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Acrylonitrile (Ref: ENT 54)
(Also known as: cyano ether; vinyl cyanide; propene nitrile; 2-propenenitrle; acrylic acid nitrile)
SUMMARY
Acrylonitrile is a fumigant insecticide and is now considered obsolete. It is highly soluble in water and miscible with most organic solvents. It has a high potential for leaching to groundwater. It is not expected to be persistant in soil systems. Acrylonitrile has a high mammalian toxicity and is carcinogenic It is also a mutagen which may also cause adverse reproduction &/or development effects. Little is known about its ecotoxicology but it is moderately toxic to fish and aquatic invertebrates.
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: Very mobile
Warning:
Significant data are missing
Ecotoxicity
Moderate alert:
Fish acute ecotoxicity: Moderate; Daphnia acute ecotoxicity: Moderate; Daphnia chronic ecotoxicity: Moderate
Warning:
Significant data are missing
Human health
High alert:
Mammals acute toxicity: High; Carcinogen; Reproduction/development effects
Warning:
Significant data are missing
GENERAL INFORMATION
Description
An obsolete pesticide that was used as a fumigant for insect control. It was also used for spot treatments in flour mills and bakeries.
Example pests controlled
Mites; Japanese beetle; Cigarette beetle; Tobacco moth; Flour beetle; Grain beetle
Example applications
Stored grain; Dried fruit and nuts; Harvested tobacco; Food processing sites; Flour mills
Efficacy & activity
-
Availability status
Considered obsolete but may be available in some countries
Introduction & key dates
-
UK regulatory status
UK COPR regulatory status
Not approved
Date COPR inclusion expires
Not applicable
UK LERAP status
No UK approval for use
EC Regulation 1107/2009 (repealing 91/414)
EC Regulation 1107/2009 status
Not approved
Dossier rapporteur/co-rapporteur
Not applicable
Date EC 1107/2009 inclusion expires
Not applicable
EU Candidate for substitution (CfS)
Not applicable
Listed in EU database
No
Approved for use (✓) under EC 1107/2009 in the following EU Member States
ATAustria
BEBelgium
BGBulgaria
CYCyprus
CZCzech Republic
DEGermany
DKDenmark
EEEstonia
ELGreece
                 
ESSpain
FIFinland
FRFrance
HRCroatia
HUHungary
IEIreland
ITItaly
LTLithuania
LULuxembourg
                 
LVLatvia
MTMalta
NLNetherlands
PLPoland
PTPortugal
RORomania
SESweden
SISlovenia
SKSlovakia
                 
Approved for use (✓) under EC 1107/2009 by Mutual Recognition of Authorisation and/or national regulations in the following EEA countries
ISIceland
NONorway
                 
