Permethrin is a contact insecticide. It is not highly soluble in water, has a low volatility and is not normally expected to leach to groundwater. It would also not be expected to persist in soil or water systems. It is moderately toxic to humans, is an irritant and may be a CNS toxicant. It is highly toxic to most aquatic species and honeybees but is not highly toxic to birds or 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
Ecotoxicity High alert: Fish acute ecotoxicity: High; Fish chronic ecotoxicity: High; Daphnia acute ecotoxicity: High; Bees acute contact ecotoxicity: High; Bees acute oral ecotoxicity: High
Human health High alert: Endocrine disrupter; Reproduction/development effects; Neurotoxicant
GENERAL INFORMATION
Description
Used to control ectoparasites on domestic pets and other animals
Availability status
Current
Introduction & key dates
circa 1973
Examples of species treated
Cats, Dogs
Chemical structure
Isomerism
Permethrin is a chiral molecule presenting two forms, the cis and the trans isomers.
UK statutory standard for the protection of aquatic life: freshwater and saltwater: 0.01 µg l⁻¹
Physical state
Colourless crystalline solid to brown viscous liquid depending upon purity
Formulations
Property
Product
Manufacturer
Authorisation Route
UK Legal Class
Example products using this active
Armatage Pet Care Felt Flea Collar
Sinclair Animal & Household Care Ltd
UK National authorisation
Authorised veterinary medicine for general sale (AVM - GSL)
Beaphar Soft Cat Flea Collar
Sinclair Animal and Household Care Ltd
UK National authorisation
Authorised veterinary medicine for general sale (AVM - GSL)
Defendog Cutaneous Spray
Virbac S.A.
UK National authorisation
Authorised veterinary medicine for general sale (AVM - GSL)
Advantix Spot-on solution for dogs over 10 up to 25kg
Bayer Ltd
EU Mutually recognised procedure
Prescription only medicine to be authorised by a veterinarian (POM-V)
Formulation and application details
Available in a variety of formulations including fumigants, shampoos and spot-on treatments
ENVIRONMENTAL FATE
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Solubility - In water at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)
0.011
E4 E = Manufacturers safety data sheets 4 = Verified data
Low
Solubility - In organic solvents at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)
1000000
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Hexane
-
258000
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Methanol
-
1000000
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Xylene
-
Melting point (°C)
34.5
E4 E = Manufacturers safety data sheets 4 = Verified data
-
Boiling point (°C)
465.9
E4 E = Manufacturers safety data sheets 4 = Verified data
-
Degradation point (°C)
-
-
-
Flashpoint (°C)
159.4
E4 E = Manufacturers safety data sheets 4 = Verified data
-
Octanol-water partition coefficient at pH 7, 20 °C
P
1.26 X 1006
Calculated
-
Log P
6.1
G4 G = Extension Toxicology network database EXTOXNET. Available online but no longer updated. (click here ) 4 = Verified data
High
Fat solubility of residues
Solubility
Soluble
A5 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 ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes
-
Data type
Regulatory data - observed in metabolism and farm animal feeding studies
A5 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 ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes
-
Density (g ml⁻¹)
1.19
E3 E = Manufacturers safety data sheets 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Dissociation constant pKa) at 25 °C
-
-
-
-
Vapour pressure at 20 °C (mPa)
0.007
R4 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications 4 = Verified data
at 25°C
Low volatility
Henry's law constant at 25 °C (Pa m³ mol⁻¹)
1.89 X 10-01
H4 H = The US ARS pesticide properties database. Dataset is no longer available. 4 = Verified data
Moderately volatile
Maximum UV-vis absorption L mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹
-
-
-
Surface tension (mN m⁻¹)
-
-
-
Refractive Index
-
-
-
Degradation
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Soil degradation (days) (aerobic)
DT₅₀ (typical)
13
K4 K = Research datasets (e.g. Pandora, Demetra; these datasets no longer available). Norman Ecotoxicology database. (click here ) 4 = Verified data
