Fluometuron

Fluometuron	Last updated: 19/12/2024
(Not known by any other names)

SUMMARY

Fluometuron is a applied selective herbicide used to control annual grasses and broad-leaved weeds. It is moderately soluble in water, has a low volatility but if applied directly to plants, drift is a concern. Fluometuron is moderately persistent in most soil systems and tends to be stable in water-sediment systems. There is high potential for it to leach to groundwater. Whilst it has a low mammalian oral toxicity there are concerns regarding reproduction and/or developmental impacts. It is moderately toxic to most biodiversity.

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: GUS: High leachability; Drainflow: Mobile	Ecotoxicity Moderate alert: Fish acute ecotoxicity: Moderate; Fish chronic ecotoxicity: Moderate; Daphnia acute ecotoxicity: Moderate; Bees acute oral ecotoxicity: Moderate; Earthworms acute ecotoxicity: Moderate; Earthworms chronic ecotoxicity: Moderate	Human health High alert: Reproduction/development effects

GENERAL INFORMATION

Description

A soil applied selective herbicide used to control annual grasses and broad-leaved weeds

Example pests controlled

Annual grasses, Broad-leaved weeds

Example applications

Cotton; Sugarcane

Efficacy & activity

Availability status

Current

Introduction & key dates

1964, first reported; 1970s, first marketed

GB regulatory status

GB COPR regulatory status

Not approved

Date COPR inclusion expires

Withdrawn

GB LERAP status

EC Regulation 1107/2009 (repealing 91/414)

EC Regulation 1107/2009 status

Approved

Dossier rapporteur/co-rapporteur

Spain/Belgium

Date EC 1107/2009 inclusion expires

15/07/2026

EU Candidate for substitution (CfS)

Yes - low ADI / ARfD / AOEL

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

Chemical structure

Isomerism

None

Chemical formula

C₁₀H₁₁F₃N₂O

Canonical SMILES

CN(C)C(=O)NC1=CC=CC(=C1)C(F)(F)F

Isomeric SMILES

No data

International Chemical Identifier key (InChIKey)

RZILCCPWPBTYDO-UHFFFAOYSA-N

International Chemical Identifier (InChI)

InChI=1S/C10H11F3N2O/c1-15(2)9(16)14-8-5-3-4-7(6-8)10(11,12)13/h3-6H,1-2H3,(H,14,16)

2D structure diagram/image available?

Yes

Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre diagrams

Common Name	Relationship	Link
fluometuron	-

General status

Pesticide type

Herbicide, Other substance

Other bioactivity & uses

Biocide, Slimicide, Preservative, Antifouling agent

Substance groups

Phenylurea herbicide; Urea herbicide

Minimum active substance purity

960 g kg⁻¹

Known relevant impurities

EU dossier - None declared

Substance origin

Synthetic

Mode of action

Photosynthetic electron transport inhibitor at the photosystem II. Bleaching: 4-HPPD.

CAS RN

2164-17-2

EC number

218-500-4

CIPAC number

159

US EPA chemical code

035503

PubChem CID

16562

CLP index number

No data found

Molecular mass

232.20

PIN (Preferred Identification Name)

IUPAC name

1,1-dimethyl-3-(α,α,α-trifluoro-m-tolyl)urea

CAS name

N,N-dimethyl-N'-(3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)urea

Other status information

Potential groundwater contaminant

Relevant Environmental Water Quality Standards

Herbicide Resistance Class (HRAC MoA class)

Herbicide Resistance Class (WSSA MoA class)

Insecticide Resistance Class (IRAC MoA class)

Not applicable

Fungicide Resistance Class (FRAC MOA class)

Not applicable

Examples of recorded resistance

Physical state

White crystalline powder

Formulations

Property

Value

Example manufacturers & suppliers of products using this active now or historically

Adama
BASF
Makhteshim
Nufarm

Example products using this active

Fluometron 50 SC
Cottonex 50 SC
Cotoran 50 SC

Formulation and application details

Usually supplied as a suspension concentrate that is mixed with water and used as a spray

ENVIRONMENTAL FATE

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

Solubility - In water at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)

111

Moderate

Solubility - In organic solvents at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)

109000

Methanol

144000

Acetone

1980

Xylene

20600

n-Octanol

Melting point (°C)

152.5

Boiling point (°C)

Degradation point (°C)

Flashpoint (°C)

Octanol-water partition coefficient at pH 7, 20 °C

1.91 X 10⁰²

Calculated

Log P

2.28

at 23.5 °C

Low

Fat solubility of residues

Solubility

Data type

Density (g ml⁻¹)

1.39

Dissociation constant pKa) at 25 °C

Not applicable

No dissociation

Vapour pressure at 20 °C (mPa)

