Adverse Effects
Sulfluramid
CAS No. 4151-50-2
 
 

Return to Sulfluramid Index Page

Activity:Acaricide, Insecticide (unclassified)
Structure:


Adverse Effects:
Endocrine: Testicular
Fetotoxic
Kidney
Reproductive/Developmental
Violation
Environmental

See PFOA perfluorinated chemicals

All pesticide products containing sulfluramid are under a specific timeline to be phased out by 2016. The pesticide products that are registered are for use in a variety of enclosed termite, ant, and roach bait stations. These products are pre-filled and sold only in child-resistant packaging. Products containing sulfluramid have not been registered for food or crop uses.
[Note: see below, largest fine in NY state history against manufacturer of sulfluramid roach baits because they were not "child resistant."]

Ref: Federal Register. Vol. 67, No. 236. December 9, 2002. Perfluoroalkyl Sulfonates; Significant New Use Rule. Final Rule.
http://www.fluorideaction.org/pesticides/pfos.pfas.fr.dec.9.2002.pdf

Negotiated phase-out of sulfluramid and LPOS pesticides -- The Agency [EPA] has succeeded in negotiating a phase-out of pesticide products containing sulfluramid or LPOS (the active ingredient) with the following companies: Griffin L.L.C., FMC Corporation, Chemsico, S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc., and Whitmire Micro-Gen Research Laboratories, Inc. These chemicals are in the same chemical class as the perfluorooctyl sulfonates (PFOS related) which 3M Company announced last year it would be phasing out of its product line (May 16, 2000). The Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), has been working closely with the non-pesticide applications of these chemicals to promote product stewardship and responsible environmental management with the user community. In large part driven by the long half-life of these chemicals, EPA has concerns related to reproductive effects and to ecological effects from either the purposeful use or the inadvertent exposure to the environment of these products. Sulfluramid and LPOS are formulated in bait stations for the control of ants, roaches, termites, wasps and hornets in and around homes. The registrants associated with these products are interested in product stewardship ideals and, therefore, have agreed to either immediately voluntarily cancel some of their products or agree to a time line under which these products will be phased-out. Of most interest to OPP is the fact that there will be no new sulfluramid stock produced from which to manufacture more of these products/baits. OPP views this negotiated phase-out as a win for human health and the environment. [OPMP Update 8/6/01].
Ref: Maryland Cooperative Extension Newsletter, Pesticide Notes. August 2001. Vol 20, No. 8 http://pest.umd.edu/spatc/PesticideNotes/20-8.pdf

• See below for studies submitted to US EPA by 3M



Endocrine: Testicular (click on for all fluorinated pesticides)

-- CHRONIC EFFECTS FROM OVEREXPOSURE: ... Sulfluramid was shown to be non-teratogenic in developmental toxicity studies with laboratory animals. Preliminary studies in dogs suggest that the ingestion of high doses for prolonged periods may arrest spermatogenesis.
Ref: FMC CORPORATION. MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET FIRSTLINEª GT plus TERMITE BAIT STATION.

http://www.fluoridealert.org/pesticides/Sulfluramid.MSDS.Firstline.htm


-- According to an EPA assessment, if a child ingested the bait, he or she could suffer irreversible reproductive damage, and boys could be rendered infertile.
Ref: August 22, 2001 Press Release. Office of the New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer. LARGEST PESTICIDE PENALTY IN STATE HISTORY SECURED S.C. Johnson Fined for Illegally Distributing Unsafe Roach Baits.
http://www.fluoridealert.org/pesticides/Sulfluramid.Largest.Fine.01.htm

--Study: 90-day dogs. NOEL 35 ppm (0.825 mg/kg). LEL 100 ppm (2.5 mg/kg). LEL based on: 1 epididymal & testicular lesions affecting seminiferous tubules in testes.
-- Study: 1-week dermal. NOEL 100 mg/kg/day. LEL 300 mg/kg/day. 1 testicular & epididymal atrophy, aspermia (epididymides), seminal vesicle distension.
Ref: August 10, 1994. US EPA memorandum, "Sulfluramid - Amount of A.I. in Raid Max Roach Bait." To Mike Mendelsohn, PM Team Reviewer, Registration Division (7505C). From Linda L. Talor, Ph.D., Toxicology Branch II, Health Effects Division (7509C) and Marcia van Gemert, Ph.D., Chief, Toxicology Branch II/HED (7509C). Action Requested: Please define what constitutes human exposure to an amount of Sulfluramid vai this product that may produce serious personal injury or illness to a 25 lb. child. (Copy of this memorandum was
requested and received by FAN's Ellen Connett in October 2002 from Michael H. Surgan, Ph.D., Chief Scientist, Environmental Protection Bureau, State of New York, Office of Attorney General Eliot Spitzer.)

