N-nitrosodimethylamine is an obsolete insecticide that is not generally approved for use in the developed world. It is highly toxic and a possible human carcinogen. It is miscible with water, volatile, highly mobile in the soil and has high potential to leach into groundwater. Ecotoxicological data is scarce but it can reasonably be expected to be toxic to most species.
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
Environmental fate High alert: GUS: High leachability; Drainflow: Very mobile
Ecotoxicity Low alert: Fish acute ecotoxicity: Low
Warning: Significant data are missing
Human health High alert: Mammals acute toxicity: High; Carcinogen; Reproduction/development effects
Warning: Significant data are missing
GENERAL INFORMATION
Description
Obsolete substance that has been used as a nematicide and as an intermediate chemical for the production of some pesticides.
Example pests controlled
Soil nematodes
Example applications
Tobacco; Ornamentals
Efficacy & activity
-
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)
Not applicable
Listed in EU database
No
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
C2 Criterion 2: Pesticide active ingredients and their formulations that meet the criteria of carcinogenicity Categories 1A and 1B of the Globally Harmonized System on Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS)
]
Other status information
Hazardous air pollutant; Potential groundwater pollutant; Semi-VOC
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)
UN
Fungicide Resistance Class (FRAC MOA class)
Not applicable
Examples of recorded resistance
-
Physical state
Volatile, yellow, oily liquid
Commercial
Property
Value
Availability status
Considered obsolete but may be available in some countries
Introduction & key dates
1890s, first synthesised; 1970s, start of restricted use & phase out
Example manufacturers & suppliers of products using this active now or historically
-
Example products using this active
Obsolete - not thought to be commercially available for crop protection applications
Formulation and application details
-
Commercial production
-
Impact on climate of production and use
-
ENVIRONMENTAL FATE
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Solubility - In water at 20 °C at pH 7 (mg l⁻¹)
1000000
V3 V = ChemID Online Databases; Chemspider; PubChem. (ChemID ) 3 = Unverified data of known source
High
Solubility - In organic solvents at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)
Neutral solution: maxima at 230nm = LOG 3.86), 332nm = LOG E 1.98)
V3 V = ChemID Online Databases; Chemspider; PubChem. (ChemID ) 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Surface tension (mN m⁻¹)
-
-
-
Degradation
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
General biodegradability
-
Soil degradation (days) (aerobic)
DT₅₀ (typical)
21
V3 V = ChemID Online Databases; Chemspider; PubChem. (ChemID ) 3 = Unverified data of known source
Non-persistent
DT₅₀ (lab at 20 °C)
21
V3 V = ChemID Online Databases; Chemspider; PubChem. (ChemID ) 3 = Unverified data of known source
Non-persistent
DT₅₀ (field)
-
-
-
DT₉₀ (lab at 20 °C)
-
-
-
DT₉₀ (field)
-
-
-
DT₅₀ modelling endpoint
-
-
-
Note
General literature states lab DT₅₀ aerobic of around 3 weeks
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)
-
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Very mobile
Koc (mL g⁻¹)
11.8
Notes and range
-
Freundlich
Kf (mL g⁻¹)
-
-
-
Kfoc (mL g⁻¹)
-
1/n
-
Notes and range
-
pH sensitivity
-
Fate indices
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
GUS leaching potential index
3.87
Calculated
High leachability
SCI-GROW groundwater index (μg l⁻¹) for a 1 kg ha⁻¹ or 1 l ha⁻¹ application rate
Value
5.59 X 10-01
Calculated
-
Note
-
Potential for particle bound transport index
Low
Calculated
-
Potential for loss via drain flow
Very mobile
Calculated
-
Photochemical oxidative DT₅₀ (hrs) as indicator of long-range air transport risk
-
-
-
Bio-concentration factor
BCF (l kg⁻¹)
Low risk
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Based on LogP < 3
Low risk
CT₅₀ (days)
-
-
Known metabolites
None
ECOTOXICOLOGY
Terrestrial ecotoxicology
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Mammals - Acute oral LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)
36
V3 V = ChemID Online Databases; Chemspider; PubChem. (ChemID ) 3 = Unverified data of known source
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
No data found
No data found
Respiratory tract irritant
Skin irritant
Skin sensitiser
No data found
No data found
No data found
Eye irritant
Phototoxicant
No data found
No data found
General human health issues
Liver & kidney toxicant US EPA - N-nitrosodimethylamine has been found to be carcinogenic in a number of animal species; US NTP - suspected carcinogen; CLP data - may cause cancer
Handling issues
Property
Value and interpretation
General
Combustible Emits toxic fumes when ignited Incompatible with strong oxidizers and bases
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
Ecotoxicity
Warning:
