Carbendazim is a widely used, broad-spectrum benzimidazole fungicide and a metabolite of benomyl. It is also employed as a casting worm control agent inamenity turf situations such as golf greens; tennis courts etc. and in some countries is licensed for that use only.
The fungicide is used to control plant diseases in cereals and fruits, including citrus, bananas, strawberries, pineapples, and pomes. It is also Studies have found high doses of Carbendazim cause infertility and destroy the testicles of laboratory animals.
Maximum pesticide residue limits (MRLs) have reduced since discovering its harmful effects. The MRLs for fresh produce in the EU are now between 0.1 and 0.7 mg/kg with the exception of loquat, which is 2 mg/kg. The limits for more commonly consumed citrus and pomme fruits are between 0.1 and 0.2 mg/kg.
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IUPAC name |
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Other names |
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Identifiers |
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CAS Registry Number |
10605-21-7 |
Properties |
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Chemical formula |
C9H9N3O2 |
Molar mass |
191.187 g/mol |
Appearance |
Light gray powder |
Density |
1.45 g/cm3 |
Melting point |
302 to 307 °C (576 to 585 °F; 575 to 580 K) (decomposes) |
Solubility in water |
8 mg/L |
Acidity (pKa) |
4.48 |