(Also known as: palléthrine; S-bioallethrin; toluen-disocianato; esdepallethrine; d-allethrolone chrysanthemumate)
SUMMARY
Allethrin is a pyrethroid insecticide mostly used in amenity and domestic situations. It has a low aqueous solubility, is volatile and, based on its chemical properties, would not be expected to leach to groundwater. It tends to be moderately persistent in most soil systems. Allethrin is moderately toxic to mammals and a recognised irritant. Whilst it is not highly toxic to birds it is moderately toxic to fish, honeybees and earthworms.
Data 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.
Environmental fate
Ecotoxicity
Human health
Environmental fate High alert: Potential for particle bound transport: High
Warning: Significant data are missing
Ecotoxicity High alert: Fish acute ecotoxicity: High; Fish chronic ecotoxicity: High; Daphnia acute ecotoxicity: High
Human health Moderate alert: Mammals acute toxicity: Moderate; Genotoxic; Endocrine disrupter
GENERAL INFORMATION
Description
An insecticide used almost exclusively in domestic situation for the control of mainly flying insect pests
Example pests controlled
Mosquitoes; Domestic flies; Wasps; Ants
Example applications
Domestic situations
Efficacy & activity
-
Availability status
Current
Introduction & key dates
1949, first introduced; circa 1954, first registered Japan
GB regulatory status
GB COPR regulatory status
Not approved
Date COPR inclusion expires
Expired
GB LERAP status
No UK approval for use as a pesticide
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
Expired
EU Candidate for substitution (CfS)
Not applicable
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
Also used in
Australia, USA
Chemical structure
Isomerism
A chiral molecule. Allethrin is a isomeric mixture of 8 stereoisomers.
Example manufacturers & suppliers of products using this active now or historically
Farnham Co
American Cyanamid Co.
Sumitomo
Fairfield
Example products using this active
Alleviate
Pyresin
Pynamin
Exthrin
A-Pb Food Plant And Grain Mill Fogging Spray
Formulation and application details
Usually supplied as an emulsifiable concentrate
ENVIRONMENTAL FATE
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Solubility - In water at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)
0.0001
G4 G = Extension Toxicology network database EXTOXNET. Available online but no longer updated. (click here ) 4 = Verified data
Low
Solubility - In organic solvents at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)
Miscible
R3 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications 3 = Unverified data of known source
Acetone
-
Miscible
R3 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications 3 = Unverified data of known source
Ethanol
-
655000
E3 E = Manufacturers safety data sheets 3 = Unverified data of known source
Hexane
-
Melting point (°C)
-
-
-
Boiling point (°C)
281.5
E3 E = Manufacturers safety data sheets 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Degradation point (°C)
-
-
-
Flashpoint (°C)
87
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Octanol-water partition coefficient at pH 7, 20 °C
P
9.12 X 1004
Calculated
-
Log P
4.96
P4 P = Other non-EU, UK or US Governments and Regulators 4 = Verified data
High
Fat solubility of residues
Solubility
-
-
-
Data type
-
-
-
Density (g ml⁻¹)
1.01
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Dissociation constant pKa) at 25 °C
-
-
-
-
Vapour pressure at 20 °C (mPa)
0.78
R4 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications 4 = Verified data
at 25°C
Low volatility. If applied directly to plants, drift is a concern & mitigation is advisable
Henry's law constant at 25 °C (Pa m³ mol⁻¹)
6.20 X 10-07
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Non-volatile
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)
60
DW4 DW = Don Wauchope personal database for Pka data: Wauchope, R. D. and Edwards, J. Dissociation constants for pesticide active ingredients: a database and comparison with predicted values. Dataset is no longer available. 4 = Verified data
Moderately persistent
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
-
-
-
Note
-
Aqueous photolysis DT₅₀ (days) at pH 7
Value
-
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Note
Decomposes rapidly in UV light
Aqueous hydrolysis DT₅₀ (days) at 20 °C and pH 7
Value
-
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Note
Hydrolysis occurs only under alkaline conditions
Water-sediment DT₅₀ (days)
-
-
-
Water 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)
-
DW3 DW = Don Wauchope personal database for Pka data: Wauchope, R. D. and Edwards, J. Dissociation constants for pesticide active ingredients: a database and comparison with predicted values. Dataset is no longer available. 3 = Unverified data of known source
Slightly mobile
Koc (mL g⁻¹)
1400
Notes and range
Other sources: 9500 mL g⁻¹ (CB2)
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
1.52
Calculated
Low leachability
SCI-GROW groundwater index (μg l⁻¹) for a 1 kg ha⁻¹ or 1 l ha⁻¹ application rate
Value
4.11 X 10-02
Calculated
-
Note
-
Potential for particle bound transport index
High
Calculated
-
Potential for loss via drain flow
Slightly mobile
Calculated
-
Photochemical oxidative DT₅₀ (hrs) as indicator of long-range air transport risk
-
-
-
Bio-concentration factor
BCF (l kg⁻¹)
200
R3 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications 3 = Unverified data of known source
Threshold for concern
CT₅₀ (days)
Not available
-
Known metabolites
None
ECOTOXICOLOGY
Terrestrial ecotoxicology
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Mammals - Acute oral LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)
685
G4 G = Extension Toxicology network database EXTOXNET. Available online but no longer updated. (click here ) 4 = Verified data
Rat
Moderate
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)
> 2030
G4 G = Extension Toxicology network database EXTOXNET. Available online but no longer updated. (click here ) 4 = Verified data
Colinus virginianus
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)
> 1000
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Unknown species
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
-
-
-
-
-
-
Honeybees (Apis spp.)
Contact acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)
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
Warning:
Human health
