Calcium cyanamide
Last updated: 10/09/2023
(Also known as: cyanamide calcium salt; nitrolime; lime nitrogen)
Calcium cyanamide is an obsolete post-emergence herbicide. Very little data relating to its environmental fate or its ecotoxicity has been published. It is moderately toxic to humans if consumed and is 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
 
 
An obsolete post-emergence herbicide and defoliant with some fungicidal activity
Broad-leaved weed seed germination
Cereals; Potatoes; Sugarbeet; Onions; Maize; Cotton; Asparagus; Vines
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Considered obsolete but may be available in some countries
Circa 1925, used earlier as a fertiliser
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
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ISIceland
NONorway
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
None
CCaN₂
C(=[N-])=[N-].[Ca+2]
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MYFXBBAEXORJNB-UHFFFAOYSA-N
InChI=1S/CN2.Ca/c2-1-3;/q-2;+2
Yes
Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre diagrams
Common Name
Relationship
Link
calcium cyanamide
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Fungicide, Herbicide, Plant Growth Regulator, Other substance
Fertiliser
Unclassified substance
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-
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Phytotoxic, absorbed through foliage
156-62-7
205-861-8
None allocated
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No data
615-017-00-4
80.10
calcium cyanamide
calcium cyanamide
calcium cyanamide
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-
Not known
Not known
Not applicable
NC
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Colourless crystalline solid
American Cyanamid Co. Ugine Kuhlmann
Provided in granular form which is then applied to moist soil
Insoluble
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Insoluble
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-
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1200
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Sublimes
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-
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-
-
-
-
-
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-
-
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-
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-
-
-
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2.29
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
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-
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Soil adsorption and mobility
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Cannot be calculated
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None
Terrestrial ecotoxicology
> 1400
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Rat
Moderate
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HUMAN HEALTH AND PROTECTION
High (class III)
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> 1400
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Rat
Moderate
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EU MRL pesticide database 
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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
No data found
No data found
Respiratory tract irritant
Skin irritant
Skin sensitiser
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
?Possibly, status not identified
Eye irritant
Phototoxicant
 
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
No data found
 
May cause coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, rapid heart rate, headache, dizziness and fatigue High doses may cause coma and death
Will react with water to produce ammonia gas and, the explosive gas, acetylene
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Not classified: Obsolete (Not classified: Obsolete)
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calcium cyanamide
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Record last updated:
10/09/2023
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