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
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)
C2
Herbicide Resistance Class (WSSA MoA class)
7
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
H4 H = The US ARS pesticide properties database. Dataset is no longer available. 4 = Verified data
High
Solubility - In organic solvents at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)
108800
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Ethanol
-
80200
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Acetone
-
3100
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Benzene
-
125000
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Chloroform
-
Melting point (°C)
134
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Boiling point (°C)
-
-
-
Degradation point (°C)
-
-
-
Flashpoint (°C)
-
-
-
Octanol-water partition coefficient at pH 7, 20 °C
P
9.55 X 1000
Calculated
-
Log P
0.98
V3 V = ChemID Online Databases; Chemspider; PubChem. (ChemID ) 3 = Unverified data of known source
Low
Fat solubility of residues
Solubility
-
-
-
Data type
-
-
-
Density (g ml⁻¹)
1.08
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Dissociation constant pKa) at 25 °C
-
-
-
-
Vapour pressure at 20 °C (mPa)
5
H4 H = The US ARS pesticide properties database. Dataset is no longer available. 4 = Verified data
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
H4 H = The US ARS pesticide properties database. Dataset is no longer available. 4 = Verified data
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)
60
H4 H = The US ARS pesticide properties database. Dataset is no longer available. 4 = Verified data
Moderately persistent
DT₅₀ (lab at 20 °C)
60
H4 H = The US ARS pesticide properties database. Dataset is no longer available. 4 = Verified data
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)
-
-
-
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)
-
H3 H = The US ARS pesticide properties database. Dataset is no longer available. 3 = Unverified data of known source
Mobile
Koc (mL g⁻¹)
42
Notes and range
Other sources: 11-42.0 mL g⁻¹ (DW3)
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
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)
6
Q2 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 2 = Unverified data of unknown source
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
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Rat
Low
Mammals - Short term dietary NOEL
(mg kg⁻¹)
-
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Aquatic plants - Acute 7 day EC₅₀, biomass (mg l⁻¹)
-
-
-
Algae - Acute 72 hour EC₅₀, growth (mg l⁻¹)
1.45
F2 F = U.S. EPA ECOTOX database / U.S. EPA pesticide fate database / Miscellaneous WHO documents / FAO data, IPCS INCHEM data (US EPA Databases Related to Pesticide Risk Assessment ) 2 = Unverified data of unknown source
Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata 10 day
Moderate
Algae - Chronic 96 hour NOEC, growth (mg l⁻¹)
-
-
-
Mesocosm study data
NOEAEC mg l⁻¹
-
-
-
NOEAEC mg l⁻¹
-
-
-
Marine bivalves – Acute EC₅₀ development (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)
6400
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
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
Environmental fate
Ecotoxicity
Human health
