2024/2025: PFAS Chemicals in Pesticides.

PFAS and fluorinated chemicals in Pesticides 2024/25 This post wants to alert readers about the possible PFAS contamination of commonly used pesticides in Australia. It will be updated as new information comes to hand. The issue is complicated due to a number of issues including definitions and terminology of PFAS/Fluorinated Pesticides. In February 2024, the OECD published: “Efforts by the OECD/UNEP Global PFC Group between June 2018 and March 2021 focused on reviewing the universe and terminology of PFAS and providing recommendations and practical guidance to stakeholders with regard to the terminology of PFASs. A report was published in 2021 on “Reconciling Terminology of the Universe of Per- and Polyfluoroalky Substances: Recommendations and Practical Guidance” that provides (1) a revised PFAS definition to comprehensively reflect the universe of PFASs and a comprehensive overview of the PFAS universe (Chapter 2),  practical guidance on how to use the PFAS terminology (Chapter 3), a systematic approach to characterization of PFASs based on molecular structural traits to assist stakeholders, including non-experts, in making their own categorization based on their needs (Chapter 4), and (4) areas in relation to the PFAS terminology that warrant further development (Chapter 5).” Environmental Health Perspectives July 2024 wrote: “A widely used definition of PFAS comes from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and encompasses almost any chemical with at least one perfluorinated methyl group (−CF3) or a perfluorinated methylene group (−CF2−).” In terms of definitional problems, this issue has also been highlighted in the United States by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture which wrote in early 2024: “To regulate PFAS as a class, this large and complex group of chemicals must be clearly defined. PFAS are typically defined and grouped based on their chemical structures; however, there is not a single, universal definition of PFAS (Gaines et al., 2023). Various agencies, organizations, and groups have adopted differing definitions of PFAS … , and many of these definitions continue to evolve over time. When regulating PFAS as a class, how PFAS are defined will impact which chemicals are subject to regulations. Therefore, the words or specific structural elements chosen to define PFAS can have important regulatory implications. Seemingly subtle differences among definitions can represent an increase or decrease in the number of regulated chemicals by orders of magnitude. For example, Hammel et al. (2022) explored the implications of PFAS definitions with respect to fluorinated pharmaceuticals and found that depending on the definition of PFAS used, between 1% and 100% of the 360 pharmaceuticals screened would be included. Furthermore, while PFAS are often described as a class of over 10,000 chemicals, Schymanski et al. (2023) found that as many as 7 million chemicals in the PubChem database would be considered PFAS under the OECD 2021 definition…” “The definition of PFAS adopted by the state of Minnesota (Minn. Stat. 18B.01 subd. 15(c)) is broader than the EPA Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), ECHA, and OECD definitions. As a result, chemicals that would not be considered PFAS by EPA OPPT, ECHA, or OECD may be classified and regulated as PFAS in Minnesota (e.g., beta-cyfluthrin, Figure 1). The MDA conducted a preliminary screening of pesticide active ingredients registered in Minnesota and identified 95 active ingredients that are classified as PFAS under the Minnesota Law definition (Minn. Stat. 18B.01 subd. 15(c)). By comparison, approximately 65 of the active ingredients screened would be