Hexachlorobenzene is a fumigant fungicide. It has a low aqueous solubility and is volatile with a low potential for leaching to groundwater. It may be very persistent in soil systems. Hexachlorobenzene las a low mammalian toxicity but a high potential to bioaccumulate. It may also be carcinogenic. It is highly toxic to fish and moderately toxic to birds, aquatic invertebrates, algae and earthworms.
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 High alert: Potential for particle bound transport: High
Warning: Significant data are missing
Ecotoxicity High alert: Fish acute ecotoxicity: High; Fish chronic ecotoxicity: High; Daphnia chronic ecotoxicity: High
Human health High alert: Carcinogen; Endocrine distrupter
GENERAL INFORMATION
Description
An chlorinated hydrocarbon fungicide used to control bunt and a pesticide transformation product
Example pests controlled
Common and Dwarf bunt
Example applications
Wheat and some other cereals
Efficacy & activity
-
Availability status
Banned in many countries
Introduction & key dates
circa 1947
UK regulatory status
UK COPR regulatory status
Not approved
Date COPR inclusion expires
Expired
UK LERAP status
No UK approval for use
EC Regulation 1107/2009 (repealing 91/414)
EC Regulation 1107/2009 status
Not approved
Dossier rapporteur/co-rapporteur
Not applicable
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
WFD priority substance; Chemical subject to PIC regulations; OSPAR candidate; Rotterdam Convention (Class Ia)
Relevant Environmental Water Quality Standards
EU Directive 2008/105/EC EQS surface waters: annual average 0.01 µg l⁻¹; max measured 0.05 µg l⁻¹ UK Statutory standard for the protection of aquatic life in inland, coastal and territorial waters: 0.03 µg l⁻¹ as annual average Other standards are also available
Example manufacturers & suppliers of products using this active now or historically
Bayer
Example products using this active
Anticarie
Bent-cure
Granero
No Bunt
Formulation and application details
Often used as a seed dressing.
ENVIRONMENTAL FATE
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Solubility - In water at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)
0.0047
G4 G = Extension Toxicology network database EXTOXNET (click here ) 4 = Verified data
Low
Solubility - In organic solvents at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)
-
-
-
Melting point (°C)
226
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Boiling point (°C)
325
V3 V = ChemID online databases / IPCS INCHEM (ChemID; IPCS INCHEM ) 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Degradation point (°C)
-
-
-
Flashpoint (°C)
242
V3 V = ChemID online databases / IPCS INCHEM (ChemID; IPCS INCHEM ) 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Octanol-water partition coefficient at pH 7, 20 °C
P
8.51 X 1003
Calculated
-
Log P
3.93
H4 H = The US ARS pesticide properties database (click here ) 4 = Verified data
High
Bulk density (g ml⁻¹)
2.044
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Dissociation constant pKa) at 25 °C
-
-
-
-
Vapour pressure at 20 °C (mPa)
1.45
G4 G = Extension Toxicology network database EXTOXNET (click here ) 4 = Verified data
Low volatility
Henry's law constant at 25 °C (Pa m³ mol⁻¹)
1.03 X 1001
H4 H = The US ARS pesticide properties database (click here ) 4 = Verified data
Moderately volatile
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)
2000
G3 G = Extension Toxicology network database EXTOXNET (click here ) 3 = Unverified data of known source
Very persistent
DT₅₀ (lab at 20 °C)
-
-
-
DT₅₀ (field)
-
-
-
DT₉₀ (lab at 20 °C)
-
-
-
DT₉₀ (field)
-
-
-
DT₅₀ modelling endpoint
-
-
-
Note
General literature states DT₅₀ range 2.7-7.5 years, highly persistent
Dissipation rate RL₅₀ on plant matrix
Value
-
-
-
Note
-
Dissipation rate RL₅₀ on and in plant matrix
Value
9.7
R3 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Note
Lettuce leaves, n=1
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)
-
-
-
Soil adsorption and mobility
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Linear
Kd
-
G3 G = Extension Toxicology network database EXTOXNET (click here ) 3 = Unverified data of known source
Non-mobile
Koc
50000
Notes and range
-
Freundlich
Kf
-
-
-
Kfoc
-
1/n
-
Notes and range
-
pH sensitivity
-
Fate indices
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
GUS leaching potential index
-2.31
Calculated
Low leachability
SCI-GROW groundwater index (μg l⁻¹) for a 1 kg ha⁻¹ or 1 l ha⁻¹ application rate
Value
5.35 X 10-03
Calculated
-
Note
Estimated concentrations of chemicals with Koc values greater than 9995 ml g⁻¹ are beyond the scope of the regression data used in SCI-GROW development. If there are concerns for such chemicals, a higher tier groundwater exposure assessment should be considered, regardless of the concentration returned by SCI-GROW
Potential for particle bound transport index
High
Calculated
-
Potential for loss via drain flow
Non-mobile
Calculated
-
ECOTOXICOLOGY
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Bio-concentration factor
BCF (l kg⁻¹)
35000
A3 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 ) 3 = Unverified data of known source
(Other literature values Log BCF range 1.6-5.4 (R3); PIC DGD gives BCF range 375-35000)
High potential
CT₅₀ (days)
Not available
-
Mammals - Acute oral LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)
> 10000
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
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)
> 575
G4 G = Extension Toxicology network database EXTOXNET (click here ) 4 = Verified data
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
Environmental fate
Warning:
