The following Pesticide Hazard Tricolour (PHT) 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. The alerts for Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs) are based on applying the FAO/WHO (Type 1) and the PAN (Type II) criteria to PPDB data. Further details on the HHP indicators are given in the tables below. Neither the PHT nor the HHP hazard alerts take account of usage patterns or exposure, thus they do not represent risk.
Non-systemic, contact action that activates the sodium channel of the insects nerve membranes
Insecticide behavioural & physiological effects
-
Substance source
Substance derived from the seeds of the Sabadilla plant (Schoenocaulon officinale) found in Central and South America
Mixture composition
Sabadilla consists of ground or extracted seeds, with the key bioactive portion being a mixture of veratrum alkaloids accounting for up to 3-6% of the seed composition. Other seed components include oils/fats (~20-25%), resins (~10%), veratric acid, cevadic acid, fatty acids and some minor compounds. The insecticidal activity comes from the alkaloid fraction, which is often extracted with solvents to concentrate the active components for insecticidal products. These alkaloids include several related compounds including cevadine, veratridine, cevadilline, sabadine, sabadinine and others in small amounts. The major active substance responsible for the insecticidal effects is cevadine with veratridine also playing a role. These two alkaloids collectively account for 60-70% of the associated insecticidal products.
Uses
Crop protection
Farming system suitability
Suitable for use in all farming systems where approved for use in that country
Considered obsolete but may be available in some countries
Introduction & key dates
Circa 1970, introduced
Example manufacturers & suppliers of products using this active now or historically
MClaughlin Gormley King Co USA
Dunhill
Example products using this active
Formulation and application details
Usually supplied as wettable powders, and water soluble concentrates that are used as an aqueous spray
Commercial production
The seeds of the Schoenocaulon officinale plant are harvested when they are fully mature. The active compounds, known as sabadilla alkaloids, are extracted from the seeds. This is typically done using solvents to create a concentrated extract. The extract is then purified to remove any impurities and concentrate the active ingredients. The purified extract is formulated into various products.
Impact on climate of production and use
There is no published GHG emissions data specifically for the production of sabadilla. However, estimates can be made based on its production method and comparisons to similar plant-derived pesticides. Typically emissions could be expected to be around 2–10 kg CO₂e per kg of sabadilla extract.
ENVIRONMENTAL FATE
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Solubility - In water at 20 °C at pH 7 (mg l⁻¹)
12500
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
High
Solubility - In organic solvents at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)
-
-
-
Melting point (°C)
150
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Boiling point (°C)
Decomposes before boiling
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Degradation point (°C)
167
L2 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 2 = Unverified data of unknown source
-
Flashpoint (°C)
-
-
-
Octanol-water partition coefficient at pH 7, 20 °C
P
7.94 X 1000
Calculated
-
Log P
0.9
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
Low
Fat solubility of residues
Solubility
-
-
-
Data type
-
-
-
Density (g ml⁻¹)
-
-
-
Dissociation constant pKa) at 25 °C
9.54
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Weak acid
Vapour pressure at 20 °C (mPa)
-
-
-
Henry's law constant at 25 °C (Pa m³ mol⁻¹)
-
-
-
Volatilisation as max % of applied dose lost
From plant surface
-
-
-
From soil surface
-
-
-
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)
DT₅₀ (typical)
-
-
-
DT₅₀ (lab at 20 °C)
-
-
-
DT₅₀ (field)
-
-
-
DT₉₀ (lab at 20 °C)
-
-
-
DT₉₀ (field)
-
-
-
DT₅₀ modelling endpoint
-
-
-
Note
-
Soil mineralisation
Aerobic (at 20 °C)
-
-
-
Anaerobic (at 20 °C)
-
-
Dissipation rate RL₅₀ (days) on plant matrix
Value
-
-
-
Note
-
Dissipation rate RL₅₀ (days) on and in plant matrix
Value
-
-
-
Note
-
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)
-
-
-
Sediment phase only DT₅₀ (days)
-
-
-
Air degradation
As this parameter is not normally measured directly, a surrogate measure is used: ‘Photochemical oxidative DT₅₀’. Where data is available, this can be found in the Fate Indices section below.
Decay in stored produce DT₅₀
-
Soil adsorption and mobility
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Linear
Kd (mL g⁻¹)
-
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
Non-mobile
Koc (mL g⁻¹)
97000
Notes and range
Best available data
Freundlich
Kf (mL g⁻¹)
-
-
-
Kfoc (mL g⁻¹)
-
1/n
-
Notes and range
-
pH sensitivity
-
Known metabolites
None
ECOTOXICOLOGY
Terrestrial ecotoxicology
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Mammals - Acute oral LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)
> 4000
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Rat
Low
Mammals - Short Term Oral NOAEL (mg kg⁻¹ bw d⁻¹)
-
-
-
Mammals - Long Term (Chronic) Oral NOAEL (mg kg⁻¹ bw d⁻¹)
-
-
-
Birds - Acute LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)
17.8
V3 V = ChemID Online Databases; Chemspider; PubChem. (ChemID ) 3 = Unverified data of known source
Note: These RTLs have been calculated using the regulatory approach used in the European Union and based on ecotoxocity values in the PPDB.
Species group
RTL
Notes
Mammals
400
Worst case of acute and chronic mammals
Birds
1.78
Worst case of acute and chronic birds
Soil organisms
No data
No data for acute and chronic earthworms
Terrestrial plants
No data
No data for non-target plants vegetative vigour and seedling emergence
Pollinators
0.2466
Worst case of contact and oral honeybees
Arthropods
No data
No data for parasitic wasps and predatory mites
Fish
No data
No data for temperate acute and chronic fish
Aquatic invertebrates
No data
No data for temperate acute and chronic aquatic invertebrates
Aquatic plants
No data
No data for free-floating plants, rooted plants, acute and chronic algae
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)
> 4000
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Rat
Low
Mammals - Short Term Oral NOAEL (mg kg⁻¹ bw d⁻¹)
-
-
-
Mammals - Long Term (Chronic) Oral NOAEL (mg kg⁻¹ bw d⁻¹)
-
-
-
Mammals - Dermal LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹ body weight)
> 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
Rat
-
Mammals - Inhalation LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)
> 2.1
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
Rat
-
Other Mammal toxicity endpoints
Subcutaneous LD₅₀ = 10 mg kg⁻¹
V3 V = ChemID Online Databases; Chemspider; PubChem. (ChemID ) 3 = Unverified data of known source
Mouse
-
Intraperitoneal LD₅₀ = 7.5 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
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Environmental fate
Warning:
Ecotoxicity
Human health
