Azamethiphos is an organophosphate used as an insecticide and as an antiparasitic agent for veterinary use. It is highly soluble in water, volatile and not expected to leach to groundwater. Not a great deal is known about its environmental persistence. It is modertaley toxic to mammals and not expected to bioaccumulate. It is a mutagen, neurotoxicant and an acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor. Azamethiphos is highly toxic to birds and aquatic invertebrates and moderately toxic to fish.
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: Drainflow: Mobile
Warning: Significant data are missing
Ecotoxicity High alert: Birds acute ecotoxicity: High; Daphnia acute ecotoxicity: High; Bees acute oral ecotoxicity: High
Human health High alert: Acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor; Neurotoxicant
GENERAL INFORMATION
Description
A residual organophoshorus insecticide for fly control. Also has some applications in fish farming.
Aquatic plants - Acute 7 day EC₅₀, biomass (mg l⁻¹)
-
-
-
Algae - Acute 72 hour EC₅₀, growth (mg l⁻¹)
-
-
-
Algae - Chronic 96 hour NOEC, growth (mg l⁻¹)
-
-
-
Mesocosm study data
NOEAEC mg l⁻¹
-
-
-
NOEAEC mg l⁻¹
-
-
-
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)
1180
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Rat
Moderate
Mammals - Dermal LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹ body weight)
2150
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Rat
-
Mammals - Inhalation LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)
> 0.56
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Rat
-
Other Mammal toxicity endpoints
-
-
-
ADI - Acceptable Daily Intake (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)
0.003
B5 B = UK CRD and ACP Evaluation Documents / and other DEFRA (UK) documents; Also Chemicals Regulation Division, Health and Safety Executive (HSE), UK (click here ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes
UK ACP 2001
-
ARfD - Acute Reference Dose (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)
0.01
B5 B = UK CRD and ACP Evaluation Documents / and other DEFRA (UK) documents; Also Chemicals Regulation Division, Health and Safety Executive (HSE), UK (click here ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes
B5 B = UK CRD and ACP Evaluation Documents / and other DEFRA (UK) documents; Also Chemicals Regulation Division, Health and Safety Executive (HSE), UK (click here ) 5 = Verified data used for regulatory purposes
UK ACP 2001 ST
-
Dermal penetration studies (%)
-
-
-
Dangerous Substances Directive 76/464
List I; List II
-
-
Exposure Routes
Public
-
Occupational
-
MRLs
European
EU MRL pesticide database 
Great Britain
GB MRL Register 
Notes
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Drinking Water Standards
-
-
-
Drinking Water MAC (μg l⁻¹)
-
-
-
Mammalian dose elimination route and rate
For rats azamethiphos is excreted via faeces, urine & in expelled air. For fish adsorption after topical application is slow and low. Excretion is rapid in all species.
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