Oxytetracycline	Last updated: 26/08/2025
(Also known as: terramycin; oxytracyl; oxytetrin; terramitsin; oxitetracycline; crop antibiotic; liquamycin)

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Hazard 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. These hazard alerts do not take account of usage patterns or exposure, thus do not represent risk.

Environmental fate	Ecotoxicity	Human health
	Ecotoxicity Moderate alert: Bees acute unknown ecotoxicity: Moderate	Human health High alert: Reproduction/development effects

GENERAL INFORMATION

Description	A bactericide, usually used as the hydrochloride, for the control of bacteria, fungi and mycoplasma-like organisms in fruit and turf. It is also used in veterinary products and for aquaculture
Example pests controlled	Bacterial diseases including fireblight and those caused by Pseudomonas spp. and Xanthomonas spp.
Example applications	Top fruit; Stone fruit; Turf
Efficacy & activity	-
Appearance and life cycle	-
Taxonomic classification	-

GB regulatory status

GB COPR regulatory status	Not approved
Date COPR inclusion expires	Not applicable
GB LERAP status	No UK approval for use as a plant protection agent

EC Regulation 1107/2009 (repealing 91/414)

EC Regulation 1107/2009 status	Not approved
Dossier rapporteur/co-rapporteur	Not applicable
Date EC 1107/2009 inclusion expires	Not applicable
EU Candidate for substitution (CfS)	-
Listed in EU database	Yes
Approved for use (✓) under EC 1107/2009 in the following EU Member States	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
Approved for use (✓) under EC 1107/2009 by Mutual Recognition of Authorisation and/or national regulations in the following EEA countries	ISIceland NONorway

Additional information

Known to be also used in the following countries	-

Chemical structure

Isomerism	Oxytetracycline exhibits complex stereoisomerism, with six chiral centres in its molecular structure, allowing for multiple stereoisomers. These chiral centres are located at carbon atoms 4, 4a, 5, 5a, 6, and 12a, and their configuration significantly influences the compound’s biological activity and chemical behaviour. Additionally, oxytetracycline can undergo tautomerization and epimerization, especially under varying pH conditions, leading to the formation of inactive derivatives such as anhydrotetracyclines and isotetracyclines. These transformations affect its stability and efficacy, making isomerism a critical factor in its environmental fate.
Chemical formula	C₂₂H₂₄N₂O₉
Canonical SMILES	CC1(C2C(C3C(C(=O)C(=C(C3(C(=O)C2=C(C4=C1C=CC=C4O)O)O)O)C(=O)N)N(C)C)O)O
Isomeric SMILES	C[C@@]1([C@H]2[C@@H]([C@H]3[C@@H](C(=O)C(=C([C@]3(C(=O)C2=C(C4=C1C=CC=C4O)O)O)O)C(=O)N)N(C)C)O)O
International Chemical Identifier key (InChIKey)	IWVCMVBTMGNXQD-PXOLEDIWSA-N
International Chemical Identifier (InChI)	InChI=1S/C22H24N2O9/c1-21(32)7-5-4-6-8(25)9(7)15(26)10-12(21)17(28)13-14(24(2)3)16(27)11(20(23)31)19(30)22(13,33)18(10)29/h4-6,12-14,17,25,27-29,32-33H,1-3H3,(H2,23,31)/t12-,13-,14+,17+,21-,22+/m1/s1
2D structure diagram/image available?	Yes

Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre diagrams

Common Name	Relationship	Link
oxytetracycline	-

General status

Biopesticide type	Veterinary substance; Crop antibiotic; Other substance
Other bioactivity & uses	Antimicrobial
Substance groups	Micro-organism derived substance
Minimum active substance purity	-
Known relevant impurities	-
Substance origin	Natural
Mode of action	Broad-spectrum, protein synthesis inhibitor and binds to the 30S and 50S bacterial ribosomal subunits
Substance source	Substance produced by the fermentation of Streptomyces rimosus
Uses	Crop protection
Target pests	Bacterial diseases including fireblight and those caused by Pseudomonas spp. and Xanthomonas spp.
Target host	Top fruit; Stone fruit; Turf
Farming system suitability	-
CAS RN	79-57-2
Alternative/old CAS RN	2058-46-0; 6153-64-6 (dihydrate)
EC number	201-212-8
CIPAC number	316
US EPA chemical code	006308
PubChem CID	-
Molecular mass	460.44
PIN (Preferred Identification Name)	-
IUPAC name	(4S,4aR,5S,5aR,6S,12aS)-4-dimethylamino-1,4,4a,5,5a,6,11,12a-octahydro-3,5,6,10,12,12a-hexahydroxy-6-methyl-1,11-dioxonaphthacene-2-carboxamide
CAS name	(4S,4aR,5S,5aR,6S,12aS)-4-(dimethylamino)-1,4,4a,5,5a,6,11,12a-octahydro-3,5,6,10,12,12a-hexahydroxy-6-methyl-1,11-dioxo-2-naphthacenecarboxamide
Forever chemical	-
Other status information	Possible groundwater contaminant
Relevant Environmental Water Quality Standards	-
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)	41
Examples of recorded resistance	-
Physical state	Pale yellow to tan coloured crystalline powder
Related substances & organisms	copper sulphate

Commercial

Property	Value
Availability status	Current
Introduction & key dates	1974, first registered USA
Example manufacturers & suppliers of products using this active now or historically	Syngenta Ladda
Example products using this active	Mycoshield Cuprimicina Agrıcola Cuprimicın 100 Mycoject Phytomycin
Formulation and application details	Supplied as a water soluble powder for preparation as injection when used as a veterinary product. For crop protection it is used as a foliar spray
Commercial production	Oxytetracycline is produced commercially through a fermentation process using the bacterium Streptomyces rimosus. The production strain, typically a hyperproducing mutant of the bacterium, is selected and optimised through mutagenesis and selection techniques to enhance yield. The selected strain is cultivated in large fermenters in a small volume of nutrient-rich medium to increase their biomass. The biomass is then transferred to larger fermenters containing a production medium optimised for oxytetracycline synthesis. During fermentation, the bacteria produce oxytetracycline through a complex biosynthetic pathway involving polyketide synthase enzymes. After the fermentation is complete, the oxytetracycline is extracted from the culture broth. This involves several steps, including filtration, solvent extraction, and crystallization, to purify the oxytetracycline which is then formulated, usually as the hydrochloride salt.
Impact on climate of production and use	There are no precise, published data on the GHG emissions associated with the production of oxytetracycline. Based on similar antibiotic fermentation processes (like tetracycline or erythromycin), the estimated GHG emissions are likely to be in the range 2.8–6.0 tonnes CO₂e per tonne oxytetracycline.

