(Also known as: Ricinus oil; Tangantangan oil; Phorbyol; Trypsin complex)
SUMMARY
Hazard 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. These hazard alerts do not take account of usage patterns or exposure, thus do not represent risk.
Environmental fate
Ecotoxicity
Human health
Human health Moderate alert: Reproduction/development effects
GENERAL INFORMATION
Description
Castor oil is a triglyceride that can be used as a general garden non-toxic pesticide used to repel a range of garden pests. Ricinoleic acid is considered to be the bioactive component,
No UK approval for use as a plant protection agent
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
Not applicable
EU Candidate for substitution (CfS)
Not applicable
Listed in EU database
Not applicable
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
USA
Chemical structure
Isomerism
Castor oil itself does not exhibit classical isomerism as a single compound, because it is a complex mixture of triglycerides, primarily composed of ricinoleic acid esters. However, isomerism becomes relevant when castor oil is chemically modified, such as in dehydrated castor oil, which contains fatty acid isomers.
A pale-yellow or almost colorless transparent viscous liquid with a faint mild odor and nauseating taste. It is comprised mainly of fatty acids (~98%) and lipids.
Dissipation rate RL₅₀ (days) on and in plant matrix
Value
-
-
-
Note
-
Aqueous photolysis DT₅₀ (days) at pH 7
Value
-
-
-
Note
-
Aqueous hydrolysis DT₅₀ (days) at 20 °C and pH 7
Value
-
-
-
Note
-
Water-sediment DT₅₀ (days)
-
-
-
Water phase only DT₅₀ (days)
-
-
-
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
Kd (mL g⁻¹)
-
-
-
Koc (mL g⁻¹)
-
Notes and range
-
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
-
-
-
SCI-GROW groundwater index (μg l⁻¹) for a 1 kg ha⁻¹ or 1 l ha⁻¹ application rate
Value
Cannot be calculated
-
-
Note
-
Potential for particle bound transport index
-
-
-
Potential for loss via drain flow
-
-
-
Photochemical oxidative DT₅₀ (hrs) as indicator of long-range air transport risk
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
XNo, known not to cause a problem
Reproduction / development effects
Acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor
Neurotoxicant
?Possibly, status not identified
XNo, known not to cause a problem
XNo, known not to cause a problem
Respiratory tract irritant
Skin irritant
Skin sensitiser
XNo, known not to cause a problem
?Possibly, status not identified
XNo, known not to cause a problem
Eye irritant
Phototoxicant
?Possibly, status not identified
No data found
General human health issues
Caster oil has laxative properties Slightly corrosive to skin Castor beans contain ricin which is highly toxic Possible liver toxin at high doses May cause a significant increase in prostaglandin E2 in females
Handling issues
Property
Value and interpretation
General
Not explosive or oxidising Will emit irritating and toxic gases when heated to decomposition or combusted
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
Human health
