-1) | 0.021 | A5 | - | |
| ARfD - Acute Reference Dose (mg kg-1bw day-1) | 0.021 | A5 | - | |
| AAOEL - Acute Acceptable Operator Exposure Level (mg kg-1 bw day-1) | - | - | - | |
| AOEL - Acceptable Operator Exposure Level - Systemic (mg kg-1bw day-1) | 0.0021 | A5 | - | |
| Dermal penetration studies (%) | - | - | - | |
| Dangerous Substances Directive 76/464 | List I | - | - | |
| Exposure Routes | Public | - | ||
| Occupational | Risk of exposure acceptable under label recommendations for use for personal protection clothing and equipment | |||
| European MRLs | Click here for the EU MRL pesticide database | |||
| Drinking Water Standards | - | - | - | |
| Drinking Water MAC (μg l-1) | - | - | - | |
Health issues:
| Carcinogen | Genotoxic | Endocrine disrupter | Reproduction / development effects | Cholinesterase inhibitor | Neurotoxicant | |||
|
A0; B0; C0; D0; E0 |
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| Respiratory tract irritant | Skin irritant | Skin sensitiser | Eye irritant | Phototoxicant | ||||
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| General human health issues | No further information available | |||||||
| Key: Genotoxicity A: Chromosome aberration (EFSA database) B: DNA damage/repair (EFSA database) C: Gene mutation (EFSA database) D: Genome mutation (EFSA database) E: Unspecified genotoxicity type (miscellaneous data source) 0: No data 1: Positive 2: Mixed/ambiguous results 3: Negative |
Key: Other : Yes, known to cause a problem  : No, known not to cause a problem  : Possibly, status not identified - : No data found |
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Handling issues:
| Property |
Value | Source/Quality Score/Other Information |
Interpretation |
|
| General |
IMDG Transport Code is 6.1 | |||
| CLP classification 2013 | Health: H302, H312, H332, H360FD, H373 | |||
| EC Risk Classification |
Xn - Harmful: R22 | |||
| EC Safety Classification |
S2 | |||
| WHO Classification | II | - | Moderately hazardous | |
| UN Number | 2783 | |||
| Waste disposal & packaging |
- | |||
| Language | Name |
| English | glufosinate |
| French | glufosinate |
| German | Glufosinat |
| Danish | glufosinat |
| Italian | glufosinate |
| Spanish | glufosinato |
| Greek | - |
| Slovenian | glyfosinat |
| Polish | glufosynat |
| Swedish | glufosinat |
| Hungarian | glufozinat |
| Dutch | glufosinaat |
Record last updated: Wednesday 04 March 2020
Contact: aeru@herts.ac.uk