Additional information
Also used in
-
Chemical structure
Isomerism
None
Chemical formula
C₃H₃N
Canonical SMILES
C=CC#N
Isomeric SMILES
No data
International Chemical Identifier key (InChIKey)
NLHHRLWOUZZQLW-UHFFFAOYSA-N
International Chemical Identifier (InChI)
InChI=1S/C3H3N/c1-2-3-4/h2H,1H2
2D structure diagram/image available?
Yes
Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre diagrams
Common Name Relationship Link
acrylonitrile -
General status
Pesticide type
Insecticide, Bactericide
Substance groups
Fumigant insecticide
Minimum active substance purity
-
Known relevant impurities
-
Substance origin
Synthetic
Mode of action
Respiratory action.
CAS RN
107-13-1
EC number
203-466-5
CIPAC number
None allocated
US EPA chemical code
000601
PubChem CID
7855
CLP index number
608-003-00-4
Molecular mass
53.06
PIN (Preferred Identification Name)
prop-2-enenitrile
IUPAC name
acrylonitrile
CAS name
acrylonitrile
Other status information
-
Relevant Environmental Water Quality Standards
-
Herbicide Resistance Classification (HRAC)
Not applicable
Herbicide Resistance Classification (WSSA)
Not applicable
Insecticide Resistance Classification (IRAC)
Not known
Fungicide Resistance Classification (FRAC)
Not applicable
Examples of recorded resistance
-
Physical state
Colourless to pale yellow liquid with a garlic type odour
Formulations
Property
Value
Example manufacturers & suppliers of products using this active now or historically
  • American Cyanamid Co., Degesh
  • Stauffer
Example products using this active
  • VCN
  • Ventox
  • Acritet
  • Acrylon
Formulation and application details
Fumigant
ENVIRONMENTAL FATE
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Solubility - In water at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)
76000
R4 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications
4 = Verified data
 High
Solubility - In organic solvents at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)
100000
R4 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications
4 = Verified data
Methanol		 -
100000
R4 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications
4 = Verified data
Ethyl acetate		 -
100000
R4 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications
4 = Verified data
Acetone		 -
100000
R4 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications
4 = Verified data
Heptane		 -
Melting point (°C)
-84
R4 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications
4 = Verified data
 -
Boiling point (°C)
77
R4 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications
4 = Verified data
 -
Degradation point (°C)
- - -
Flashpoint (°C)
- - -
Octanol-water partition coefficient at pH 7, 20 °C
P
1.20 X 10-01 Calculated -
Log P
-0.92
R4 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications
4 = Verified data
 Low
Fat solubility of residues
Solubility
- - -
Data type
- - -
Density (g ml⁻¹)
0.806
R4 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications
4 = Verified data
 -
Dissociation constant pKa) at 25 °C
- - -
-
Vapour pressure at 20 °C (mPa)
1.37 X 1007
L3 L = Pesticide manuals and hard copy reference books / other sources
3 = Unverified data of known source
 Highly volatile
Henry's law constant at 25 °C (Pa m³ mol⁻¹)
0.063
R4 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications
4 = Verified data
 Non-volatile
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)
15
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
 Non-persistent
DT₅₀ (lab at 20 °C)
- - -
DT₅₀ (field)
- - -
DT₉₀ (lab at 20 °C)
- - -
DT₉₀ (field)
- - -
DT₅₀ modelling endpoint
- - -
Note
Literature states degradation in activated sewage sludge is complete in 20 days
Dissipation rate RL₅₀ on plant matrix
Value
- - -
Note
-
Dissipation rate RL₅₀ 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)
- - -
Soil adsorption and mobility
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Linear
Kd
-
R4 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications
4 = Verified data
 Very mobile
Koc
9.0
Notes and range
-
Freundlich
Kf
- - -
Kfoc
-
1/n
-
Notes and range
-
pH sensitivity
-
Fate indices
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
GUS leaching potential index
3.58 Calculated High leachability
SCI-GROW groundwater index (μg l⁻¹) for a 1 kg ha⁻¹ or 1 l ha⁻¹ application rate
Value
2.82 X 10-01 Calculated -
Note
-
Potential for particle bound transport index
Low Calculated -
Potential for loss via drain flow
Very mobile Calculated -
Bio-concentration factor
BCF (l kg⁻¹)
0.48
F4 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 )
4 = Verified data
 Low potential
CT₅₀ (days)
Not available -
Known soil and groundwater metabolites

None

Other known metabolites
Metabolite name and reference
Aliases
Formation medium / Rate
Estimated maximum occurrence fraction
Metabolising enzymes
cyanoacetaldehyde - Rat - -
cyanoacetic acid - Rat - -
2-cyanoethanol - Rat - -
glycoladehyde - Rat - -
2-cyanolethylene oxide - - - -
glycidonitrile - Rat - -
pyruvonitrile - Rat - -
ECOTOXICOLOGY
Terrestrial ecotoxicology
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Mammals - Acute oral LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)
78.0
R4 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications
4 = Verified data
Rat		 High
Mammals - Short term dietary NOEL
(mg kg⁻¹)
- - -
(ppm diet)
- -
Mammals - Chronic 21d NOAEL (mg kg⁻¹ bw d⁻¹)
- - -
Birds - Acute LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)
- - -
Birds - Short term dietary (LC₅₀/LD₅₀)
- - -
Birds - Chronic 21d NOEL (mg kg⁻¹ bw d⁻¹)
- - -
Earthworms - Acute 14 day LC₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)
- - -
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)
- - -
Oral acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)
- - -
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)
- - -
-
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)
- - -
Mode of exposure
-
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)
- - -
Beneficial insects (Ground beetles)
- - -
Aquatic ecotoxicology
Property
Value
Source; quality score; and other information
Interpretation
Fish - Acute 96 hour LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)
10.1
R4 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications
4 = Verified data
Pimephales promelas		 Moderate
Fish - Chronic 21 day NOEC (mg l⁻¹)
- - -
Aquatic invertebrates - Acute 48 hour EC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)
7.6
R4 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications
4 = Verified data
Daphnia magna		 Moderate
Aquatic invertebrates - Chronic 21 day NOEC (mg l⁻¹)
0.5
P4 P = Other non-EU, UK or US Governments and Regulators
4 = Verified data
Daphnia magna		 Moderate
Aquatic crustaceans - Acute 96 hour LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)
- - -
Sediment dwelling organisms - Acute 96 hour LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)
- - -
Sediment dwelling organisms - Chronic 28 day NOEC, static, water (mg l⁻¹)
- - -
Sediment dwelling organisms - Chronic 28 day NOEC, sediment (mg kg⁻¹)
- - -
Aquatic plants - Acute 7 day EC₅₀, biomass (mg l⁻¹)
- - -
Algae - Acute 72 hour EC₅₀, growth (mg l⁻¹)
- - -
Algae - Chronic 96 hour NOEC, growth (mg l⁻¹)
- - -
Mesocosm study data
NOEAEC mg l⁻¹
- - -
NOEAEC 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)
78.0
R4 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications
4 = Verified data
Rat		 High
Mammals - Dermal LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹ body weight)
- - -
Mammals - Inhalation LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)
- - -
Other Mammal toxicity endpoints
Intravenous LD₅₀ = 69 mg kg⁻¹
R4 R = Peer reviewed scientific publications
4 = Verified data
Rabbit		 -
ADI - Acceptable Daily Intake (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)
- - -
ARfD - Acute Reference Dose (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)
- - -
AAOEL - Acute Acceptable Operator Exposure Level (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)
- - -
AOEL - Acceptable Operator Exposure Level - Systemic (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)
- - -
Dermal penetration studies (%)
- - -
Dangerous Substances Directive 76/464
- - -
Exposure Routes
Public
-
Occupational
Acrylonitrile will permeate through the skin
MRLs
European
EU MRL pesticide database 
Great Britain
GB MRL Register 
Notes
-
Drinking Water Standards
- - -
Drinking Water MAC (μg l⁻¹)
- - -
Mammalian dose elimination route and rate
Excreted in the urine
V3 V = ChemID Online Databases; Chemspider; PubChem. (ChemID )
3 = Unverified data of known source
 -
Health issues
Specific human health issues
Carcinogen
Genotoxic
Endocrine disruptor
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
A0 A = Chromosome aberration (EFSA database)
0 = No data
;
B0 B = DNA damage/repair (EFSA database)
0 = No data
;
C0 C = Gene mutation (EFSA database)
0 = No data
;
D0 D = Genome mutation (EFSA database)
0 = No data
;
E1 E = Unspecified genotoxicity type (miscellaneous data source)
1 = Positive
 No data found
Reproduction / development effects Acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor Neurotoxicant
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
 No data found No data found
Respiratory tract irritant Skin irritant Skin sensitiser
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
?Possibly, status not identified
Eye irritant Phototoxicant  
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
 No data found  
General human health issues
May cause light jaundice, leucoytosis, headaches and gastro-intestinal problems
Liver and kidney toxicant
IARC group 2B carcinogen
Handling issues
Property
Value and interpretation
General
May emit toxic fumes of cyanide on heating
May be explosive under some conditions
Flammable
CLP classification 2013
Health: H350, H331, H311, H301, H335, H315
Environment: H411
WHO Classification
FM (Fumigant, not classified)
UN Number
-
Waste disposal & packaging
-
Shelf-life, storage, stability and reactivity
-
TRANSLATIONS
Language
Name
English
acrylonitrile
French
nitrile acrylique
German
Acrylnitril
Danish
-
Italian
Nitrile acrilico
Spanish
-
Greek
-
Polish
-
Swedish
-
Hungarian
-
Dutch
acrylnitril
Norwegian
-
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