Benzyl benzoate
Last updated: 22/01/2023
(Also known as: benzoic acid phenylmethyl ester; benzyl phenylformate; benzoic acid benzyl ester; benzylbenzenecarboxylate; benzylis benzoas)
Benzyl benzoate is used mainly as a non-agricultural pesticide although it also has other manufacuring application. It has a low aqueous solubility and is moderately volatile. Little information is available regarding its environmental fate. Benzyl benzoate is moderately toxic to birds and fish. It has a low oral mammalian toxicity and a neurotoxin as well as being a recognised irritant.
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
 
Mainly used as a non-agricultural pesticide with some veterinary applications as well as being used as a food additive and in perfumary.
Chiggers; Ticks; Mosquitoes; Gnats; House dust-mite; Human scabies
Non-agricultural situations; Public health situations; Domestic houses; Veterinary premises and hospitals; Textiles
-
Current
-
Not approved
Not applicable
No UK approval for use
EC Regulation 1107/2009 (repealing 91/414)
Not approved
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
No
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
 
 
✓
 
 
 
 
 
 
None
C₁₄H₁₂O₂
C1=CC=C(C=C1)COC(=O)C2=CC=CC=C2
-
SESFRYSPDFLNCH-UHFFFAOYSA-N
InChI=1S/C14H12O2/c15-14(13-9-5-2-6-10-13)16-11-12-7-3-1-4-8-12/h1-10H,11H2
Yes
Acaricide, Insecticide, Veterinary substance, Other substance
Solvent
Bridged diphenyl insecticide
-
-
Synthetic
Attacks the nervous system of mites
120-51-4
204-402-9
None allocated
009501
2345
607-085-00-9
212.25
benzyl benzoate
benzyl benzoate
phenylmethyl benzoate
-
-
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not known
Not applicable
-
Colourless to pale yellow oily liquid with pleasant aromatic odour
-
Veterinary formulations are usually emulsions for topical application. Non-agricultural formulations include foams and powders.
15.4
at 25 °C
Low
Miscible
Ether
-
Miscible
Ethanol
-
Miscible
Methanol
-
Miscible
Acetone
-
18
-
323
E3 E = Manufacturers safety data sheets 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
-
-
-
158
E3 E = Manufacturers safety data sheets 3 = Unverified data of known source
(closed cup)
-
9.33 X 1003
Calculated
-
3.97
High
-
-
-
-
-
-
1.12
-
-
-
-
-
29.86
Highly volatile
0.284
Moderately volatile
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Soil adsorption and mobility
-
-
-
Cannot be calculated
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Known soil and groundwater metabolites
None
benzoic acid
-
Human
-
-
benzyl alcohol
-
Human
-
-
hippuric acid
-
Human
-
-
Terrestrial ecotoxicology
> 2800
Rat
Low
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2000
Colinus virginianus
Moderate
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
4.6
E3 E = Manufacturers safety data sheets 3 = Unverified data of known source
Unknown species
Moderate
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
HUMAN HEALTH AND PROTECTION
Low (class I)
-
-
> 2800
Rat
Low
2000
Rat
-
-
-
-
Intraperitoneal LD₅₀ > 500 mg kg⁻¹
Mouse
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
No unacceptable risks identified
May be absorbed through the skin
EU MRL pesticide database 
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Metabolised and excreted mainly in the urine
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous internet resources 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Carcinogen
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
No data found
XNo, known not to cause a problem
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
Respiratory tract irritant
Skin irritant
Skin sensitiser
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
No data found
Eye irritant
Phototoxicant
 
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
No data found
 
May cause nausea and vomiting In large doses may cause skin blistering, crusting & scaling
Combustible IMDG Transport Code is usually 9 Incompatible with alkalis and oxidising agents
-
NL (Not listed)
3082
Packaging Group III (minor danger)
benzyl benzoate
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Record last updated:
22/01/2023
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