ENVIRONMENTAL FATE

Property		Value	Source; quality score; and other information	Interpretation
Solubility - In water at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)		600	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	Moderate
Solubility - In organic solvents at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)		-	-	-
Melting point (°C)		Decomposes on melting	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	-
Boiling point (°C)		-	-	-
Degradation point (°C)		179	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	-
Flashpoint (°C)		-	-	-
Octanol-water partition coefficient at pH 7, 20 °C	P	-	-	-
	Log P	-	-	-
Fat solubility of residues	Solubility	-	-	-
	Data type	-	-	-
Density (g ml⁻¹)		-	-	-
Dissociation constant pKa) at 25 °C		-	-	-
		-
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) (aerobic)	DT₅₀ (typical)	-	-	-
	DT₅₀ (lab at 20 °C)	-	-	-
	DT₅₀ (field)	-	-	-
	DT₉₀ (lab at 20 °C)	-	-	-
	DT₉₀ (field)	-	-	-
	DT₅₀ modelling endpoint	-	-	-
	Note	-
Dissipation rate RL₅₀ (days) on plant matrix	Value	-	-	-
	Note	-
Dissipation rate RL₅₀ (days) on and in plant matrix	Value	8.2	R4 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications 4 = Verified data	-
	Note	Brussel sprouts undercover
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)	-	-	-
	Koc (mL g⁻¹)	-
	Notes and range	-
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)		7200	F4 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 ) 4 = Verified data Mouse	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)		> 5620	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 Anas platyrhynchos as HCl variant	Low
Birds - Short term dietary (LC₅₀/LD₅₀)		-	-	-
Birds - Chronic 21d NOEL (mg kg⁻¹ bw d⁻¹)		-	-	-
Earthworms - Acute 14 day LC₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)		1954	R3 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications 3 = Unverified data of known source as HCl variant	Low
Earthworms - Chronic NOEC, reproduction (mg kg⁻¹)		-	-	-
Soil micro-organisms		-	-	-
Collembola	Acute LC₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)	-	-	-
	Chronic NOEC (mg kg⁻¹)	-	-	-
Non-target plants	Vegetative vigour ER₅₀ (g ha⁻¹)	-	-	-
	Seedling emergence ER₅₀ (g ha⁻¹)	-	-	-
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)	100	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 as HCl variant	Moderate
	Chronic	-	-	-
	Notes	-
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
Temperate Freshwater Fish - Acute 96 hour LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)		116	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 Oncorhynchus mykiss as HCl variant	Low
Temperate Freshwater Fish - Chronic 21 day NOEC (mg l⁻¹)		-	-	-
Tropical Freshwater Fish - Acute 96 hour LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)		-	-	-
Temperate Freshwater Aquatic invertebrates - Acute 48 hour EC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)		102	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 Daphnia magna as HCl variant	Low
Temperate Freshwater Aquatic invertebrates - Chronic 21 day NOEC (mg l⁻¹)		46.2	R3 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications 3 = Unverified data of known source Daphnia magna as HCl variant	Low
Tropical Freshwater Aquatic invertebrates - Acute 48 hour EC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)		-	-	-
Aquatic crustaceans - Acute 96 hour LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)		-	-	-
Sediment dwelling organisms - Acute 96 hour LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)		-	-	-
Sediment dwelling organisms - Chronic 28 day NOEC, static, water (mg l⁻¹)		-	-	-
Sediment dwelling organisms - Chronic 28 day NOEC, sediment (mg kg⁻¹)		-	-	-
Aquatic Plants (free-floating, fonds growth, fresh) - 7 day (mg l⁻¹)		-	-	-
Aquatic plants (rooted, growth rate, fresh) - 14 day (mg l⁻¹)		-	-	-
Algae - Acute (growth rate, fresh; mg l⁻¹) (EC₅₀)		0.372	R3 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications 3 = Unverified data of known source Raphidocelis subcapitata as HCl variant	Moderate
Algae - Chronic (growth rate, fresh; mg l⁻¹) (NOEC)		0.183	R3 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications 3 = Unverified data of known source Raphidocelis subcapitata as HCl variant	Moderate
Mesocosm study data	NOEAEC mg l⁻¹	-	-	-
	NOEAEC mg l⁻¹	-	-	-
Marine bivalves		-	-	-

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)		7200	F4 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 ) 4 = Verified data Mouse	Low
Mammals - Dermal LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹ body weight)		-	-	-
Mammals - Inhalation LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)		-	-	-
Other Mammal toxicity endpoints		-	-	-
ADI - Acceptable Daily Intake (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)		-	-	-
ARfD - Acute Reference Dose (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)		-	-	-
AAOEL - Acute Acceptable Operator Exposure Level (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)		-	-	-
AOEL - Acceptable Operator Exposure Level - Systemic (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)		-	-	-
Dermal penetration studies (%)		-	-	-
Dangerous Substances Directive 76/464		-	-	-
Exposure Routes	Public	-
	Occupational	-
Mammalian dose elimination route and rate		Systemically available oxytetracycline was primarily excreted in the urine and bile	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 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 ; E0 E = Unspecified genotoxicity type (miscellaneous data source) 0 = No data No data found Reproduction / development effects Acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor Neurotoxicant ✓Yes, known 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 XNo, known not to cause a problem ✓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		May cause hypersensitivity reactions May cause tooth discoloration

Handling issues

Property	Value and interpretation
General	No information available
CLP classification 2013	Health: H302, H312, H317, H332, H360d Environment: H400, H410
WHO Classification	Not listed (Not listed)
UN Number	-
Waste disposal & packaging	-
Shelf-life, storage, stability and reactivity	-

TRANSLATIONS

Language	Name
English	oxytetracycline
French	oxytetracycline
German	Oxytetracyclin
Danish	oxytetracyclin
Italian	oxytetracicline
Spanish	oxitetraciclina
Greek	-
Polish	oksytetracyklina
Swedish	-
Hungarian	-
Dutch	-
Norwegian	-

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Record last updated:	26/08/2025
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