classified as PFAS under the OECD 2021 definition, and approximately six would be PFAS under the EPA OPPT definition. The number of active ingredients that would be considered PFAS under different definitions is provided strictly for comparison to demonstrate the variability among definitions…” The Federal Australian Regulator for pesticides, the APVMA: “Submission to the Senate Select Committee on PFAS (per and polyfluoroalkyl substances) December 2024″ wrote “There are multiple definitions for per and polyfluoralkyl substances (PFAS). The two most used are those developed by the OECD and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). There is a distinction between chemicals that can be classified as PFAS under one or more of the available definitions and those that are fluorinated. In order to be classified as a PFAS compound under any of the definitions, a chemical needs (at a minimum) to incorporate at least one carbon atom with two or three attached fluorine atoms. By contrast, a fluorinated compound simply has to contain at least one fluorine atom. All PFAS compounds are fluorinated, but not all fluorinated compounds can be classified as PFAS. The APVMA has relied on the US EPA working definition for PFAS compounds. Out of more than 600 active constituents currently used in APVMA registered agricultural chemical (pesticide) products, there are 7 that meet the US EPA PFAS definition”… “Based on the formulation information held by APVMA, use of perfluorinated surfactants or other non-active ingredients in pesticide products is very limited. Out of approximately 9,700 APVMA registered agricultural chemical products, there are fewer than 10 that contain non-active ingredients that would meet the US EPA PFAS definition. It is also noted that in late 2022, the US EPA removed 12 chemicals classified as PFAS from their list of authorised non-active ingredients. None of these chemicals are used in APVMA registered products based on the information held in APVMA databases…” HDPE containers The table below was sourced from 8 references where PFAS contamination of pesticides was published. In the list below ref refers to the reference at the bottom of the list. Pubcris refers to the APVMA database which users can search for registered pesticides and ingredients in Australia. Results refer to how many products have that particular pesticide listed under Pubcris. The most listed products include the following pesticides: Imidacloprid, Bifenthrin, Piperonyl Butoxide, Abamectin, Fipronil, Diflufenican, Trifluralin, Flutriafol, Indoxacarb and Fluroxypur. As new information comes to hand some of the list may be deleted. Other pesticides are also likely to be added to the list as well. PFAS/Fluorinated pesticides Alphabetical Abamectin ref 7 (Pubcris 222 results). Insecticide/Parasiticides – sheep cattle drench/Cockroach Bait/insect spray Acifluorfen: ref 2, 10, 13 (Pubcris 12 results) Herbicide Acifluorfen-sodium: ref 8, 10, 13 (Pubcris 3 results) Active Constituent Afoxolaner: ref 10 (Pubcris 10 results) Amisulbrom: ref 10 (Pubcris 5 results) Benzovindiflupyr: ref 8, 9, 10 (Pubcris 2 results) Fungicide Bicyclopyrone:  ref 2, 8, 10, 13 (Pubcris 2 results) Herbicide/Active Constituent Bifenthrin: ref 2, 8, 10, 12, 13 (Pubcris 304 results) Insecticide/Active Constituent – mosquito/grub/termites/lawn beetle/tick&flea/lawns/wood treatment/timber/antspreservative/cockroaches/spiders/millipede, homeguard collars, turf Bistrifluron: ref 8, 10 (Pubcris 1 result) Active Constituent Bixafen: ref 2, 8, 9, 10 (Pubcris 2 results) Active Constituent/Fungicide Broflanilide: ref 2, 4, 10, 13 (Pubcris 9 results) Insecticide. Bait, termiticide, cockroach bait, ant bait, fly bait Bromethalin: ref 2, 8, 10, 