| Pelargonic acid, potassium salt |

Last updated: 03/03/2026
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(Not known by any other names) |
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 |
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  |
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Plant-derived substance with multiple uses including general weed control, fruit thinning in orchards and vineyards, as a potato post-harvest desiccant, and for clearing woody weeds from paths etc. |
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Broad spectrum of weeds and plant growth |
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Fruit; Vineyards; Potatoes; Woody plants; Ornamentals |
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Efficacy established via field trials and extensive use |
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- |
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- |
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Approved (as acid) |
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31/08/2029 |
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None |
| EC Regulation 1107/2009 (repealing 91/414) |
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Approved (as acid) |
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Greece/Austria |
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11/12/2026 |
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No |
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Yes |
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ATAustria |
BEBelgium |
BGBulgaria |
CYCyprus |
CZCzech Republic |
DEGermany |
DKDenmark |
EEEstonia |
ELGreece |
| ✓ |
✓ |
  |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
ESSpain |
FIFinland |
FRFrance |
HRCroatia |
HUHungary |
IEIreland |
ITItaly |
LTLithuania |
LULuxembourg |
| ✓ |
✓ |
  |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
LVLatvia |
MTMalta |
NLNetherlands |
PLPoland |
PTPortugal |
RORomania |
SESweden |
SISlovenia |
SKSlovakia |
| ✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
  |
  |
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ISIceland |
NONorway |
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|   |
✓ |
  |
  |
  |
  |
  |
  |
  |
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None |
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C₉H₁₇KO₂ |
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CCCCCCCCC(=O)[O-].[K+] |
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- |
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WQEDQSDEIXNCCI-UHFFFAOYSA-M |
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- |
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No |
| Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre diagrams |
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Herbicide; Plant Growth Regulator; Other substance |
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Rain-fast agent; Adjuvant; Biocide; Disinfectant |
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Plant-derived substance |
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- |
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- |
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Natural |
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Phyotoxic, contact action, broad-spectrum |
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Occurs naturally in members of the plant family Geraniaceae |
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Crop protection; Yield enhancement |
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Broad spectrum of weeds |
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Fruit; Vineyards; Potatoes; Woody plants; Ornamentals |
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Suitable for use in all farming systems where approved for use in that country |
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23282-34-0 |
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- |
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- |
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- |
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- |
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196.33 |
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- |
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nonanoic acid, potassium salt |
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nonanoic acid, potassium salt |
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| UK Poisons List Order 1972 |
Rotterdam Convention |
Montreal Protocol |
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| Stockholm Convention |
OSPAR |
EU Water Framework Directive |
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- |
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- |
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- |
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- |
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EU approval as a disinfectant until March 2028 |
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Not known |
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Not known |
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Not applicable |
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Not applicable |
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- |
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White to cream coloured solid |
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Current |
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1992, acid first registered USA |
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- Doff Portland
- STV International
- Witax Ltd
- Enforcer Products Inc
- Mycogen Corporation
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- |
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Usually supplied as an emulsifiable concentrate |
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- |
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The GHG emissions from the synthesis of pelargonic acid depend heavily on the production method used. Precise data are not available but based on similar fatty acid production processes: Traditional chemical synthesis typically emits around 15–30 kg CO₂e per kg of pelargonic acid. Chemo-enzymatic synthesis produces less at between 5–15 kg CO₂e per kg. However, bio-based fermentation techniques could reduce emissions to around 5 kg CO₂e per kg. |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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255 |
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 3 = Unverified data of known source |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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115 |
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 3 = Unverified data of known source |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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0.921 |
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 3 = Unverified data of known source |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
| - |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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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. |
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- |
| Soil adsorption and mobility |
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None
