CHEMICAL FACT SHEET FOR: SULFURYL FLUORIDE
FACT SHEET NUMBER: 51
DATE ISSUED: JUNE 30, 1985
1. DESCRIPTION OF CHEMICAL
- Generic Name: Sulfuryl fluoride
- Common Name: vikane
- Trade Name: N/A
- EPA Shaughnessy Code: 078003
- Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) Number: 2699-79-8
- Year of Initial Registration: 1959
- Pesticide Type: Structural fumigant
- Chemical Family: inorganic acid halides
- U.S. & Foreign Producers: Dow Chemical Company
2. USE PATTERNS AND FORMULATIONS
- Application sites: Domestic dwellings and contents; wood or wood
structure treatment; commercial, institutional, and industrial areas;
surface ships in ports; vehicles.
- Types of formulations: Liquified gas under pressure.
- Application rates: Metered release at concentrations measured in
ounce-hours, i.e. ounces of fumigant per cubic feet of space,
multiplied by the time in hours. The ounce-hour requirements depend
on temperature, degree of leakage, etc.
- Usual carriers: N/A
- Efficacy data: N/A. Non-health related uses only.
3. SCIENCE FINDINGS
Chemical Characteristics
- Physical state: liquified gas under pressure
- Color: colorless
- Odor: none
- Melting point: -136.67 degrees C at 760 mm Hg
- Density: 3.72 g/l
- Solubility: in water (25 degrees C), 0.075 g/100 g; in Wesson oil
(20 degrees C), 0.780 g/100 g; in acetone (22 degrees C), 1.740 g/100
g; in chloroform (22 degrees C), 2.120 g/100 g.
Toxicological Characteristics
- Sulfuryl fluoride is an extremely hazardous gas or liquid under
pressure. Inhalation of vapors may be fatal. Contact with the liquid
may cause freezing, injury, or burn to eyes, mucous membranes, or
skin,
with delayed onset of symptoms. Sulfuryl fluoride has no warning
properties such as odor or lacrimation or eye irritation. Early
symptoms of over-exposure are respiratory irritation (distress),
pulmonary edema, nausea, and abdominal pain. Repeated exposure to high
concentrations can result in lung and kidney damage. Single exposures
at high concentrations have resulted in death. Respiratory equipment
and protective clothing are required to use sulfuryl fluoride safely.
- Inhalation LC50: 17.5 mg/l (20 mg/cubic meter).
Toxicity Category III.
- No other acute toxicity data available or required by the guidelines,
because the pesticide is a gas.
- Threshold Limit Value (TLV)* is 5 ppm (20 mg/cubic meter), the level
to which persons may be exposed daily for an 8-hour workday without
adverse effects.
- Short-term Exposure Limit (STEL) is 10 ppm (40 mg/cubic meter), the
level to which persons may be exposed continuously for 15 minutes
without adverse effects.
- Teratology (rabbit, inhalation):
- Teratogenic NOEL more than 225 ppm (HDT).
- Maternal NOEL 75 ppm.
- Maternal LEL 225 ppm (decreased body weight gain).
- Fetotoxic NOEL 75 ppm.
- Fetotoxic LEL 225 ppm (decreased body weight and decreased rump-
crown length),
- Levels tested: 0, 25, 75, 225 ppm during days 6-18 of gestation
for 6 hours/day by inhalation.
- Teratology (rat, inhalation):
- Teratogenic NOEL more than 225 ppm (HDT).
- Maternal NOEL more than 225 ppm (HDT).
- Fetotoxic NOEL more than 225 ppm (HDT).
- Levels tested: 0, 25, 75, 255 ppm during days 6-15 of gestation
for 6 hours/day, via inhalation.
NOTE: Threshold Limit Values for Chemical Substances in the Work
Environment adopted by the American Conference of Government
Industrial Hygienists, 1983-84.
Physiological and Biochemical Behavioral Characteristics
N/A
Environmental Characteristics
Indoor uses only, no expected exposure.
Ecological Characteristics
Indoor uses only, no expected exposure.
Tolerance Assessment
N/A. The registered uses of sulfuryl fluoride do not include direct
application to a food or feed crop.
Problems Which are Known to have Occurred with Use of the Chemical
None
4. SUMMARY OF REGULATORY POSITION AND RATIONALE
- Because of the inhalation hazard associated with this chemical, it is
being classified as a restricted use pesticide.
- Unique warning statements: Restricted use pesticide due to acute
inhalation hazards. For sale to and use only by certified applicators
or persons directly under their direct supervision, and only for those
uses covered by the certified applicators certification. Special
respiratory equipment, protective clothing, and training are required
for safe use of this pesticide. Placarding of treated areas required.
Reentry only permitted after work area is determined to contain no
residuals greater than 5 ppm of sulfuryl fluoride as determined by
direct reading monitoring device.
5. SUMMARY OF MAJOR DATA GAPS
Residue data from household articles required to establish residues in
treated articles and surfaces in habitable structures to which residents
may be exposed upon reentry of fumigated structures (dwellings).
6. CONTACT PERSON AT EPA
A. E. Castillo
Product Manager (32)
Disinfectants Branch
Registration Division (TS-767C)
U.S. EPA
401 M Street S.W.
Washington, DC 20460
(703) 557-3964
DISCLAIMER: THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS CHEMICAL INFORMATION FACT
SHEET IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND NOT TO BE USED TO FULFILL
DATA REQUIREMENTS FOR PESTICIDE REGISTRATION AND REREGISTRATION.
