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Paraquat/Paraquat Dichloride

General Information

• Beyond Pesticides Paraquat ChemWatch Factsheet
• Paraquat product names
• Chemical Class: Quaternary nitrogen herbicide
• Uses: preplant or preemergence weed control on vegetables, grains, cotton, grasses, sugar cane, peanuts, potatoes, and tree plantation areas; postemergence around fruit crops, vegetables, trees, vines, grains, soybeans, and sugar cane; during the dormant season on clover and other legumes; as a desiccant or harvest aid on cotton, dry beans, soybeans, potatoes, sunflowers, and sugar cane; and as a post harvest desiccant on staked tomatoes; applied to pine trees to induce resin soaking. non-crop areas include public airports, electric transformer stations and around commercial buildings
• Alternatives: Agriculture, Non-agricultural commercial weed control
• Beyond Pesticides rating: Toxic

Health Effects

• EPA Acute Toxicity Class: I (highly toxic)
• Cancer: Not documented
• Endocrine Disruption: Not documented
• Reproductive Effects: Yes (13)
• Neurotoxicity: Not documented
• Kidney/ Liver Damage:Yes (4)
• Sensitizer/ Irritant: Yes (4)
• Birth/ Developmental Defects: Not documented

Environmental Effects

• Detected in Groundwater: Yes (4)
• Potential Leacher: Not documented
• Toxic to Birds: Yes (8)
• Toxic to Fish/ Aquatic Organisms: Not documented
• Toxic to Bees: Not documented
• Toxic to Mammals: Yes (8)
• Long-Range Transport: Not documented

Additional Information

• Regulatory Information:
  • EPA Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) signed (8/1997)
• Supporting information:
  • Extoxnet Paraquat Factsheet (Extension Toxicology Network)
  • PAN Pesticides Database:Paraquat dichloride (Pesticide Action Network)
  • PAN UK Paraquat Factsheet (Pesticide Action Network UK)
  • Scorecard Paraquat Factsheet (Environmental Defense Fund)
• Key Studies:
  • Drosophila DJ-1 Mutants Are Selectively Sensitive to Environmental Toxins Associated with Parkinson’s Disease. Meulener, M. et. al. 2005. Current Biology 15(17):1572-1577