Fetotoxic (click on for all fluorinated pesticides)

Abstract: Oral administration of sulfluramid, an insecticide, has been shown to produce transient sterility in dogs. The present study in rabbits was designed to evaluate the potential adverse effects of maternal exposure to sulfluramid during late gestation on the growth, viability, development and sperm quality of the F1 generation. Sulfluramid, suspended in 1% CMC/0.1% Tween 80, was administered by gavage to three groups of 22 timed-pregnant, "litter-experienced" New Zealand White rabbits from gestation days 19-28 at levels of 0.3, 1.0 and 3.0 mg/kg/day. The F0 females were allowed to deliver naturally and rear their bunnies to PND (postnatal day) 42. Selected F1 bunnies were evaluated for developmental landmarks, and a longitudinal quantitative assessment of spermatogenesis was performed on semen from all selected F1 males. The number of bunnies stillborn or found dead on PND 0 was increased, and the viability on PND 1 was decreased in the 3.0 mg/kg/day group. In addition, postnatal viability indices in all treated groups were decreased throughout the pre-weaning period (PND 4-42). No treatment-related effects were noted on the age at which balanopreputial separation or vaginal patency occurred. The numbers of sperm/ejaculate, percentages of motile sperm, numbers of motile sperm/ejaculate and percentages of sperm with normal morphology were apparently unaffected by treatment during the 4-week longitudinal assessment of spermatogenesis. No adverse effects were apparent on mean testicular and epididymal sperm numbers, and no treatment-related histopathological findings were noted in the reproductive organs at any dose level. Although significant neonatal toxicity (mortality) was noted in all treatment groups, no treatment-related effects were noted on sexual maturation or testicular function of the F1 generation in this study.
Ref: Stump DG et al. (1997). Study of the effects of sulfluramid on pre- and postnatal development, maturation and fertility in the rabbit. Toxicologist Mar;36(1 Pt 2):357.

Kidney (click on for all fluorinated pesticides)

Abstract: BIOSIS COPYRIGHT: BIOL ABS. The cellular effects of sulfluramid (N-ethylperfluorooctane sulphonamide, NEPFOS) and its major metabolite perfluorooctane sulphonamide (PFOS) were examined using a suspension of rabbit renal proximal tubules as a model. NEPFOS and PFOS were potent stimulators of proximal tubule basal oxygen consumptions (QO2), with initial effects exhibited at 5-10 muM and maximal effects at 50-200 muM. The increase in basal QO2 was ouabain insensitive, which suggests that NEPFOS and PFOS may act by uncoupling oxidative phosphorylation. Exposure of tubule suspensions to NEPFOS or PFOS concentrations of 100 muM or higher for 60 min produced tubule death, indicated by an increase in the release of lactate dehyrogenase. The tubule death did not appear to result from alkylation or lipid peroxidation, since glutathione and malondialdehyde levels were unaffected. To determine the mechanism by which NEPFOS and PFOS increased tubule QO2, the effects of NEPFOS and PFOS on isolated renal cortical
Ref: SCHNELLMANN RG (1990). The cellular effects of a unique pesticide sulfluramid (N-ethylperfluorooctanesulfonamide) on rabbit renal proximal tubules. TOXICOL IN VITRO; 4 (1).. 71-74.

Reproductive / Developmental (click on for all fluorinated pesticides)

- "Action Requested: Please define what constitutes human exposure to an amount of Sulfluramid via this product that may produce serious personal injury or illness to a 25 lb. child...
In the classical sense, Sulfluramid is not an acute toxin; however, some of the endpoints observed in the developmental toxicity studies may result from a one-time exposure; e.g., the amount of Sulfluramid in one bait ingested by a child has the potential to cause adverse reproductive and/or developmental effects as the child develops. Since the calculated dose to a child is comparable to the LEL's and greater than all but one NOEL in the oral toxicity studies, no margin of safety exists in this case."
Ref: August 10, 1994. US EPA memorandum, "Sulfluramid - Amount of A.I. in Raid Max Roach Bait." To Mike Mendelsohn, PM Team Reviewer, Registration Division (7505C). From Linda L. Talor, Ph.D., Toxicology Branch II, Health Effects Division (7509C) and Marcia van Gemert, Ph.D., Chief, Toxicology Branch II/HED (7509C).
(Copy of this memorandum was requested and received by FAN's Ellen Connett in October 2002 from Michael H. Surgan, Ph.D., Chief Scientist, Environmental Protection Bureau, State of New York, Office of Attorney General Eliot Spitzer.)