Non-persistent
DT₅₀ (lab at 20 °C)
13
K4 K = Research datasets (e.g. Pandora, Demetra; these datasets no longer available). Norman Ecotoxicology database. (click here ) 4 = Verified data
Non-persistent
DT₅₀ (field)
42
H4 H = The US ARS pesticide properties database. Dataset is no longer available. 4 = Verified data
Moderately persistent
DT₉₀ (lab at 20 °C)
-
-
-
DT₉₀ (field)
-
-
-
Note
-
Manure DT₅₀ (days)
-
-
-
Aqueous photolysis DT₅₀ (days) at pH 7
Value
1
K4 K = Research datasets (e.g. Pandora, Demetra; these datasets no longer available). Norman Ecotoxicology database. (click here ) 4 = Verified data
Moderately fast
Note
-
Aqueous hydrolysis DT₅₀ (days) at 20 °C and pH 7
Value
31
K4 K = Research datasets (e.g. Pandora, Demetra; these datasets no longer available). Norman Ecotoxicology database. (click here ) 4 = Verified data
Moderately persistent
Note
-
Water-sediment DT₅₀ (days)
40
K4 K = Research datasets (e.g. Pandora, Demetra; these datasets no longer available). Norman Ecotoxicology database. (click here ) 4 = Verified data
Moderately fast
Water phase only DT₅₀ (days)
23
K4 K = Research datasets (e.g. Pandora, Demetra; these datasets no longer available). Norman Ecotoxicology database. (click here ) 4 = Verified data
Slow
Soil adsorption and mobility
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Linear
Kd
-
G4 G = Extension Toxicology network database EXTOXNET. Available online but no longer updated. (click here ) 4 = Verified data
Non-mobile
Koc
100000
Notes and range
-
Freundlich
Kf
1.87
R4 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications 4 = Verified data
E3 E = Manufacturers safety data sheets 3 = Unverified data of known source
Daphnia magna
High
Aquatic invertebrates - Chronic 21 day NOEC (mg l⁻¹)
-
-
-
Aquatic crustaceans - Acute 96 hour LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)
0.00002
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
Aquatic plants - Acute 7 day EC₅₀, biomass (mg l⁻¹)
-
-
-
Algae - Acute 72 hour EC₅₀, growth (mg l⁻¹)
0.0125
K3 K = Research datasets (e.g. Pandora, Demetra; these datasets no longer available). Norman Ecotoxicology database. (click here ) 3 = Unverified data of known source
Unknown species
Moderate
Algae - Chronic 96 hour NOEC, growth (mg l⁻¹)
0.0009
Q2 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 2 = Unverified data of unknown source
Unknown species
High
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)
High (class III)
-
-
Mammals - Acute oral LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)
> 430
G4 G = Extension Toxicology network database EXTOXNET. Available online but no longer updated. (click here ) 4 = Verified data
Rapidly metabolised by ester hydrolysis to inactive metabolites which are excreted primarily in the urine
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Health issues
Specific human health issues
Carcinogen
Genotoxic
Endocrine disruptor
XNo, known not to cause a problem
A3 A = Chromosome aberration (EFSA database) 3 = Negative
;
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
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
Reproduction / development effects
Acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor
Neurotoxicant
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
?Possibly, status not identified
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
Respiratory tract irritant
Skin irritant
Skin sensitiser
?Possibly, status not identified
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
Eye irritant
Phototoxicant
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
No data found
General human health issues
Harmful Estrogenic IARC Group 3 carcinogen - not classifiable; US EPA - weak evidence to suggest human carcinogen Endocrine issues - Inhibition of estrogen-sensitive cells proliferation
Handling issues
Property
Value and interpretation
General
IMDG Transport Hazard Class 6.1
CLP classification 2013
Health: H302, H332, H335 Environment: H400, H410
WHO Classification
II (Moderately hazardous)
UN Number
UN3077
Waste disposal & packaging
Packaging Group III (minor danger)
Shelf-life, storage, stability and reactivity
Chemically stable under standard ambient conditions. Shelf-life of 2 yrs. Store -20 DegC in an inert atmosphere
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