0.125

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)

2.63 X 10^-04

Non-volatile

Volatilisation as max % of applied dose lost

From plant surface

From soil surface

Maximum UV-vis absorption L mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹

Neutral solution: 243nm = 17300, 279nm = 1230
Acidic solution: 243nm = 17700, 279nm = 1390
Basic solution: 243nm = 17400, 279nm = 1360

Surface tension (mN m⁻¹)

61.5

at 25°C

Degradation

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

General biodegradability

Soil degradation (days) (aerobic)

DT₅₀ (typical)

63.6

Moderately persistent

DT₅₀ (lab at 20 °C)

63.6

Moderately persistent

DT₅₀ (field)

89.8

Moderately persistent

DT₉₀ (lab at 20 °C)

202.0

Persistent

DT₉₀ (field)

DT₅₀ modelling endpoint

Note

EU dossier lab studies DT₅₀ range 22.5-235.1 days, DT₉₀ range 74.8-384.1 days, field studies DT₅₀ range 62.5-117 days

Dissipation rate RL₅₀ (days) on plant matrix

Value

Note

Dissipation rate RL₅₀ (days) on and in plant matrix

Value

6.0

Note

Ryegrass leaves, n=1

Aqueous photolysis DT₅₀ (days) at pH 7

Value

Stable

Note

Stable pH 5 and pH 7 at 25 °C

Aqueous hydrolysis DT₅₀ (days) at 20 °C and pH 7

Value

Stable

Note

Stable pH 5 to pH 9 at 25 °C

Water-sediment DT₅₀ (days)

524

Stable

Water phase only DT₅₀ (days)

Stable

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

K_d (mL g⁻¹)

K_oc (mL g⁻¹)

Notes and range

Freundlich

K_f (mL g⁻¹)

0.87

Mobile

K_foc (mL g⁻¹)

67.4

¹/_n

0.963

Notes and range

EU dossier K_f range 0.079-2.809, kfoc range 30.8-117 mL g⁻¹, ¹/_n range 0.886-1.129, Soils=8

pH sensitivity

Fate indices

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

GUS leaching potential index

4.24

Calculated

High leachability

SCI-GROW groundwater index (μg l⁻¹) for a 1 kg ha⁻¹ or 1 l ha⁻¹ application rate

Value

1.69 X 10⁰⁰

Calculated

Note

Potential for particle bound transport index

Medium

Calculated

Potential for loss via drain flow

Mobile

Calculated

Photochemical oxidative DT₅₀ (hrs) as indicator of long-range air transport risk

17.0

Calculated using the Atkinson method. Assumed 1.5E+06 OH/cm³, 12 hr

Below the level of concern for long-range air transport

Bio-concentration factor

BCF (l kg⁻¹)

40.4

Whole fish

Low potential

CT₅₀ (days)

Not available

Known soil metabolites

Metabolite

Major/Minor fraction

$Click here for further information on Major/Minor fraction$

Estimated maximum occurrence fraction

Notes

desmethyl fluometuron (Ref: CGA 41686)

Major fraction

0.547

Adama verified data

m-trifluoromethylaniline (Ref: CGA 72903)

Major fraction

0.159

Adama verified data

Known groundwater metabolites

Metabolite

EC SANCO/221/2000 relevancy

ADI (mg kg⁻¹ bodyweight day⁻¹)

WHO drinking water guidance value (μg L⁻¹ day⁻¹)

desmethyl fluometuron (Ref: CGA 41686)

Relevancy unknown

m-trifluoromethylaniline (Ref: CGA 72903)

Relevancy unknown

Other known metabolites

Metabolite name and reference

Aliases

Formation medium / Rate

Estimated maximum occurrence fraction

di-desmethyl fluometuron (Ref: CGA 41698)

Rat; Plant

trifluromethylanaline

TFMA

Plant

hydroxylated di-desmethyl fluometuron (Ref: CGA 236431)

Rat; Plant (cotton)

hydroxylated desmethyl fluometuron (Ref: CGA 236432)

Rat; Plant (cotton)

hydroxylated n-acetyl

Rat

hydroxylated fluometuron (Ref: CGA 13211)

Rat; Plant (cotton)

Ref: CGA 41690

Plant

trifluroactetic acid
Note: Toxicologically relevant; Oral LD50 200 mg/kg

TFAA

Plant (cotton)

ECOTOXICOLOGY

Terrestrial ecotoxicology

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

Mammals - Acute oral LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)

> 5000

Rat

Low

Mammals - Short term dietary NOEL

(mg kg⁻¹)

Rat 2 yr

High

(ppm diet)

