Diuron
Identification Number: CASRN | 330-54-1

  Substance Attributes

• Known Human Carcinogen

  This is a serious nasty substance. Exposure to this substance leads to cancer in Humans. Exercise extreme caution with this substance, explore your exposure routes and very seriously consider complete avoidance. See further details under Toxins.

• Carcinogenic Properties

  Accumulating evidence points to cancer potential. Exercise caution with this substance, explore your exposure routes and consider complete avoidance. See further details under Toxins.

• Metabolic Interference or Disruption

  Interferes with human metabolism. This can be a very serious thing. Some of these interference mechanics are well established. However, often long term effects and health consequences remain largely unknown. Additionally an emerging area of concern and one that is not currently studied, is the combined synergistic effects these metabolically disrupting chemicals have on human health.

  
  

  Metabolic interference happens when the substance produces highly reactive and often damaging intermediates during detoxification or when the substance binds to specific enzymes, important structural groups on molecules, receptors and membranes or targets DNA or mimics key nutrients.

• Exposure Produces Health Symptoms

  Symptoms maybe short term or long term depending on the exposure duration and intensity and effects areas like Cardiovascular, Gastrointestinal, Cognition, Fatigue. A substance with this attribute may cause an allergic skin reaction, serious eye irritation, allergy or asthma symptoms or breathing difficulties if inhaled.

• Toxic to specific organs

  Can damage liver, kidney, lungs, heart or gut. Ironically liver, kidneys and gut are the main detoxifications systems.

• Toxic to Wildlife

  May kill plants, fish, birds or other animals and insects or may be very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects. This then effects delicate environmental ecology and food supply in ways we don't fully understand yet.

These attributes are ONLY based on peer-reviewed evidence. See link to Data Sources below. Everyone benefits from knowing this stuff. Please Share.

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• CATEGORIES: Pesticide | Household Toxin | Synthetic Toxin | PESTICIDE active ingredient | organic | herbicide | Pesticide or Plant Growth Regulator Approved in Australia | Pesticide approved in USA (California) | Pesticide approved or pending approval in EU | A Hazardous Substance that may be found in the Australian Workplace
• SUBSTANCE LINEAGE: Organic Compounds | Benzenoids | Benzene and Substituted Derivatives | Halobenzenes | Dichlorobenzenes
• SYNONYMS: 1,1-Dimethyl-3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)urea | 1-(3,4-Dichlorophenyl)-3,3-dimethylurea | 1-(3,4-Dichlorophenyl)-3,3-dimethyluree | 3-(3,4-Dichlor-phenyl)-1,1-dimethyl-harnstoff | 3-(3,4-Dichloro-phenyl)-1,1-dimethyl-urea | 3-(3,4-Dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea | DCMU | DCMU (3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea) | N'-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-N,N-dimethylurea | N,N,-Dimethyl-n'-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)urea | N-(3,4-Dichlorophenyl)-n',n'-dimethylurea
• DESCRIPTION: Diuron, also known as DCMU (3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea), is an herbicide in the urea chemical family that inhibits photosynthesis. It was introduced by Bayer in 1954 under the trade name of Diuron. DCMU is a very specific and sensitive inhibitor of photosynthesis, the process by which plants use light, water, and carbon di-oxide from the atmosphere to form plant sugars and cellulose. Diuron blocks electron transport at a critical point in this process. It blocks the plastoquinone binding site of photosystem II, disallowing the electron flow from where it is generated, in photosystem II, to plastoquinone. This interrupts the photosynthetic electron transport chain in photosynthesis and thus reduces the ability of the plant to turn light energy into chemical energy (ATP and reductant potential).
• COMMENTS: Residues of this pesticide are tested for on Australian Foods | Pesticide approved in Australia
  
  From Safe Work Australia and the Hazardous Substances Information System (HSIS) in Australia:
  
  Suspected of causing cancer. Harmful if swallowed. May cause damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure. Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects | Chronic Health Hazard Environmental Hazard General Health Hazard | A Hazardous Substance that may be found in the Australian Workplace. Check with your employer or health and safety officer. Stay informed and become aware of the dangers that surround you. This chemical is included on the list of recognised hazardous chemicals from the Safe Work Australia - Hazardous Substances Information System (HSIS) that is based on the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS)
  
  Work Health and Safety (WHS) Regulations are the basis for hazardous chemicals regulations in Commonwealth, State and Territory jurisdictions in Australia. Under the model WHS Regulations, manufacturers and importers of substances, mixtures and articles supplied for use in workplaces are required to determine whether they are hazardous to health and safety before supply. The model WHS Regulations mandate that the hazards of a chemical as determined by the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) must be included in safety data sheets and on labels. There are transitional arrangements in place for moving to the GHS-based system.
  
  The GHS Hazardous Chemical Information List contains chemicals classified by an authoritative source (such as the European Commission or NICNAS) in accordance with the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (the GHS). This list contains the vast majority of chemicals currently in HSIS. This list and its detail are regularly updated by Work Safe Australia. The model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Regulations require chemicals to be classified in accordance with the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). However transitional arrangements allow use of classification information in HSIS derived from the Approved Criteria until the 31 December 2016.
• 
• FORMULA: C9H10Cl2N2O
• DATA SOURCES: DATA SOURCES: ARTICLE 4 | T3DB | PubChem | OEHHA | Consolidated Pesticide Information Dataset (CPI) from the USA EPA | Compendium of Pesticide Common Names | APVMA | DPR | EU Pesticides | Safe Work Australia - Hazardous Substances Information System (HSIS)
• LAST UPDATE: 28/04/2018

  Health Associations

Mostly focused on Health Implications of Long Term Exposure to this substance

• SYMPTOMS:
• POSSIBLE HEALTH CONSEQUENCES: Diuron has reproductive, teratogenic effects and organ toxicity to mammals. Diuron induces urinary bladder cancer, mammary gland carcinoma and hepatocellular adenomas in mice, kidney toumors and testicular interstitial cell adenomas in rats. High level diuron exposure can cause central nervous system depression. Chronic exposure can affect bone marrow, spleen in rats. Anemia, increase mortality, growth retardation are also seen. |
• ACTION OF TOXIN: Diuron has been reported to bind to androgen receptors. This suggests that diuron may block the receptors and result in the toxicity on the reproductive system. |
• TOXIN SITES OF ACTION IN CELL: "Cell surface", "Cytoskeleton", "Endoplasmic reticulum", "Extracellular", "Lysosome", "Membrane", "Microsome", "Microtubule", "Mitochondrion", "Plasma Membrane"
• Additional Exposure Routes: This is a man-made compound that is used as a pesticide.

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