13 (9 results) Vertebrate Poison/Active Consituent Butafenacil: ref 8, 10 (Pubcris 24 results) Herbicide/Active Constituent Carfentrazone: ref 8 (Pubcris 13 results) Herbicide carfentrazone-ethyl: ref 2, 8, 10 (Pubcris 72 results) Herbicide/Actve Constituent chlorfenapyr: ref 2, 8, 10, 13 (Pubcris 7 results) Active Constituent Chlorfluazuron: ref 8, 10 (Pubcris 19 results). Insecticide/Active Constituent. Termite bait Clodinafop: ref 8, 9, 10 (Pubcris 23 results) Herbicide clodinafop-propargyl: ref 2, 8, 10 (pubcris 42 results) Herbicide/Active Constituent Cyflufenamid: ref 2, 5, 6, 8, 10, 13 (pubcris 3 results) Fungicide/Active Constituent Cyflumetofen: ref 2, 5, 6, 8, 10, 13 (pubcris 2 results) Miticide/Active Constituent Cyfluthrin: ref 2, 8, 10  (pubcris 11 results) Insecticide/Household insecticide. Ant, cockroach, flies. Litter beetle, lawn grub, wasps Cyhalofop-butyl: ref 8, 9 (pubcris 6 results) herbicide/active constituent Cyhalothrin: ref 8, 9 (pubcris 4 results) insecticide/active constituent Cyhalothrin, lambda: ref 8 (pubcris 4 results) insecticide/active constituent Dichlofluanid: ref 8, 10 (pubcris 2 results) active constituent/wood preservative Diflubenzuron: ref 2, 8, 10 (pubcris 19 results) active constituent/parasticide. Lousicide cattle and sheep, sheep dip Diflufenican: ref 5, 6, 8, 10 (pubcris167 results) herbicide/active constituent Dithiopyr: ref 2, 8, 10, 13 (pubcris 5 results) active constituent/herbicide Epoxiconazole: ref 8, 9, 10 (pubcris 74 results) fungicide/active constituent Etoxazole: ref 2, 10 (pubcris7 results) insecticide/miticide/active constituent Fipronil: ref 2, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13 (pubcris 205 results) insecticide/household insecticide/fruit fly/dogs flea and tick/termites, cats, cockroach Flazasulfuron: ref 5, 6, 8 (pubcris 2 results) active constituent/herbicide Flamprop-methyl: ref 8, 10 (pubcris 2 results) herbicide Flamprop-M-methyl: ref 8, 10 (pubcris 7 results) herbicide/active ingredient Flazasulfuron: ref 10, 13 (Pubcris 2 results) Flocoumafen: ref 8, 10 (pubcris 8 results) Vertebrate Poison/active ingredient Flonicamid: ref 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 13 (pubcris 9 results) Insecticide/active ingredient Florasulam: ref 2, 8, 9, 10 (pubcris 22 results) Herbicide/active ingredient Florpyrauxifen-benzyl: ref 2, 9 (pubcris 6 results) herbicide/active ingredent Florylpicoxamid: 9 (3 results) Fluazaindolizine: ref 10 (2 results) Fluazifop – P: ref 5, 6, 8. 10 (pubcris 8 results) herbicide Fluazifop-P-butyl: ref 2, 10, 13 (pubcris 7 results) active constituent/herbicide Fluazinam: ref 2, 5, 6, 8, 10, 13 (pubcris 25 results) fungicide/active constituent Fluazuron: ref 8 (pubcris 29 results) parasiticide/active ingredient Flubendazole: 9 (6 results) Flubendiamide: ref 6, 8, 9, 10 (pubcris 8 results) insecticide/active ingredient Fludioxonil: ref 2, 8, 9, 10, 13 (pubcris 40 results) fungicide/active ingredient Fluensulfone: ref 2, 8, 10 (pubcris 2 results) nematicide/active ingredient Flufenoxuron: ref 8, 10 (pubcris 1 result) active constituent Flumethrin: ref 2, 6, 8, 10 (pubcris 8 results) parasiticide/active ingredient Flumetsulam: ref 2, 8, 10 (pubcris 38 results) herbicide/active ingredient Flumiclorac-pentyl: ref 8, 10 (pubcris 1 result) active constituent Flumioxazin: ref 2, 8, 9, 10 (pubcris 32 results) herbicide/active ingredient Fluometuron: ref 6, 8, 10, 13 (pubcris 19 results) herbicide/active ingredient Fluopicolide: ref 2, 5, 6, 8, 10, 13 (pubcris 3 results) active ingredient/fungicide Fluopyram: ref 2, 5, 6, 8, 10, 13 (pubcris 12 results) fungicide/active ingredient Fluoxapiprolin: 9 (2 results) Flupropanate: ref 8, 10 (pubcris 22 results) herbicide Flupropanate-sodium: