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