Anthraquinone is a substance used as a bird repellent. It has a low aqueous solubility, volatile with a low risk of leaching to groundwater. it is non-persistent in soil but can be persistent in water under certain conditions. It shows a low mammalian toxicity but there are some concerns regarding its potential to bioaccumulate. No serious risks to human health have been reported. It is moderately toxic to birds, most aquatic organisms and earthworms. No data is available regarding the risk to honeybees.
Hazard alerts
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.
PHT: Environmental fate
PHT: Ecotoxicity
PHT: Human health
Highly Hazardous Pesticide
Environmental fate Moderate alert: Drainflow: Slightly mobile; Potential for particle bound transport: Medium
C2 Criterion 2: Pesticide active ingredients that meet the criteria of carcinogenicity Categories 1A and 1B of the Globally Harmonized System on Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) (those with a CLP classification of H350)
]
Type II
Yes [
R02 Rule 2: Pesticide active ingredients that meet the criteria of carcinogenicity Categories 1A and 1B of the Globally Harmonized System on Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) (those with a CLP classification of H350)
]
Other status information
-
Herbicide Resistance Class (HRAC MoA class)
Not applicable
Herbicide Resistance Class (WSSA MoA class)
Not applicable
Insecticide Resistance Class (IRAC MoA class)
Not applicable
Fungicide Resistance Class (FRAC MOA class)
Not applicable
Examples of recorded resistance
-
Physical state
Yellow to green-grey crystals with a weak odour.
Commercial
Property
Value
Availability status
-
Introduction & key dates
1951, introdcued France; 1999, first registered USA
Example manufacturers & suppliers of products using this active now or historically
Arkon Life Sciences
Bayer CropScience
Example products using this active
Formulation and application details
Usually supplied as a seed treatment
Commercial production
Anthraquinone is produced commercially through a chemical synthesis process that typically begins with phthalic anhydride and benzene as key raw materials. These compounds undergo a Friedel–Crafts acylation reaction in the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst such as aluminum chloride, forming o-benzoylbenzoic acid. This intermediate is then cyclised and oxidised to yield anthraquinone.
Impact on climate of production and use
GHG emissions data for anthraquinone production are not available publicly, However, efforts to reduce emissions in related supply chains, such as hydrogen peroxide production, which relies on anthraquinone, have shown promising results. Some companies have reduced Scope 3 emissions by over 50% by sourcing aluminum chloride with a lower carbon footprint, a key input in anthraquinone synthesis. This indicates that while anthraquinone production does contribute to GHG emissions, strategic sourcing and cleaner energy inputs can significantly mitigate its environmental impact.
ENVIRONMENTAL FATE
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Solubility - In water at 20 °C at pH 7 (mg l⁻¹)
0.084
W4 W = French database provided by ARVALIS-Institut du Végétal. Dataset no longer available. 4 = Verified data
Low
Solubility - In organic solvents at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)
2314
C4 C = AGRITOX dataset. Dataset is no longer available. 4 = Verified data
Benzene
-
9030
C4 C = AGRITOX dataset. Dataset is no longer available. 4 = Verified data
Chloroform
-
3520
C4 C = AGRITOX dataset. Dataset is no longer available. 4 = Verified data
Ethanol
-
2598
C4 C = AGRITOX dataset. Dataset is no longer available. 4 = Verified data
Toluene
-
Melting point (°C)
286
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Boiling point (°C)
377
V3 V = ChemID Online Databases; Chemspider; PubChem. (ChemID ) 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Degradation point (°C)
-
-
-
Flashpoint (°C)
185
V3 V = ChemID Online Databases; Chemspider; PubChem. (ChemID ) 3 = Unverified data of known source
(closed cup)
-
Octanol-water partition coefficient at pH 7, 20 °C
P
3.31 X 1003
Calculated
-
Log P
3.52
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
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)
1.44
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Dissociation constant pKa) at 25 °C
7.4
V3 V = ChemID Online Databases; Chemspider; PubChem. (ChemID ) 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Weak acid
Vapour pressure at 20 °C (mPa)
5.00 X 10-03
C4 C = AGRITOX dataset. Dataset is no longer available. 4 = Verified data
Low volatility
Henry's law constant at 25 °C (Pa m³ mol⁻¹)
3.50 X 10-05
C4 C = AGRITOX dataset. Dataset is no longer available. 4 = Verified data
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Non-persistent
DT₅₀ (lab at 20 °C)
-
-
-
DT₅₀ (field)
-
-
-
DT₉₀ (lab at 20 °C)
-
-
-
DT₉₀ (field)
-
-
-
DT₅₀ modelling endpoint
-
-
-
Note
Best available data
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
Stable
W4 W = French database provided by ARVALIS-Institut du Végétal. Dataset no longer available. 4 = Verified data
Stable
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)
-
W3 W = French database provided by ARVALIS-Institut du Végétal. Dataset no longer available. 3 = Unverified data of known source
Slightly mobile
Koc (mL g⁻¹)
3215
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)
> 5000
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)
> 2000
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Coturnix japonica
Low
Birds - Short term dietary LC₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹ bw d⁻¹)
-
-
-
Birds - Chronic 21d NOEL (mg kg⁻¹ bw d⁻¹)
-
-
-
Earthworms - Acute 14 day LC₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹ dw soil)
> 1000
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
F2 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 ) 2 = Unverified data of unknown source
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Desmodesmus subspicatus
Moderate
Algae - Chronic (growth rate, fresh; mg l⁻¹)
-
-
-
Mesocosm study data
NOEAEC mg l⁻¹
-
-
-
NOEAEC mg l⁻¹
-
-
-
Marine bivalves
-
-
-
Regulatory Threshold Levels (RTLs)
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
500
Worst case of acute and chronic mammals
Birds
200
Worst case of acute and chronic birds
Soil organisms
100
Worst case of acute and chronic earthworms
Terrestrial plants
No data
No data for non-target plants vegetative vigour and seedling emergence
Pollinators
No data
No data for contact and oral honeybees
Arthropods
No data
No data for parasitic wasps and predatory mites
Fish
0.72
Worst case of temperate acute and chronic fish
Aquatic invertebrates
0.1
Worst case of temperate acute and chronic aquatic invertebrates
Aquatic plants
0.02
Worst case of 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)
> 5000
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)
> 5000
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Rat
-
Mammals - Inhalation LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)
1.33
AC4 AC = EC Joint Research Centre ESIS European Chemical Substance Information Systems including EINECS, now integrated with the database provided by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) (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
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Environmental fate
Warning:
Human health
