Furfural
Last updated: 17/01/2023
(Also known as: cyclic aldehyde; 2-furaldehyde)
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
A fungicide and nematicide used to control root-infesting nematodes and fungal diseases in glasshouse soil
Plant parasitic nematodes
Greenhouse soils; Cut flowers; Transplants; Ornamentals; Non-food plant commodities
-
-
circa 1925
Not approved
Expired
No UK approval for use
EC Regulation 1107/2009 (repealing 91/414)
Not approved
UK
Expired
-
Yes
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
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
None
C₅H₄O₂
C1=COC(=C1)C=O
No data
HYBBIBNJHNGZAN-UHFFFAOYSA-N
InChI=1S/C5H4O2/c6-4-5-2-1-3-7-5/h1-4H
Yes
Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre diagrams
Common Name
Relationship
Link
furfural
-
Fungicide, Biocide, Nematicide
Furan fungicide; Furan nematicide; Furam biocide
-
-
Synthetic
Fumigant, inhibits fungal and bacterial growth
98-01-1
202-627-7
None allocated
043301
7362
605-010-00-4
96.08
-
2-furaldehyde
2-furancarboxaldehyde
EC 2232/96 Annex 1 registered as food flavouring agent
-
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
-
Colourless to yellow liquid
78100
High
Miscible
Octanol
-
Miscible
Acetone
-
Miscible
Xylene
-
Miscible
Ethyl acetate
-
-
-
-
161.7
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2.57 X 1000
Calculated
-
0.41
Low
-
-
-
-
-
-
1.16
-
Not applicable
-
No dissociation
29459
Q2 Q = Miscellaneous internet resources 2 = Unverified data of unknown source
Highly volatile
3.41 X 10-01
Moderately volatile
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
Non-persistent
-
-
-
1
Non-persistent
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
USA EPA studies Furfural degrades in <1day in sandy soils
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Soil adsorption and mobility
-
Mobile
55
US EPA dossier Koc range 52.2-56.9 mL kg⁻¹
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
0.00
Calculated
Low leachability
7.34 X 10-04
Calculated
-
-
Low
Calculated
-
Mobile
Calculated
-
Low risk
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous internet resources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Based on LogP < 3
Low risk
-
-
None
Terrestrial ecotoxicology
> 175
Rat
Moderate
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
> 360.5
Anas platyrhynchos
Moderate
-
-
-
-
-
-
> 1000
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous internet resources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Eisenia foetida
Low
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
90
K3 K = Research datasets, e.g. Pandora, Demetra 3 = Unverified data of known source
Apis mellifera
Moderate
> 100
Apis mellifera
Low
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
> 3.06
Oncorhynchus mykiss
Moderate
> 0.038
P3 P = Other governments and regulators 3 = Unverified data of known source
Pimephales promelas 33 day
Moderate
> 20.4
Daphnia magna
Moderate
1.9
P4 P = Other governments and regulators 4 = Verified data
Daphnia magna
Moderate
> 7.94
Americamysis bahia
Moderate
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
HUMAN HEALTH AND PROTECTION
High (class III)
-
-
> 175
Rat
Moderate
2000
Rat
-
> 0.54
Rat
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Exposure can occur via inhalation, ingestion, skin contact, and absorption through the skin
EU MRL pesticide database 
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Carcinogen
Endocrine disruptor
?Possibly, status not identified
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
; E3 E = Unspecified genotoxicity type (miscellaneous data source) 3 = Negative
No data found
Reproduction / development effects
Acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor
Neurotoxicant
?Possibly, status not identified
XNo, known not to cause a problem
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
Respiratory tract irritant
Skin irritant
Skin sensitiser
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
Eye irritant
Phototoxicant
 
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
No data found
 
Highly toxic USEPA - probable human carcinogen
No information available
Health: H301, H312, H315, H319, H331, H335, H351
NL (Not listed)
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furfural
furfural
Furfural
furfural
furfural
furfural
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furfural
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Record last updated:
17/01/2023
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