| Terrestrial ecotoxicology |
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> 2000 |
Rat as acid |
Low |
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>= 1000 |
Rat 28-day as acid |
Low |
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- |
- |
- |
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2450 |
Colinus virginianus as acid |
Low |
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> 2000 |
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 3 = Unverified data of known source Anas platyrhynchos as acid |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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> 105 |
Eisenia foetida corr as acid |
Moderate |
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250 |
Eisenia foetida corr as acid |
Low |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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> 181.1 |
Apis mellifera as acid |
Low |
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122.1 |
Apis mellifera as acid |
Low |
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- |
- |
- |
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48.0 |
Apis mellifera as acid |
- |
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- |
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- |
- |
- |
| - |
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- |
- |
- |
| - |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
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- |
- |
- |
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> 18800 |
Chrysoperla carnea as acid |
Low |
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< 3900 |
Aphidius rhopalosiphi Adult as acid |
Low |
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< 3900 |
Typhlodromus pyri Protonymph as acid |
Low |
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> 31740 |
Poecilus cupreus as acid |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
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> 11.5 |
Oncorhynchus mykiss as acid |
Moderate |
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1.62 |
Oncorhynchus mykiss as acid |
Moderate |
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- |
- |
- |
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56.8 |
Daphnia magna as acid |
Moderate |
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14.6 |
Daphnia magna as acid |
Low |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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> 100 |
Chironomus riparius 48 hr as acid |
Low |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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36.3 |
Lemna gibba as acid |
Low |
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> 140.4 |
Myriophyllum spicatum as acid |
Low |
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21.9 |
Raphidocelis subcapitata as acid |
Low |
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1.0 |
Raphidocelis subcapitata as acid |
Moderate |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
| Regulatory Threshold Levels (RTLs) |
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Note: These RTLs have been calculated using the regulatory approach used in the European Union and based on ecotoxocity values in the PPDB.
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200 |
Worst case of acute and chronic mammals |
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245 |
Worst case of acute and chronic birds |
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21 |
Worst case of acute and chronic earthworms |
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No data |
No data for non-target plants vegetative vigour and seedling emergence |
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2.442 |
Worst case of contact and oral honeybees |
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1950 |
Worst case of parasitic wasps and predatory mites |
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0.115 |
Worst case of temperate acute and chronic fish |
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0.568 |
Worst case of temperate acute and chronic aquatic invertebrates |
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0.1 |
Worst case of free-floating plants, rooted plants, acute and chronic algae |
| HUMAN HEALTH AND PROTECTION |
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Low (class I) |
- |
- |
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> 2000 |
Rat as acid |
Low |
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>= 1000 |
Rat 28-day as acid |
Low |
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- |
- |
- |
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> 2000 |
Rat as acid |
- |
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> 5.0 |
Rat as acid |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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None allocated |
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- |
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None allocated |
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- |
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None allocated |
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- |
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None allocated |
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- |
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25-70% |
concentration dependent |
- |
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- |
- |
- |
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Very low risk considerting intended uses |
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Very low risk considerting intended uses |
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Rapid and extensive elimination, substance is metabolised completely for energy production, giving rise to H2O and CO2. |
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| Carcinogen |
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Endocrine disruptor |
| No data found |
A0 A = Chromosome aberration (EFSA database) 0 = No data ; 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 |
XNo, known not to cause a problem |
| Reproduction / development effects |
Acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor |
Neurotoxicant |
XNo, known not to cause a problem |
XNo, known not to cause a problem |
XNo, known not to cause a problem |
| Respiratory tract irritant |
Skin irritant |
Skin sensitiser |
| No data found |
✓Yes, known to cause a problem |
XNo, known not to cause a problem |
| Eye irritant |
Phototoxicant |
  |
✓Yes, known to cause a problem |
No data found |
  |
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May cause eye damage |
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Not explosive or oxidising Not highly flammable Corrosive |
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Health: H315, H319 Environment: H412 |
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Not listed (Not listed) |
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- |
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pelargonic acid, potassium salt |
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| Record last updated: |
03/03/2026 |
| Contact: |
aeru@herts.ac.uk |
| Please cite as: |
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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