Violation (click on for all fluorinated pesticides)

Largest Pesticide Penalty in New York State history - $950,000 - against S.C. Johnson for illegally distributing unsafe sulfluramid roach baits.
According to Attorney General Spitzer. "This product was marketed for home use and was labeled as child resistant when it was not."

"... According to an EPA assessment, if a child ingested the bait, he or she could suffer irreversible reproductive damage, and boys could be rendered
infertile."
Ref: August 22, 2001 Press Release. Office of the New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer.

http://www.fluorideaction.org/pesticides/sulfluramid.largest.fine.01.htm


Environmental (click on for all fluorinated pesticides)

As a class, fluorinated organic compounds are resistant to photolysis. If released to soil, sulfluramid is expected to have no mobility based upon an estimated Koc of 3.5X10+6. Volatilization from moist soil surfaces is expected to be an important fate process based upon an estimated Henry's Law constant of 5.4 atm-cu m/mole. However, adsorption to soil is expected to attenuate volatilization. As a class, fluorinated organic compounds are resistant to microbial degradation. [Giesy JP, Kannan K; Environ Sci Technol 36: 147A-152A (2002)] If released into water, sulfluramid is expected to adsorb to suspended solids and sediment based upon the estimated Koc. Volatilization from water surfaces is expected to be an important fate process based upon this compound's estimated Henry's Law constant. However, volatilization from water surfaces is expected to be attenuated by adsorption to suspended solids and sediment in the water column. The estimated volatilization half-life from a model pond is 107 years if adsorption is considered. An estimated BCF of 500 suggests the potential for bioconcentration in aquatic organisms is high.
Ref: Hazardous Substances Data Bank for SULFLURAMID CASRN: 4151-50-2.
http://www.fluorideaction.org/pesticides/sulfluramid.hsdb.oct.2003.htm

Ref: Acute Aquatic Ecotoxicity Summaries for Sulfluramid on All Taxa Groups . PAN Pesticides Database - Chemical Toxicity Studies on Aquatic Organisms.
http://www.pesticideinfo.org/List_AquireAcuteSum.jsp?Rec_Id=PC34496
Common Name Scientific Name Avg Species LC50 (ug/L) LC50 Std Dev Number of Studies Avg Species Rating
Fish
Rainbow trout, donaldson trout Oncorhynchus mykiss 210.0 - 1 Highly Toxic
Fathead minnow Pimephales promelas 5,054 4,866 2 Moderately Toxic

LTR FR 3M SUBMITTING ADD'L HLTH & ENVIRONMNTL EFFECTS STUDIES ON PERFLUOROOCTANE SULFONATES & RELATED COMPOUNDS, WITH ATTACHMENTS AND DATED 06-28-01

Source: EPA/OTS; Doc #FYI-OTS-0701-1378

Keywords:
3M CO
PERFLUOROOCTANE SULFONATES
ENVIRONMENTAL FATE
HYDROLYSIS
BIODEGRADATION
PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
TRANSPORT PROCESSES ENVIRONMENTAL
EFFECTS
ACUTE TOXICITY
FISH-FRESHWATER
FISH-MARINE
INVERTEBRATES
MOLLUSKS
HEALTH EFFECTS
INSECTS
ORAL
DIET
DERMAL
TISSUE CONCENTRATION
MAMMALS
RABBITS
GAVAGE
PHARMACO KINETICS
RATS
PHOTOLYSIS

CAS Registry Numbers:
754-91-6
1763-23-1
4151-50-2
24448-09-7

Order Number: NTIS/OTS0001378

SUPPORT: ADDITIONAL HEALTH & ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS STUDIES ON PERFLUOROOCTANE SULFONATES & RELATED COMPOUNDS, WITH COVER LETTER DATED 08-31-00 (SANITIZED)

Source: EPA/OTS; Doc #FYI-OTS-0900-1378S

CAS Registry Numbers:
335-67-1
355-46-4
754-91-6
1691-99-2
1763-23-1
4151-50-2

Order Number: NTIS/OTS0001378

LETTER FROM 3M CO TO USEPA RE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON PERFLUOROOCTANE SULFONATES & RELATED COMPOUNDS WITH STUDIES ATTACHED & DATED 05-18-00

Source: EPA/OTS; Doc #FYI-OTS-0500-1378

CAS Registry Numbers:
307-35-7
307-51-7
376-14-7
754-91-6
1691-99-2
1763-23-1
4151-50-2
24448-09-7
31506-32-8
67584-51-4
86508-42-1

Order Number: NTIS/OTS0001378

 
Fluoride Action Network | Pesticide Project | 315-379-9200 | pesticides@fluoridealert.org