Nomenclature

Type Insecticide
Common name Carbofuran
Other name
Iupac name

2,3-dihydro-2,2-dimethylbenzofuran-7-yl methylcarbamate

Formulation type
No Record
Chemical Abstracts Name

2,3-dihydro-2,2-dimethyl-7-benzofuranyl methylcarbamate 

CAS RN [1563-66-2]
EEC no
Official code OMS 864; ENT 27 164
Development code FMC 10 242; BAY 70 143 (Bayer)

Physical Chemistry

M.F.

C12H15NO3

Structure M
Mol. wt 221.3
Appearance

Colourless crystals.

M.p.

153-154 ºC; (tech. 150-152 ºC) 

B.p.
V.p.

0.031 mPa (20 ºC); 0.072 mPa (25 ºC) 

F.p.
S.g./density

1.18 (20 ºC) 

Solubility

In water 320 (20 ºC), 351 (25 °C) (both in mg/l). In dichloromethane >200, isopropanol 20-50, toluene 10-20 (all in g/l, 20 ºC).

Stability

Unstable in alkaline media. Stable in acidic and neutral media. Decomposes >150 ºC. DT50 (22 ºC) >>1 y (pH 4), 121 d (pH 7), 31 h (pH 9). 

 
Henry
KowlogP

1.52 (20℃)

Pka

Applications

Biochemistry

Cholinesterase inhibitor.

Mode of Action

Systemic, with predominantly contact and stomach action. 

Uses

Control of soil-dwelling and foliar-feeding insects (including wireworms, white grubs, millipedes, symphylids, frit flies, bean seed flies, root flies, flea beetles, weevils, sciarid flies, aphids, thrips, etc.) and nematodes in vegetables, ornamentals, beet, maize, sorghum, sunflowers, oilseed rape, potatoes, alfalfa, peanuts, soya beans, sugar cane, rice, cotton, coffee, cucurbits, tobacco, lavender, citrus, vines, strawberries, bananas, mushrooms, and other crops.

Phytotoxicity
Compatibility

Incompatible with alkaline materials.

General details

Mammalian Toxicology

Reviews

FAO/WHO 77, 79 (see part 2 of the Bibliography). 

Oral

Acute oral LD50 for male and female rats c. 8, dogs 15, mice 14.4 mg/kg. 

Skin & Eye

Acute percutaneous LD50 (24 h) for male and female rats >2000 mg/kg; mildly irritating to skin and eyes (rabbits). 

Inhalation

LC50 (4 h) for male and female rats c. 0.075 mg/l air (aerosol). 

Noel

(2 y) for rats and mice 20 mg/kg diet; (1 y) for dogs 10 mg/kg diet. 

ADI

(JMPR) 0.002 mg/kg b.w. [1996]. 

Toxicity class

WHO (a.i.) Ib; EPA (formulation) I ('Furadan 4F'), II ('Furadan G') 

EC hazard

T+; R26/28| N; R50, R53

Ecotoxicology

Birds

BirdsAcute oral LD50 for Japanese quail 2.5-5 mg/kg. LC50 for Japanese quail 60-240 mg (as GR5)/kg. Tech.: LC50 0.7-8 mg/kg, depending on species. 

Fish

LC50 (96 h) for rainbow trout 22-29 mg (as GR5)/l, bluegill sunfish 1.75 mg (as GR3)/l, golden orfe 107-245 mg (as GR5)/l. Tech.: 7.3-362.5 mg/l, depending on species.

Daphnia

LC50 (48 h) 38.6 mg/l. 

Algae
Worms

Environmental Fate

Plants

Carbofuran is quickly metabolised into 3-hydroxycarbofuran and ketocarbofuran. 

Animals

 Carbofuran is metabolised by hydrolytic and oxidative mechanisms in the rat. At 24 hours after treatment, 72% of the dose was eliminated in the urine, 2% in the faeces, and about 43% of the administered dose was hydrolysed. Over 95% of the material excreted in the urine was in the form of conjugated metabolites. The major metabolite was conjugated 3-ketocarbofuran phenol,while conjugated 3-hydroxycarbofuran was the predominant carbamate metabolite. Both metabolites were also present in the free form. Metabolism of carbamate insecticides is reviewed (M. Cool & C. K. Jankowski in "Insecticides"). 

Soil/environment

DT50 in soil c. 30-60 d. Most important metabolite is CO2 formed by microbiological degradation of the phenol compounds. Koc 22. 

Miscellaneous

Analysis
Packing