Primisulfuron - CAS No. 113036-87-6
Primisulfuron-methyl - CAS No. 86209-51-0

 
 

Return to Primisulfuron-methyl Adverse Effects

ACTIVITY: Herbicide (sulfonylurea)

CAS Name for Primisulfuron: 2-[[[[[4,6-bis(difluoromethoxy)-2-pyrimidinyl]amino]carbonyl]amino]sulfonyl]benzoic acid

Structure for Primisulfuron:

Systematic Name for Primisulfuron-methyl:
Benzoic acid, 2-(((((4,6-bis(difluoromethoxy)-2-
pyrimidinyl)amino)carbonyl)amino)sulfonyl)-, methyl ester

Structure for Primisulfuron-methyl:

Adverse Effects:

Anemia
Blood
Body Weight Decrease
Bone

Endocrine: Testicular
Endocrine: Thyroid
Kidney
Liver
Spleen

Environmental Effects:

Toxic to plants and algae

The following data is primarily for Primisulfuron-methyl

Regulatory Information (only comprehensive for the US)
Note: PAN presents its data as one for both herbicides

US EPA Registered:
Primisulfuron-methyl
Yes 
US EPA PC Code: 128973 
California Chemical Code 5103  
US Tolerances: CFR 180.452  
US EPA Permit Date
and Registrant:
1990, Ciba-Geigy  
Registered use in
(includes only a limited list of countries)

Canada, Finland, Hungary, New Zealand, US 
US Maximum Residue Levels permitted in food commodities
Permitted in or on 24 food commodities including:
Cattle, Corn, Egg, Goat, Hog, Horse, Milk, Poultry, Sheep
 
Other Information
Primisulfuron
Molecular Formula:
C14-H10-F4-N4-O7-S 
Primisulfuron-methyl
Molecular Formula:
C15-H12-F4-N4-O7-S
Entry Year: 1987 
Inventing Company: Ciba-Geigy 
Manufacturers: Syngenta, Novartis 
Other Names:

Beacon
CGA 136872
Rifle
Tell
 

Of special interest:
PAN Data 
Material Safety Data Sheets & Labels
2003 - Primisulfuron-methyl: Report of the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) Tolerance Reassessment Progress and Risk Management Decision (TRED). Also a shortened TRED Fact Sheet is available. 
March 29, 2001 - Proposed Regulatory Decision Document PRDD2001-02. Canada Pest Management Regulatory Agency.  
August 17, 2001 - Regulatory Decision Document: Primisulfuryon-methyl. RDD2001-03. Canada Pest Management Regulatory Agency.
January 30, 2001 - Primisulfuron-methyl. Canada Food and Drug Regulations - Amendments. Schedule 1215. Maximum Residue Limits in Corn and Milk at 0.02 ppm; and 0.1 ppm in Eggs and Meat and Meat by-products of cattle, goats, hogs, horses, poultry, and sheep.
1996. Primisulfuron-methyl. EXTOXNET Profile. 

March 24, 1994. Primisulfuron-methyl. New York State approval of label addition of the use of Beacon Herbicide for aerial use. Letter from Normal Nosenchuck, director, NYS Div. of Hazardous Substances Regulation to Ciba Plant Protection.

"... The active ingredient methyl primisulfuron is registered for weed control on field corn and popcorn in New York State. The submitted Special Local Need (SLN) label expands usage to allow aerial application ... Both the New York State-Department of Health and this Department's Division of Fish and Wildlife have agreed that the 150 foot buffer zone incorporated in the SLN label will minimize any adverse impact caused by aerial spraying of this pesticide product. This conclusion was reached after evaluation cf drift studies submitted by Ciba Plant Protection demonstrated that, under the conditions of these submitted studies, spray drift may occur. Also, the Division of Fish and Wildlife has determined from experience with mosquito control programs that aerial applications can be made with accuracy within this established buffer zone."

May 1992 - New York State: Conditional Registration of Beacon herbicide.
June 1990 - Primisulfuron-methyl. Herbicide Fact Sheet - US EPA
US Map of Pesticide Use: 1992-1995
October 2001 - Primisulfuron-methyl. Glossary of Pesticide Chemicals. A listing of pesticides subject to analysis of residues in foods and feeds by the US Food and Drug Administration.  

Rationale for US EPA to add Primisulfuron methyl to the Toxic Release Inventory

In a 90-day dog feeding study, reduced thyroid weights accompanied by colloid depletion and parafollicular hyperplasia and anemia were observed at the LOEL of 25 mg/kg/day. The NOEL was 0.625 mg/kg/day. In a 1-year dog study, dietary administration of 250/125 mg/kg/day (LOEL: the dose was changed after week 10 in the study) produced thyroid hyperplasia, anemia, increased platelet levels, vacuolar changes, and increased absolute and relative liver weights. The NOEL was 25 mg/kg/day. In an 18-month study in mice, dietary administration of 1.7 mg/kg/day produced increased absolute and relative liver weights in females. No NOEL was established. Based on this study, an oral RfD of 0.006 mg/kg/day was derived. In a 2-year mouse study, increases in absolute and relative liver weights were observed at 408 mg/kg/day in males and 1.7 mg/kg/day in females. The systemic LOEL and NOEL in males was 408 mg/kg/day and 40.2 mg/kg/day, respectively. The systemic LOEL in females was 1.7 mg/kg/day and a NOEL could not be established. EPA believes that there is sufficient evidence for listing primisulfuron on EPCRA section 313 pursuant to EPCRA section 313(d)(2)(B) based on the available thyroid and liver toxicity data for this chemical.

