Sodium tetraborate pentahydrate
Last updated: 20/01/2023
(Also known as: sodium borate; sodium tetraborate; disodium tetraborate; borax decahydrate ; borax)
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
 
A naturally occuring mineral salt that has insecticidal, fungicidal and herbicidal activity
Ants; Termites; Cockroaches; Silverfish; Waterbugs
Mainly non-cropped situations
-
Current
1946, first registered as insecticide in USA
Not approved
Not applicable
No UK approval for use
EC Regulation 1107/2009 (repealing 91/414)
Not approved
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
Yes
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
B₄H₁₀Na₂O₁₂
B(O)(O)O.O.O.O.O.O.[Na+]
-
OPBPQNWVXFJUKS-UHFFFAOYSA-N
InChI=1S/BH3O3.Na.5H2O/c2-1(3)4;;;;;;/h2-4H;;5*1H2/q;+1;;;;;
Yes
Insecticide, Fungicide
Inorganic compound
-
-
Natural
Stomach poison for insects. Multi-site activity.
11130-12-4
12179-04-3
601-071-6
-
011111
No data
No data found
291.29
-
-
sodium tetraborate pentahydrate
-
-
Not applicable
Not applicable
8D
NC
-
White, odourless powder
-
Borateem Gerstely Polubor Solubor Mule team
-
36000
High
-
-
-
-
-
-
1575
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous internet resources 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1.50 X 1000
Calculated
-
0.175
Low
-
-
-
-
-
-
1.82
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous internet resources 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Soil adsorption and mobility
-
-
-
Cannot be calculated
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Low risk
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous internet resources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Based on LogP < 3
Low risk
-
-
None
Terrestrial ecotoxicology
2660
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous internet resources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Rat
Low
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
> 2510
Colinus virginianus
Low
-
-
-
-
-
-
> 187
R3 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications 3 = Unverified data of known source
Eisenia foetida as boric acid
Moderate
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
> 362
Low
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
> 65
Oncorhynchus mykiss as boron
Moderate
-
-
-
> 133
Daphnia magna as boron
Low
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
> 1.2
E3 E = Manufacturers safety data sheets 3 = Unverified data of known source
Chlorella vulgaris as boron
Moderate
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
HUMAN HEALTH AND PROTECTION
High (class III)
-
-
2660
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous internet resources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Rat
Low
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
EU MRL pesticide database 
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
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
; E3 E = Unspecified genotoxicity type (miscellaneous data source) 3 = Negative
?Possibly, status not identified
Reproduction / development effects
Acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor
Neurotoxicant
?Possibly, status not identified
XNo, known not to cause a problem
?Possibly, status not identified
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
 
Ingestion may cause gastrointestinal problems Possible testes toxicant
Non-flammable, flame retardent
None allocated at this time
NL (Not listed)
-
-
sodium tetraborate pentahydrate
-
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-
-
-
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-
Record last updated:
20/01/2023
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