Benzyl benzoate is used mainly as a non-agricultural pesticide although it also has other manufacturing applications. It has a low aqueous solubility and is moderately volatile. Little information is available regarding its environmental fate. Benzyl benzoate is moderately toxic to birds and fish. It has a low oral mammalian toxicity and a neurotoxin as well as being a recognised 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.
Allowed substance (Table 1: All food producing species)
Molecular mass
212.25
PIN (Preferred Identification Name)
benzyl benzoate
IUPAC name
benzyl benzoate
CAS name
phenylmethyl benzoate
Other status information
-
Relevant Environmental Water Quality Standards
-
Physical state
Colourless to pale yellow oily liquid with pleasant aromatic odour
Formulations
Property
Product
Manufacturer
Authorisation Route
UK Legal Class
Example products using this active
Killitch 25% w/v cutaneous emulsion
Carr Day and Martin Ltd
UK National authorisation
Authorised veterinary medicine for general sale (AVM - GSL)
Savlon Veterinary Antiseptic concentrate
Schering-Plough Ltd
No UK authorisation for use
Not applicable
Bensyleasi
Easivet
No UK authorisation for use
Not applicable
Formulation and application details
Veterinary formulations are usually emulsions for topical application. Non-agricultural formulations include foams and powders.
ENVIRONMENTAL FATE
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Solubility - In water at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)
15.4
V3 V = ChemID Online Databases; Chemspider; PubChem. (ChemID ) 3 = Unverified data of known source
at 25 °C
Low
Solubility - In organic solvents at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)
Miscible
B5 B = UK CRD and ACP Evaluation Documents / and other DEFRA (UK) documents; Also Chemicals Regulation Division, Health and Safety Executive (HSE), UK (click here ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes
Ether
-
Miscible
B5 B = UK CRD and ACP Evaluation Documents / and other DEFRA (UK) documents; Also Chemicals Regulation Division, Health and Safety Executive (HSE), UK (click here ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes
Ethanol
-
Miscible
B5 B = UK CRD and ACP Evaluation Documents / and other DEFRA (UK) documents; Also Chemicals Regulation Division, Health and Safety Executive (HSE), UK (click here ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes
Methanol
-
Miscible
B5 B = UK CRD and ACP Evaluation Documents / and other DEFRA (UK) documents; Also Chemicals Regulation Division, Health and Safety Executive (HSE), UK (click here ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes
Acetone
-
Melting point (°C)
18
B4 B = UK CRD and ACP Evaluation Documents / and other DEFRA (UK) documents; Also Chemicals Regulation Division, Health and Safety Executive (HSE), UK (click here ) 4 = Verified data
-
Boiling point (°C)
323
E3 E = Manufacturers safety data sheets 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Degradation point (°C)
-
-
-
Flashpoint (°C)
158
E3 E = Manufacturers safety data sheets 3 = Unverified data of known source
(closed cup)
-
Octanol-water partition coefficient at pH 7, 20 °C
P
9.33 X 1003
Calculated
-
Log P
3.97
V3 V = ChemID Online Databases; Chemspider; PubChem. (ChemID ) 3 = Unverified data of known source
High
Fat solubility of residues
Solubility
-
-
-
Data type
-
-
-
Density (g ml⁻¹)
1.12
B4 B = UK CRD and ACP Evaluation Documents / and other DEFRA (UK) documents; Also Chemicals Regulation Division, Health and Safety Executive (HSE), UK (click here ) 4 = Verified data
-
Dissociation constant pKa) at 25 °C
-
-
-
-
Vapour pressure at 20 °C (mPa)
29.86
V2 V = ChemID Online Databases; Chemspider; PubChem. (ChemID ) 2 = Unverified data of unknown source
Highly volatile
Henry's law constant at 25 °C (Pa m³ mol⁻¹)
0.284
V3 V = ChemID Online Databases; Chemspider; PubChem. (ChemID ) 3 = Unverified data of known source
Moderately volatile
Maximum UV-vis absorption L mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹
-
-
-
Surface tension (mN m⁻¹)
-
-
-
Refractive Index
1.5681
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Degradation
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Soil degradation (days) (aerobic)
DT₅₀ (typical)
-
-
-
DT₅₀ (lab at 20 °C)
-
-
-
DT₅₀ (field)
-
-
-
DT₉₀ (lab at 20 °C)
-
-
-
DT₉₀ (field)
-
-
-
Note
-
Manure DT₅₀ (days)
-
-
-
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
-
-
-
Koc
-
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
-
-
-
Bio-concentration factor
BCF (l kg⁻¹)
-
-
-
CT₅₀ (days)
-
-
Known soil and groundwater metabolites
None
Other known metabolites
Metabolite name and reference
Aliases
Formation medium / Rate
Estimated maximum occurrence fraction
Metabolising enzymes
benzoic acid
-
Human
-
-
benzyl alcohol
-
Human
-
-
hippuric acid
-
Human
-
-
ECOTOXICOLOGY
Terrestrial ecotoxicology
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Mammals - Acute oral LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)
> 2800
B4 B = UK CRD and ACP Evaluation Documents / and other DEFRA (UK) documents; Also Chemicals Regulation Division, Health and Safety Executive (HSE), UK (click here ) 4 = Verified data
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)
2000
F3 F = U.S. EPA ECOTOX database / U.S. EPA pesticide fate database / Miscellaneous WHO documents / FAO data, IPCS INCHEM data (US EPA Databases Related to Pesticide Risk Assessment ) 3 = Unverified data of known source
Colinus virginianus
Moderate
Birds - Short term dietary (LC₅₀/LD₅₀)
-
-
-
Birds - Chronic 21d NOEL (mg kg⁻¹ bw d⁻¹)
-
-
-
Earthworms - Acute 14 day LC₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)
-
-
-
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
-
-
-
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
Fish - Acute 96 hour LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)
4.6
E3 E = Manufacturers safety data sheets 3 = Unverified data of known source
Aquatic plants - Acute 7 day EC₅₀, biomass (mg l⁻¹)
-
-
-
Algae - Acute 72 hour EC₅₀, growth (mg l⁻¹)
-
-
-
Algae - Chronic 96 hour NOEC, growth (mg l⁻¹)
-
-
-
Mesocosm study data
NOEAEC mg l⁻¹
-
-
-
NOEAEC mg l⁻¹
-
-
-
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)
> 2800
B4 B = UK CRD and ACP Evaluation Documents / and other DEFRA (UK) documents; Also Chemicals Regulation Division, Health and Safety Executive (HSE), UK (click here ) 4 = Verified data
Rat
Low
Mammals - Dermal LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹ body weight)
2000
B3 B = UK CRD and ACP Evaluation Documents / and other DEFRA (UK) documents; Also Chemicals Regulation Division, Health and Safety Executive (HSE), UK (click here ) 3 = Unverified data of known source
Rat
-
Mammals - Inhalation LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)
-
-
-
Other Mammal toxicity endpoints
Intraperitoneal LD₅₀ > 500 mg kg⁻¹
V3 V = ChemID Online Databases; Chemspider; PubChem. (ChemID ) 3 = Unverified data of known source
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
Ecotoxicity
Warning:
Human health