ref 8, 10 (pubcris 4 results) active ingredient Flupyradifurone: ref 8, 10 (pubcris 3 results) insecticide/active ingredient Fluquinconazole: ref 8, 10 (pubcris 13 results) fungicide/active ingredient Fluralaner: ref 10 (36 results) Fluroxypyr: ref 2, 8, 9, 10 (pubcris 88 results) herbicide/active ingredient Fluroxypyr-meptyl: ref 2 (pubcris 18 results) active constituent/herbicide Flutolanil: ref 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13 (pubcris 3 results) fungicide/active ingredient Flutriafol: ref 2, 8, 10, 12, 13 (pubcris 94 results) fungicide/active ingredient Fluxapyroxad: ref 2 8, 9, 10 (pubcris 11 results) fungicide/active ingredient Fomesafen: ref 2, 8, 9, 10, 13 (pubcris 2 results) herbicide/active ingredient gamma-Cyhalothrin: ref 2, 6, 9, 10, 13 (pubcris 3 results) insectide/active ingredient Halauxifen: ref 10 (pubcris 1 result) Halauxifen-methyl: ref 2, 9 (pubcris 8 results) herbicide/active ingredient Haloxyfop: ref 8, 9 (pubcris 51 results) herbicide Haloxyfop-P: ref 8, 10 (pubcris 28 results) herbicide/active ingredient Haloxyfop-R: ref 8 (pubcris 29 results) herbicide Haloxyfop-P Methyl: ref 10 (pubcris 27 results) Hexaflumuron: ref 2, 8, 10, 13 (pubcris 4 results) insecticide/active ingredient Hydramethylnon: ref 2, 8, 10, 13 (pubcris 16 results) insecticide/active ingredient Imidacloprid: ref 1, 7 (pubcris 369 results) insecticide/parasiticide/active ingredient/household insecticide Indaziflam: ref 8, 10 (pubcris 5 results) herbicide/active ingredient Indoxacarb: ref 2, 8, 10, 13 (pubcris 94 results) household insecticide/insecticide/active ingredient Inpyrfluxam: ref 9 (2 results) Ipflufenoquin: ref 9 (2 results) Isopyrazam:  ref 8, 10 (pubcris 2 results) fungicide/active ingredient Isoxaflutole: ref 2, 6, 8, 9, 10, 13 (pubcris 55 results) herbicide/active ingredient lambda-Cyhalothrin: ref 2, 5, 6, 8, 10 (pubcris 73 results) insecticide/active ingredient Lufenuron: ref 8, 9, 10 (pubcris 17 results) parasiticides/active ingredients Malathion: ref 3, 7 (pubcris 19 results) insecticide/active ingredient Mefentrifluconazole: ref 2, 5, 6, 9, 13 ( pubcris 4 results) fungicide/active ingredient Metaflumizone: ref 6, 8, 10, 13 (pubcris 2 results) insecticide/active ingredient Methiozolin: ref 2, 8, 10 (pubcris 3 results) herbicide Metofluthrin: ref 2, 8, 10 (pubcris 6 results) household insecticide/active ingredient Methoxyfenozide: ref 3 (pubcris 19 results) insecticide/active ingredient Momfluorothrin: ref 2, 10 (pubcris 3 results) household insecticide/active constituent Norflurazon: ref 2, 8, 10, 13 (pubcris 5 results) herbicide/active constituent Novaluron: ref 2, 8, 10, 13 (pubcris 7 results) insecticide/active constituent Oxathiapiprolin: ref 2, 5, 6, 8,10, 13 (pubcris 5 results) fungicide/active constituent Oxyfluorfen: ref 2, 6, 8, 9, 10, 13 (pubcris 76 results) herbicide/active constituent Penflufen: ref 2, 8, 10 (pubcris 5 results) fungicide/active constituent Penthiopyrad: ref 2, 5, 6, 8, 10, 13 (pubcris 3 results) fungicide/active constituent Picolinafen: ref 5, 6, 8, 10 (pubcris 16 results) herbicide/active constituent Piperonyl Butoxide: ref 1 (pubcris 284 results) Household insecticide/paracitides/insecticide/miticide/active constituent Prodiamine: ref 2, 8, 10, 13 (pubcris 8 results) herbicide/active constituent Prosulfuron: ref 2, 5, 6, 8, 10, 13 (pubcris 3 results) active constituent/herbicide Pydiflumetofen: ref 9,10 (7 results) Pyraflufen-ethyl: ref 2, 8, 10 (pubcris 11 results) herbicide/active constituent Pyrasulfotole: ref 8, 10, 13 (pubcris 13 results) herbicide/active constituent Pyroxasulfone: ref 2, 8, 10, 13 ( pubcris 71 results) herbicide/active constituent Pyroxsulam: ref 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 