Mammals - Chronic 21d NOAEL (mg kg⁻¹ bw d⁻¹)

Birds - Acute LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)

2974

Anas platyrhynchos

Low

Birds - Short term dietary (LC₅₀/LD₅₀)

> 1597 mg kg bw⁻¹ day⁻¹

Colinus virginianus Chicks

Birds - Chronic 21d NOEL (mg kg⁻¹ bw d⁻¹)

Earthworms - Acute 14 day LC₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)

> 500

Eisenia foetida corr

Moderate

Earthworms - Chronic NOEC, reproduction (mg kg⁻¹)

Eisenia foetida corr

Moderate

Soil micro-organisms

Nitrogen mineralisation: No significant adverse effect
Carbon mineralisation: No significant adverse effect

Dose: 5x 2 kg ha⁻¹ 28 Day

Collembola

Acute LC₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)

57.5

Folsomia candida corr

Chronic NOEC (mg kg⁻¹)

33.4

Folsomia candida corr

Non-target plants

Honeybees (Apis spp.)

Contact acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)

> 100

Apis mellifera

Low

Oral acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)

> 34.0

Apis mellifera

Moderate

Unknown mode acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)

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) as Fecundity LR₅₀ g ha⁻¹

398

Aphidius rhopalosiphi

Beneficial insects (Predatory mites) as Reproduction LR₅₀ g ha⁻¹

28.9

Typhlodromus pyri

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)

Oncorhynchus mykiss

Moderate

Temperate Freshwater Fish - Chronic 21 day NOEC (mg l⁻¹)

4.3

Oncorhynchus mykiss

Moderate

Tropical Freshwater Fish - Acute 96 hour LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

Temperate Freshwater Aquatic invertebrates - Acute 48 hour EC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

Daphnia magna

Moderate

Temperate Freshwater Aquatic invertebrates - Chronic 21 day NOEC (mg l⁻¹)

Daphnia magna

Low

Tropical Freshwater Aquatic invertebrates - Acute 48 hour EC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

Aquatic crustaceans - Acute 96 hour LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

6.8

Americamysis bahia

Moderate

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 - Acute 7 day EC₅₀, biomass (mg l⁻¹)

0.2

Lemna gibba

Moderate

Algae - Acute 72 hour EC₅₀, growth (mg l⁻¹)

0.32

Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata

Moderate

Algae - Chronic 96 hour NOEC, growth (mg l⁻¹)

0.0661

Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata

Moderate

Mesocosm study data

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)

> 5000

Rat

Low

Mammals - Dermal LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹ body weight)

2000

Rat

Mammals - Inhalation LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

> 4.62

Rat

Other Mammal toxicity endpoints

ADI - Acceptable Daily Intake (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)

0.0005

Rat SF=1000

ARfD - Acute Reference Dose (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)

0.008

Rat SF=100

AAOEL - Acute Acceptable Operator Exposure Level (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)

AOEL - Acceptable Operator Exposure Level - Systemic (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)

0.008

Rat SF=100

Dermal penetration studies (%)

0.6-6.0

concentration dependent

Dangerous Substances Directive 76/464

List II

Exposure Routes

Public

No unacceptable risks to bystanders identified

Occupational

No unacceptable risks to operators or other workers identified

MRLs

European

EU MRL pesticide database

Great Britain

GB MRL Register

Notes

Drinking Water Standards

Drinking Water MAC (μg l⁻¹)

0.1

EU Dir 89/778/EC limit; Calc MAC=6.6 µg l⁻¹

Mammalian dose elimination route and rate

Health issues

Specific human health issues

Carcinogen

Genotoxic

Endocrine disruptor

; ; ; ;

No data found

Reproduction / development effects

Acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor

Neurotoxicant

Respiratory tract irritant

Skin irritant

Skin sensitiser

Eye irritant

Phototoxicant

No data found

General human health issues

Exposure may lead to convulsions or coma
May cause reduced blood pressure
May cause haemolytic anaemia
IARC Group 3 carcinogen - not classifiable; US EPA - possible human carcinogen

Handling issues

Property

Value and interpretation

General

Not explosive or oxidising
Not expected to auto-ignite; Not highly flammable

CLP classification 2013

Health: H302
Environment: H400, H410

WHO Classification

U (Unlikely to present an acute hazard)

UN Number

Waste disposal & packaging

Shelf-life, storage, stability and reactivity

TRANSLATIONS

Language

Name

English

fluometuron

French

fluometuron

German

Fluometuron

Danish

fluometuron

Italian

fluometuron

Spanish

fluometuron

Greek

Polish

fluometuron

Swedish

Hungarian

Dutch

Norwegian

Record last updated:	19/12/2024
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