Propo Xur

Propoxur (Baygon)
114-26-1
Hazard Summary
Propoxur is an insecticide used to control cockroaches, flies, mosquitoes, and lawn and turf insects. Acute
(short-term) exposure of humans to propoxur by ingestion leads to cholinesterase inhibition of red blood
cells, with mild cholinergic symptoms including blurred vision, nausea, vomiting, sweating, and
tachycardia; however, the effects are transient. Chronic (long-term) inhalation exposure has resulted in
depressed cholinesterase levels, headaches, vomiting, and nausea in humans. Chronic ingestion studies in
animals have reported depressed cholinesterase levels, depressed body weight, effects to the liver and
bladder, and a slight increase in neuropathy. No information is available on the reproductive,
developmental, or carcinogenic effects of propoxur in humans. Mixed results are available from cancer
studies of propoxur in animals. EPA has not classified propoxur for carcinogenicity.
Please Note: The main source of information for this fact sheet is EPA's Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS)
(4), which contains information on oral chronic toxicity and the Reference Dose (RfD). Other secondary sources
include the Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB) (1), a database of summaries of peer-reviewed literature, and
the Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances (RTECS) (5), a database of toxic effects that are not peer
reviewed.
Uses
Propoxur is a nonfood carbamate insecticide, marketed under the registered trademark name Baygon. It is
used to control cockroaches, flies, mosquitoes, and lawn and turf insects. (1,3)
Propoxur has been used in malaria control activities and in flea collars for pets. (1)
Sources and Potential Exposure

Individuals are most likely to be exposed to propoxur dermally or by inhalation during the manufacture,
formulation, and application of this insecticide. (1,2)
Propoxur has been detected in surface water, but not in groundwater. (3)
Assessing Personal Exposure

Exposure to propoxur can be monitored by measuring levels of phenol metabolites in urine and
cholinesterase levels in blood. However, these tests are not reliable indicators of total exposure because
they are not specific for propoxur. (2)
Health Hazard Information

Acute Effects:
Acute oral exposure of humans to propoxur leads to cholinesterase inhibition of red blood cells, with mild
cholinergic symptoms that include blurred vision, nausea, vomiting, sweating, and tachycardia; however,
the effects are transient. (1,3,4)
Cholinesterase depression has also been observed in rats acutely exposed by ingestion. (3)
Acute animal tests in rats, mice, and guinea pigs, have demonstrated propoxur to have high acute toxicity
by inhalation exposure and high to extreme acute toxicity by ingestion. (5)
Chronic Effects (Noncancer):

Chronic Effects (Noncancer):
Chronic inhalation exposure has resulted in depressed cholinesterase levels, headaches, vomiting, and
nausea in humans. (3)
Chronic ingestion studies in animals have reported depressed cholinesterase levels, depressed body
weight, effects to the liver and bladder, and slight increase in neuropathy. (3,4)
The Reference Dose (RfD) for propoxur is 0.004 milligrams per kilogram body weight per day (mg/kg/d)
based on mild cholinergic symptoms and red blood cell cholinesterase inhibition in humans. The RfD is an
estimate (with uncertainty spanning perhaps an order of magnitude) of a daily oral exposure to the human
population (including sensitive subgroups) that is likely to be without appreciable risk of deleterious
noncancer effects during a lifetime. It is not a direct estimator of risk but rather a reference point to gauge
the potential effects. At exposures increasingly greater than the RfD, the potential for adverse health
effects increases. Lifetime exposure above the RfD does not imply that an adverse health effect would
necessarily occur. (4)
EPA has low confidence in the study on which the RfD was based because it appears to be of poor quality;
medium confidence in the database because additional studies are of adequate quality; and, consequently,
medium confidence in the RfD.
EPA has not established a Reference Concentration (RfC) for propoxur. (4)
Reproductive/Developmental Effects:
No information is available on the reproductive or developmental effects of propoxur in humans.
No adverse reproductive or developmental effects were observed in an oral study of rabbits exposed to
propoxur. (3,4)
In a few studies of rats orally exposed to propoxur, fetotoxic effects, decreased numbers of pups, and
depressed fetal weight have been reported. (3,4)
Cancer Risk:
No information is available on the carcinogenic effects of propoxur in humans.
In a chronic feeding study of propoxur in rats, tumors of the bladder and the uterus were observed at high
doses. (3)
Another study of mice orally exposed to propoxur did not detect an increased incidence of tumors. (3,4)
EPA has not classified propoxur for carcinogenicity. (4)
Physical Properties
The chemical formula for propoxur is C H NO , and its molecular weight is 209.24 g/mol. (3,7)
11 15 3
Propoxur occurs as colorless or white to tan crys talline powder and is relatively insoluble in water.
(1,2) Propoxur has a faint characteristic odor; the odor threshold has not been established. (2)
The log octanol/water partition coefficient (log K ) for propoxur is 0.14. (3)
ow
Conversion Factors:
3 3
To convert concentrations in air (at 25 °C) from ppm to mg/m : mg/m = (ppm) × (molecular weight of the
3
compound)/(24.45). For propoxur: 1 ppm = 8.56 mg/m .
Health Data from Inhalation Exposure
ACGIH TLV--American Conference of Governmental and Industrial Hygienists' threshold limit value expressed as a
time-weighted average; the concentration of a substance to which most workers can be exposed without adverse
effect.
LC (Lethal Concentration )--A calculated concentration of a chemical in air to which exposure for a specific
50 50
length of time is expected to cause death in 50% of a defined experimental animal population.
NIOSH REL--National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health recommended exposure limit; NIOSH-
recommended exposure limit for an 8- or 10-h time-weighted-average exposure and/or ceiling.
The health and regulatory values cited in this factsheet were obtained in December 1999.
a
Health numbers are toxicological numbers from animal testing or risk assessment values developed by EPA.
b
Regulatory numbers are values that have been incorporated in Government regulations, while advisory numbers
are nonregulatory values provided by the Government or other groups as advice. NIOSH and ACGIH numbers are
advisory.
Summary created in April 1992, updated in January 2000
References
1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB, online database).
National Toxicology Information Program, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD. 1993.
2. M. Sittig. Handbook of Toxic and Hazardous Chemicals and Carcinogens. 2nd ed. Noyes Publications, Park
Ridge, NJ. 1985.
3. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Baygon (Propoxur) Health Advisory. Office of Drinking Water,
3. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Baygon (Propoxur) Health Advisory. Office of Drinking Water,
Washington, DC. 1989.
4. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) on Baygon. National
Center for Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, Washington, DC. 1999.
5. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances (RTECS,
online database). National Toxicology Information Program, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD.
1993.
6. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. Cincinnati, OH. 1997.
7. The Merck Index. An Encyclopedia of Chemicals, Drugs, and Biologicals. 11th ed. Ed. S. Budavari. Merck
and Co. Inc., Rahway, NJ. 1989.
8. American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). 1999 TLVs and BEIs. Threshold Limit
Values for Chemical Substances and Physical Agents. Biological Exposure Indices. Cincinnati, OH. 1999.

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Propoxur (Baygon)

Sources and Potential Exposure

Assessing Personal Exposure

Health Hazard Information

Chronic Effects (Noncancer):

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