13 (pubcris 7 results) active constituent/herbicide Quinoxyfen: ref 2, 8, 10 (pubcris 6 results) fungicide/active constituent Saflufenacil: ref 2, 8, 10, 13 (pubcris 21 results) herbicide/active constituent Sedaxane:  ref 8, 10 (pubcris 5 results) fungicide/active constituent Sodium acifluorfen: ref 2 (pubcris 8 results) herbicide/active constituent Sodium fluoride: ref 8 (pubcris 7 results) mixed function pesticide/wood preservative/nutrition & metabolism Sodium fluoroacetate: ref 8, 10 (pubcris 27 results) vertebrate poison Spinetoram: ref 7 (pubcris 8 results) insecticide/active constituent Spinosad: ref 7 (pubcris 48 results) active constituent/insecticide/parasiticide/vet small animals Sulfoxaflor: ref 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 13 (pubcris 4 results) active constituent/insecticide Sulfuryl fluoride PROFUME: ref 8, 10 (pubcris 1 result) insecticide Sulfuryl fluoride ref?:  (4 results) insecticide/active constituent Tau-Fluvalinate: ref 5, 6, 8, 10 (pubcris 38 results) insecticide/mixed function pesticide/ Tefluthrin: ref 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 13 (pubcris 1 result) active constituent Tetraconazole: ref 2, 5, 6, 8, 10, 13 (pubcris 5 results) active constituent/fungicide Tetraniliprole: ref 2, 10, 13 (pubcris 4 results) insecticide/active constituent Thiazopyr: ref 8, 10 ( pubcris 1 result) active constituent Tiafenacil: ref 2, 10, 13 (pubcris 2 results) herbicide, active constituent Tolylfluanid: ref 8, 10 (pubcris 1 result) active constituent Transfluthrin: ref 8, 10 (pubcris 53 results) insecticide/household insecticide/active constituent Trifloxystrobin: ref  2, 5, 6, 8, 10 (pubcris 23 results) active constituent/fungicide Trifloxysulfuron: ref 8, 9, 10, 13 (pubcris 9 results) herbicide/active constituent Trifloxysulfuron-sodium: ref 8, 13 (pubcris 1 result) active constituent Trifludimoxazin: ref 10 (pubcris 2 results) Triflumizole: ref 2, 8, 10, 13 (pubcris 1 result) active constituent Triflumuron: ref 8, 10 (pubcris 34 results) mixed function seed treatment/insecticide/parasiticides Trifluralin: ref 2, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13 (pubcris 123 results) herbicide/active constituent References 1. https://civileats.com/2022/11/07/pfas-forever-chemicals-pesticides-pollution-farmland-mosquito-control-epa-inert-ingredients/ 2. https://www.lrl.mn.gov/docs/2024/mandated/240221.pdf 3. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/may/07/food-pesticides-toxic-forever-chemicals-pfas 4. https://pfas-1.itrcweb.org/2-5-pfas-uses/ 5. https://www.pan-uk.org/site/wp-content/uploads/PANUK_PFAS_PressRelease.pdf 6. https://www.pan-europe.info/sites/pan-europe.info/files/public/resources/reports/PFAS%20Pesticides%20report%20November%202023.pdf 7. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266691102200020X#tbl0005 8. https://fluoridealert.org/researchers/pesticide/pesticides-a-b/ 9. Revisiting pesticide pollution: The case of fluorinated pesticides. Diogo A.M. Alexandrino a,b,*, C. Marisa R. Almeida a, Ana P. Mucha a,c, Maria F. Carvalho a,b 10. Supplementary Material. Current Contributions of Organofluorine Compounds to the Agrochemical Industry https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004220306593 11. European Commission proposes ban on PFAS pesticides to combat TFA pollution. https://smartwatermagazine.com/news/smart-water-magazine/european-commission-proposes-ban-pfas-pesticides-combat-tfa-pollution 12. Select Committee on PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances CSIRO Submission 24/082 November 2024 13. Forever Pesticides: A Growing Source of PFAS Contamination in the Environment https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/10.1289/ehp13954#t2