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The information in this profile may be out-of-date. It was last revised in 1996. EXTOXNET no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.

Please visit the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) to find updated pesticide fact sheets. If you don't find a fact sheet related to your question, feel free to call 1-800-858-7378. NPIC is open five days a week from 8:00am to 12:00pm Pacific Time.

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E X T O X N E T

Extension Toxicology Network

Pesticide Information Profiles

A Pesticide Information Project of Cooperative Extension Offices of Cornell University, Oregon State University, the University of Idaho, and the University of California at Davis and the Institute for Environmental Toxicology, Michigan State University. Major support and funding was provided by the USDA/Extension Service/National Agricultural Pesticide Impact Assessment Program.

EXTOXNET primary files maintained and archived at Oregon State University

Revised June 1996

Propetamphos

Trade and Other Names: Trade names for products containing propetamphos include Blotic, Safrotin, and Seraphos.

Regulatory Status: Propetamphos is a moderately toxic compound in EPA toxicity class II. Labels for products containing propetamphos must carry the Signal Word WARNING on the label. Most formulations of propetamphos are General Use Pesticides (GUPs), but some may be Restricted Use Pesticides (RUPs). RUPs may be purchased and applied only by certified applicators.

Chemical Class: organophosphate

Introduction: Propetamphos is an organophosphate insecticide designed to control cockroaches, flies, ants, ticks, moths, fleas, and mosquitoes in households and where vector eradication is necessary to protect public health. It is also used in veterinary applications to combat parasites such as ticks, lice, and mites in livestock. Commercial products include aerosols, emulsified concentrates, liquids, and powders.

Formulation: Commercial products include aerosols, emulsified concentrates, liquids, and powders.

Toxicological Effects:

• Acute toxicity: Propetamphos is moderately toxic via the oral route, with reported oral LD50 values for propetamphos of 75 to 119 mg/kg in rats [6,13]. Via the dermal route it is slightly to practically nontoxic, with reported acute dermal LD50 values of 2300 to greater than 3100 mg/kg in rats and greater than 10,000 mg/kg in rabbits [6,13]. The 4-hour inhalation LC50 is greater than 2.04 mg/L in rabbits, indicating slight toxicity via this route [13]. Effects due to acute exposure to propetamphos include those which occur with exposure to other orghanophosphate pesticides, including neurological and neuromuscular effects due to cholinesterase inhibition [8]. Symptoms of acute exposure to organophosphate or cholinesterase-inhibiting compounds may include the following: numbness, tingling sensations, incoordination, headache, dizziness, tremor, nausea, abdominal cramps, sweating, blurred vision, difficulty breathing or respiratory depression, and slow heartbeat. Very high doses may result in unconsciousness, incontinence, and convulsions or fatality.
• Chronic toxicity: Rats fed propetamphos for 13 weeks exhibited no effects at a low dose of 0.2 mg/kg/day. Over a 77-week study the rats exhibited no adverse effects at or below the very low dose of 0.05 mg/kg/day. In a 2-year feeding studies with rats, there were no effects noted at or below a dose of 6 mg/kg in their diets. Dogs fed the compound for 6 months showed no adverse effects at the dose of 0.05 mg/kg/day [93].
• Reproductive effects: A three-generation rat study showed no significant effects in litters at 1 mg/kg/day [93]. Available data suggest that propetamphos does not cause reproductive toxicity.
• Teratogenic effects: A teratology study in rabbits was negative [93]. Available data indicate that propetamphos is not teratogenic.
• Mutagenic effects: In studies with the fruit fly Drosophila, propetamphos did not cause chromosome damage [94]. However, in mouse tissue, high levels of the compound caused some mild chromosome damage [93,94]. These data suggest that the compound is nonmutagenic or weakly mutagenic.
• Carcinogenic effects: A two-year carcinogenicity test on rats and a lifetime carcinogenesis study on mice were both negative. The highest dose administered to the rats was 6 mg/kg/day, and the maximum dose administered to the mice was 21 mg/kg/day [8]. This evidence suggests that propetamphos does not cause cancer.
• Organ toxicity: The primary target organ affected by propetamphos is the nervous system.

• Fate in humans and animals: Cultured preparations of house fly, cockroach and mouse liver cells all shown the ability to breakdown the compound [95].

Ecological Effects:

• Effects on birds: Propetamphos is moderately toxic to birds. The acute oral LD50 for propetamphos in the mallard ranges from 45 mg/kg to nearly 200 mg/kg [13,8]. The dietary LC50 for the compound in the mallard ranges from about 700 ppm to greater than 1780 ppm [8]. The LC50 for propetamphos in the quail ranges from 138 ppm to 250 ppm [8]. Propetamphos is not generally used in outdoor settings, and thus poses little risk to wildlife [6].
• Effects on aquatic organisms: The compound is highly toxic to fish such as bluegill sunfish and rainbow trout. The LC50 values range from 0.13 mg/L in bluegill and 0.36 mg/L in rainbow trou,t to 3.7 to 8.8 mg/L in carp (moderately toxic range for carp) [13,8]. Propetamphos may be very highly toxic to aquatic invertebrates, with reported LC50 values ranging between 0.68 ug/L and 14.5 ug/L in Daphnia magna [8].
• Effects on other organisms: No data are currently available.

Environmental Fate:

• Breakdown in soil and groundwater: No data are currently available.
• Breakdown in water: In water, propetamphos is rapidly degraded only under extreme pH conditions (acidic or basic), or in the presence of sunlight [13,96].
• Breakdown in vegetation: No data are currently available.

Physical Properties:

• Appearance: Technical propetamphos is a yellowish, oily liquid at room temperature [13].
• Chemical Name: (E)-O-2-isopropoxycarbonyl-1-methylvinyl O-methyl ethylphosphoramidothioate [13]
• CAS Number: 31218-83-4
• Molecular Weight: 281.30
• Water Solubility: 110 mg/L @ 24 C [13]
• Solubility in Other Solvents: v.s. in acetone, chloroform, ethanol, and hexane [13]
• Melting Point: Not Available
• Vapor Pressure: 1.9 mPa @ 20 C [13]
• Partition Coefficient: Not Available
• Adsorption Coefficient: Not Available

Exposure Guidelines:

• ADI: Not Available
• MCL: Not Available
• RfD: 0.02 mg/kg/day [53]
• PEL: Not Available
• HA: Not Available
• TLV: Not Available

Basic Manufacturer:

Sandoz Agro, Inc.
1300 E. Touhy Ave.
Des Plaines, IL 60018

• Phone: 708-699-1616
• Emergency: 708-699-1616
  

References:

References for the information in this PIP can be found in Reference List Number 5

DISCLAIMER: The information in this profile does not in any way replace or supersede the information on the pesticide product labeling or other regulatory requirements. Please refer to the pesticide product labeling.