(Also known as: methyl-mercaptophos-teolovy; methyl demeton; mercapthphos)
SUMMARY
Demeton-S-methyl is an insecticide and acaricide. It is highly soluble in water, volatile and, based on its physico-chemical data, it is not expected to leach to groundwater. It is not persistent in soil systems. Demeton-S-methyl is highly toxic to mammals, a cholinesterase inhibitor, a neurotoxin and a recognised irritant. It is highly toxic to birds, aquatic invertebrates and honeybees and moderately toxic to most other species including fish and earthworms.
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 Moderate alert: Drainflow: Moderately mobile
Ecotoxicity High alert: Birds acute ecotoxicity: High; Daphnia acute ecotoxicity: High; Bees acute oral ecotoxicity: High
Human health High alert: Mammals acute toxicity: High; Genotoxic; Acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor; Neurotoxicant
GENERAL INFORMATION
Description
An insecticide used to control aphids and other sucking insects on a range of crops
Example manufacturers & suppliers of products using this active now or historically
Bayer CropScience
Doo Yang Industrial Co. Ltd.
Example products using this active
Metasystox
Duratox
DSM
Demeton EC
Formulation and application details
Usually supplied as an emulsifiable concentrate.
ENVIRONMENTAL FATE
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Solubility - In water at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)
22000
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
High
Solubility - In organic solvents at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)
-
-
-
Melting point (°C)
-
-
-
Boiling point (°C)
-
-
-
Degradation point (°C)
-
-
-
Flashpoint (°C)
-
-
-
Octanol-water partition coefficient at pH 7, 20 °C
P
2.09 X 1001
Calculated
-
Log P
1.32
G4 G = Extension Toxicology network database EXTOXNET. Available online but no longer updated. (click here ) 4 = Verified data
Low
Fat solubility of residues
Solubility
-
-
-
Data type
-
-
-
Density (g ml⁻¹)
1.21
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)
40
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Highly 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)
4.19 X 10-04
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
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)
2.7
K4 K = Research datasets (e.g. Pandora, Demetra; these datasets no longer available). Norman Ecotoxicology database. (click here ) 4 = Verified data
Non-persistent
DT₅₀ (lab at 20 °C)
2.7
K4 K = Research datasets (e.g. Pandora, Demetra; these datasets no longer available). Norman Ecotoxicology database. (click here ) 4 = Verified data
Non-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
3.0
R3 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Note
Mango fruit, n=1
Aqueous photolysis DT₅₀ (days) at pH 7
Value
-
-
-
Note
-
Aqueous hydrolysis DT₅₀ (days) at 20 °C and pH 7
Value
56
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Moderately persistent
Note
pH sensitive: DT₅₀ 63 days at pH 4, 8 days at pH 9 all at 22 °C
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)
-
W3 W = French database provided by ARVALIS-Institut du Végétal. Dataset no longer available. 3 = Unverified data of known source
Moderately mobile
Koc (mL g⁻¹)
90
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
0.88
Calculated
Low leachability
SCI-GROW groundwater index (μg l⁻¹) for a 1 kg ha⁻¹ or 1 l ha⁻¹ application rate
Value
1.95 X 10-03
Calculated
-
Note
-
Potential for particle bound transport index
Low
Calculated
-
Potential for loss via drain flow
Moderately mobile
Calculated
-
Photochemical oxidative DT₅₀ (hrs) as indicator of long-range air transport risk
-
-
-
Bio-concentration factor
BCF (l kg⁻¹)
0.5
R3 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications 3 = Unverified data of known source
L2 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 2 = Unverified data of unknown source
Rat 2 yr
-
(ppm diet)
1
-
Mammals - Chronic 21d NOAEL (mg kg⁻¹ bw d⁻¹)
-
-
-
Birds - Acute LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)
44
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Coturnix japonica
High
Birds - Short term dietary (LC₅₀/LD₅₀)
-
-
-
Birds - Chronic 21d NOEL (mg kg⁻¹ bw d⁻¹)
-
-
-
Earthworms - Acute 14 day LC₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)
> 250
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Eisenia foetida
Moderate
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)
2.6
F3 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 ) 3 = Unverified data of known source
Apis mellifera 24 hr
Moderate
Oral acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)
> 0.19
K4 K = Research datasets (e.g. Pandora, Demetra; these datasets no longer available). Norman Ecotoxicology database. (click here ) 4 = Verified data
Apis mellifera
High
Unknown mode acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)
-
-
-
Chronic
-
-
-
Bumblebees (Bombus spp.)
Contact acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)
> 2.68
R4 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications 4 = Verified data
Bombus terrestris 48 hr
Moderate
-
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)
0.076
R4 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications 4 = Verified data
Megachile rotundata
High
Mode of exposure
Contact
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)
Harmless
Q2 Q = Miscellaneous data from online sources 2 = Unverified data of unknown source
Typhlodromus pyri
-
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)
> 6.4
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Oncorhynchus mykiss
Moderate
Temperate Freshwater Fish - Chronic 21 day NOEC (mg l⁻¹)
-
-
-
Tropical Freshwater Fish - Acute 96 hour LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)
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
