Fenuron

Fenuron	Last updated: 21/09/2023
(Also known as: fenidim; fenulon; PDU)

SUMMARY

Fenuron is an obsolete phenylurea pre-emergence herbicide. It has a high aqueous solubility and is moderately volatile. Evidence suggests it is moderately persistent in soil systems. Based on its physico-chemical properties it has a high potential to leach to groundwater. Ecotoxicological data is very limited but acute oral ecotoxicity tends to be moderate to low. It has a low mammalian oral toxicity.

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 Low alert: Birds acute ecotoxicity: Low; Fish acute ecotoxicity: Low; Daphnia acute ecotoxicity: Low	Human health Moderate alert: Reproduction/development effects

GENERAL INFORMATION

Description

An obsolete pre-emergence herbicide that had both agricultural and amenity uses

Example pests controlled

Annual broad-leaved weeds; Woody plants

Example applications

Spinach; Peas and beans; Sugarbeet; Fruit

Efficacy & activity

Availability status

Considered obsolete but may be available in some countries

Introduction & key dates

1951, first reported

GB regulatory status

GB COPR regulatory status

Not approved

Date COPR inclusion expires

Expired

GB LERAP status

No UK approval for use as a pesticide

EC Regulation 1107/2009 (repealing 91/414)

EC Regulation 1107/2009 status

Not approved

Dossier rapporteur/co-rapporteur

Date EC 1107/2009 inclusion expires

Expired

EU Candidate for substitution (CfS)

Not applicable

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

Chemical structure

Isomerism

None

Chemical formula

C₉H₁₂N₂O

Canonical SMILES

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

Isomeric SMILES

No data

International Chemical Identifier key (InChIKey)

XXOYNJXVWVNOOJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N

International Chemical Identifier (InChI)

InChI=1S/C9H12N2O/c1-11(2)9(12)10-8-6-4-3-5-7-8/h3-7H,1-2H3,(H,10,12)

2D structure diagram/image available?

Yes

Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre diagrams

Common Name	Relationship	Link
fenuron	-

General status

Pesticide type

Herbicide

Substance groups

Urea herbicide; Phenylurea herbicide

Minimum active substance purity

Known relevant impurities

Substance origin

Synthetic

Mode of action

Photosynthetic electron transport inhibitor at the photosystem II.

CAS RN

101-42-8

EC number

202-941-4

CIPAC number

158

US EPA chemical code

035507

PubChem CID

7560

CLP index number

No data found

Molecular mass

164.20

PIN (Preferred Identification Name)

N,N-dimethyl-N'-phenylurea

IUPAC name

1,1-dimethyl-3-phenylurea

CAS name

N,N-dimethyl-N'-phenylurea

Other status information

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

Colourless crystals

Formulations

Property

Value

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

DuPont
United Phosphorus
Hopkins Chemicals

Example products using this active

Quintex
Premalox
Dybar
Beet-Klean

Formulation and application details

Usually supplied as a wettable powder

ENVIRONMENTAL FATE

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

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

3850

High

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

108800

Ethanol

80200

Acetone

3100

Benzene

125000

Chloroform

Melting point (°C)

134

Boiling point (°C)

Degradation point (°C)

Flashpoint (°C)

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

9.55 X 10⁰⁰

Calculated

Log P

0.98

Low

Fat solubility of residues

Solubility

Data type

Density (g ml⁻¹)

1.08

Dissociation constant pKa) at 25 °C

Vapour pressure at 20 °C (mPa)

Moderately volatile. If applied directly to plants or soil, drift is a concern & mitigation is advisable

Henry's law constant at 25 °C (Pa m³ mol⁻¹)

2.13 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

Surface tension (mN m⁻¹)

Degradation

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

General biodegradability

Soil degradation (days) (aerobic)

DT₅₀ (typical)

Moderately persistent

DT₅₀ (lab at 20 °C)

Moderately persistent

DT₅₀ (field)

DT₉₀ (lab at 20 °C)

DT₉₀ (field)

DT₅₀ modelling endpoint

Note

Dissipation rate RL₅₀ (days) on plant matrix

Value

Note

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

K_d (mL g⁻¹)

Mobile

K_oc (mL g⁻¹)

Notes and range

Other sources: 11-42.0 mL g⁻¹ (DW3)

Freundlich

K_f (mL g⁻¹)

K_foc (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

4.23

Calculated

High leachability

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

Value

1.52 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

Bio-concentration factor

BCF (l kg⁻¹)

Estimated

Low potential

CT₅₀ (days)

Not available

Known metabolites

None

ECOTOXICOLOGY

Terrestrial ecotoxicology

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

Mammals - Acute oral LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)

6400

Rat

Low

Mammals - Short term dietary NOEL

(mg kg⁻¹)

Rat

(ppm diet)

500

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

Birds - Acute LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)

5000

Anas platyrhynchos

Low

Birds - Short term dietary (LC₅₀/LD₅₀)

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

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

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

Soil micro-organisms

Collembola

Acute LC₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)

Chronic NOEC (mg kg⁻¹)

Non-target plants

Honeybees (Apis 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)

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)

Beneficial insects (Predatory mites)

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)

204

Oncorhynchus mykiss

Low

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

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

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

502

Unknown species

Low

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

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

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

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 (free-floating, growth) - Acute 7 day EC₅₀, biomass (mg l⁻¹)

Aquatic plants (rooted, growth) - Acute 14 day EC₅₀, biomass (mg l⁻¹)

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

1.45

Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata 10 day

Moderate

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

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)

6400

Rat

Low

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

Mammals - Inhalation LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

Other Mammal toxicity endpoints

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

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

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

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

Dermal penetration studies (%)

Dangerous Substances Directive 76/464

Exposure Routes

Public

Occupational

MRLs

European

EU MRL pesticide database

Great Britain

GB MRL Register

Notes

Drinking Water Standards

Drinking Water MAC (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

No data found

Eye irritant

Phototoxicant

No data found

General human health issues

No further information available

Handling issues

Property

Value and interpretation

General

No information available

CLP classification 2013

Health: H319, H335, H361
Environment: H400, H410, H411

WHO Classification

Not classified: Obsolete (Not classified: Obsolete)

UN Number

Waste disposal & packaging

Shelf-life, storage, stability and reactivity

TRANSLATIONS

Language

Name

English

fenuron

French

fenuron

German

Fenuron

Danish

fenuron

Italian

fenuron

Spanish

fenuron

Greek

Polish

fenuron

Swedish

Hungarian

Dutch

Norwegian

Record last updated:	21/09/2023
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