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Piperonyl Butoxide (PBO)

General Information

• Beyond Pesticides PBO ChemWatch Factsheet
• Chemical Class: Pesticide synergist
• Uses: preharvest and postharvest uses on crops, direct and indirect treatments of livestock animals and premises, treatments of commercial and industrial facilities and storage areas where raw and processed food/feed commodities are stored or processed, and mosquito abatement areas; targets ants, worms, beetles, mites, flies, gnats, spiders, weevils, caterpillars, grubs, moths, ticks, lice, wasps, aphids, midges, and fish
• Alternatives: Agriculture, Mosquitoes
• Beyond Pesticides rating: Toxic

Health Effects

• EPA Acute Toxicity Class: III to IV (slightly toxic to practically non-toxic)
• Cancer: Possible (8)
• Endocrine Disruption: Yes (36)
• Reproductive Effects: Yes (6)
• Neurotoxicity: Yes (6)
• Kidney/ Liver Damage:Yes (7)
• Sensitizer/ Irritant: Yes (7)
• Birth/ Developmental Defects: Not documented

Environmental Effects

• Detected in Groundwater: Not documented
• Detected in Streams: Not documented
• Potential Leacher: Not documented
• Toxic to Birds: Not documented
• Toxic to Fish/ Aquatic Organisms: Yes (7)
• Toxic to Bees: Not documented
• Toxic to Mammals: Not documented
• Long-Range Transport: Not documented

Additional Information

• Regulatory Information:
  • EPA Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) signed (6/2006)
• Supporting information:
  • Asthma, Children and Pesticides (Beyond Pesticides)
  • PAN Pesticides Database:PBO (Pesticide Action Network)
  • Scorecard PBO Factsheet (The Pollution Information Site)
• Key Studies:
  • Influence of pyrethroids and piperonyl butoxide on the Ca(2+)-ATPase activity of rat brain synaptosomes and leukocyte membranes. Grosman, N. 2005. Int Immunopharmacol. 5(2):263-70.