Plant toxicity values include a duckweed 14-day EC 50 of 0.27 ppb and an algae 7-day EC 50 of 24 ppb. EPA believes that there is sufficient evidence for listing primisulfuron on EPCRA section 313 pursuant to EPCRA section 313(d)(2)(C) based on the available environmental toxicity data for this chemical.

Ref: USEPA/OPP. Support Document for the Addition of Chemicals from Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Active Ingredients to EPCRA Section 313. U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC (1993).
As cited by US EPA in:
Federal Register: January 12, 1994. Part IV. 40 CFR Part 372. Addition of Certain Chemicals; Toxic Chemical Release Reporting; Community Right-to-Know; Proposed Rule.

Note:
Addition of Certain Chemicals; Toxic Chemical Release Reporting; Community Right-to-Know. Final Rule.
Primisulfuron was included in the deferral of 40 chemicals: EPA is deferring final action on 40 chemicals and one chemical category until a later date. These chemicals and the comments received on them raised particularly difficult technical or policy issues which will require additional time to address. The Agency does not believe that it would be in the spirit of community right-to-know to delay final action on the remaining 286 chemicals and chemical categories, pending completion of work on the more limited group. In a future rulemaking, EPA will make a final determination as to whether these chemicals should be added to EPCRA section 313. The public comment that has been received specific to these deferred chemicals will be addressed as part of the future rulemaking discussed above.


Federal Register

Note: US EPA Tolerances are for the residues of primisulfuron-methyl and its metabolites

Published Date Docket Identification Number Details
July 30, 2003 OPP-2002-0327 US EPA's Pesticide Reregistration Performance Measures and Goals.
Primisulfuron-methyl was one of 21 TREDS
completed by US EPA in Fiscal Year 2002.
-- EPA issues Reports on FFDCA Tolerance Reassessment Progress and Interim Risk Management Decisions, known as TREDs, for pesticides that require tolerance reassessment decisions under FFDCA, but do not require a reregistration eligibility decision at present because:
¥ The pesticide was first registered after November 1984 and is considered a ``new'' active ingredient, not subject to reregistration (e.g., fenarimol and primisulfuron-methyl in FY 2002)...
Jan 15, 2003 OPP-2002-0163

Primisulfuron-methyl. Report of the FQPA Tolerance Reassessment Progress and Risk Management Decision (TRED); Notice of Availability. EPA has reassessed the 24 tolerances, or legal limits, established for residues of primisulfuron-methyl in/on raw agricultural commodities in the TRED report (a shortened TRED Fact Sheet is also available). These tolerances are now considered safe under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), as amended by the FQPA of 1996. Therefore, 23 existing tolerances for primisulfuron-methyl have been reassessed and remain unchanged, and 1 tolerance on sweet corn will be revoked because current labels prohibit use on sweet corn. Although EPA is considering a petition for a new use on Kentucky bluegrass grown for seed, the Agency has not yet made a decision to register this new use or establish any associated tolerances. EPA is issuing the primisulfuron-methyl TRED as a final decision without a formal public comment period.

Sept 13, 2002 OPP-2002- 0121 EPA status of reregistration and tolerance reassessment.
May 17, 2002 OPP-2002-0037 Revocation of Expired Time Limited Tolerances. FINAL RULE. Primisulfuron-methyl: the time-limited tolerance for bluegrass hay is being removed from 40 CFR 180.452 because it expired on April 30, 2000.
Dec 2, 1998 OPP-300755 Extension of Tolerance for Emergency Exemptions. - FINAL RULE. This rule extends a time-limited tolerance for residues of the herbicide primisulfuron-methyl and its metabolites in or on bluegrass hay at 0.1 ppm for an additional 18-month period, to April 30, 2000.
Dec 17, 1997 OPP-300573 Pesticide Tolerances for Emergency Exemptions. - FINAL RULE. This regulation establishes a time-limited tolerance for residues of primisulfuron-methyl in or on bluegrass grown for seed AT 0.10 PPM.
Aug 4, 1997 OPP-300523 Pesticides Subject to Tolerance Reassessment.
June 19, 1996 na Emergency Exemptions. EPA has granted specific exemptions for the use of primisulfuron-methyl on blue grass, grown for seed to control quackgrass, windgrass, and other weeds, to: Idaho Department of Agriculture; March 15, 1996, to November 30, 1996; and to the Washington Department of Agriculture; April 15, 1996, to November 30, 1996.
November 30, 1994 OPPTS-400082B7

Addition of Certain Chemicals; Toxic Chemical Release Reporting; Community Right-to-Know. Final Rule.

EPA is deferring final action on 40 chemicals and one chemical category until a later date. These chemicals and the comments received on them raised particularly difficult technical or policy issues which will require additional time to address. The Agency does not believe that it would be in the spirit of community right-to-know to delay final action on the remaining 286 chemicals and chemical categories,
pending completion of work on the more limited group. In a future rulemaking, EPA will make a final determination as to whether these chemicals should be added to EPCRA section 313. The public comment that has been received specific to these deferred chemicals will be addressed as part of the future rulemaking discussed above. These chemicals follow:

primsulfuron

Jan 12, 1994 OPPTS-400082 EPA's proposal to add 41 fluorine and organofluorine chemicals to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). See excerpt in box above. Also available at http://www.epa.gov/tri/frnotices/59fr1788.htm
 
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