CARBENDAZIM JMPR 1978
Explanation
This pesticide was evaluated by the 1973 and 1976 Joint
Meetings (FAO/WHO, 1974b, 1977b). The data available were not
considered adequate for the estimation of an acceptable daily
intake for men and in 1976 five items of requirements of additional
information before an acceptable daily intake could be estimated
and maximum residue limits recommended and two items considered to
be desirable were recorded.
At the 10th Session of the Codex Committee on Pesticide
Residues (1978, Alinorm 79/24 par. 148) the committee noted, when
considering thiophanate methyl, the close relationship between this
compound, benomyl and carbendazim. It considered that for a
particular commodity the MRLs for all three compounds should be the
same as the residues were all measured as carbendazim. The
delegations of Belgium and the Netherlands agreed to provide to the
Joint Meeting data on residues of the three compounds on lettuce,
strawberries and on potatoes (post harvest use).
New residue data from supervised trials were obtained from the
countries mentioned and from Australia, Finland and Ireland
together with information on changes and additions to the use
pattern and amendments to national tolerances.
RESIDUES IN FOOD AND THEIR EVALUATION
USE PATTERN
Information not fully included in the 1973 and 1976
Evaluations (FAO/WHO, 1974b, 1977b) is given in Table 1.
The use patterns in Table 1 may not be typical of the
countries mentioned and may also exist in other countries not
listed.
RESIDUES RESULTING FROM SUPERVISED TRIALS
Additional information was obtained from Australia, Belgium,
Finland, Ireland and the Netherlands. The main results are given in
Table 2.
FATE OF RESIDUES
In processing and storage
In residues studies carried out in Finland (1) it was shown
that washing lettuce leaves containing residues arising from the
use of benomyl resulted in considerable decreases in residue of
carbendazim (see Table 3).
TABLE 1. Use pattern of carbendazim in certain countries
Country Pest controlled Application rate Treatments Pre-harvest Remarks
and Crop g. a.i./ha or g/100l interval (days)
AUSTRALIA
Citrus Blue and green mold 50 g/100l 30 sec dip -
of fruits
after harvest
Ginger seed Rhizome rot 100 g/100l 5 min dip of 4-5 months
pieces rhizome pieces
before planting
Sugar cane Pineapple disease 30 g/100l dip or spray -
seed pieces
Peanut Leaf spot disease 138-275 g/ha spraying, starting 28
6 weeks after
planting at 14-21
day intervals
Subterranean Leaf scorch 150-275 g/ha two applications (14) refers to interest clover
pastures during growing for grazing, harvesting
season or cutting for forage
Apple Apple mildew 210-280 h/ha spraying from green-
apple scab tip stage 10-14 days
interval 7
Pear Black spot 13-15 g/100l " 7
Grapes Bruch-rot disease 15-550 g/100l twice at flowering 1
14 days apart and
again 3 and 1 weeks
before harvest
TABLE 1. (Cont'd)
Country Pest controlled Application rate Treatments Pre-harvest Remarks
and Crop g. a.i./ha or g/100l interval (days)
Strawberries Botrytis rot 19-25 g/100l spraying at 10-14 days 2
intervals
Stone fruit Brown-rot disease 13-25 g/100l spraying at petal fall, 1
(blossom blight and and again 3 and 1 weeks
brown rot on fruit) before harvest
dip 25-50 g/100l 30 sec post-harvest -
dip
Bananas Crown rot dip 20 g/100l 30 sec dip of fruit
bunches after harvest
IRELAND
THE NETHERLANDS
FED. REP. OF
GERMANY
Wheat Fusarium 250-400 g/ha spraying two 35-42
Eye spot applications; the
(Cercosporella) last one between
Ripening diseases ear formation and
blossoming
NETHERLANDS
Seed potatoes Fusarium 30 g/1000 kg tubers immediately after -
harvest, dip or
spraying
Edible potatoes Fusarium 30 g/1000 kg tubers " - treatment recommended
only for potatoes which
are stored for at least
3 months
TABLE 2. Residues resulting from supervised trials
Application Residues, mg/kg, at intervals (days) after application
Crop Year No. Rate a.i. Pre-or
and g/100l post
Country (kg/ha) harvest 0 1 3 7 14 Ref.
AUSTRALIA
Cherries 1) 1972/73 4 25 pre 5.1 1.5 1.0 1
4 12.5 pre 0.6 0.3 0.3
1 50 post 3.4 3.6 3.4 2.6
Oranges 1973 3 25 pre 1
peel 3.2 1.6
peel 1973 3 12.5 pre 1.5 1.5
peel 1973 3&1 25 & 25 pre & post 3.0 3.0
peel 1973 1 25 post 1.9 2.4
peel 1973 1 50 post 2.3 2.1
flesh 0.7 0.6
Bananas 1974 1 20 post
peel 23.2 10.8 7.4 1.4 1
flesh 1.3 2.8 2.4 0.5
Grapes 1974 4 25 pre 2.9 2.4 3.0 2.4
4 12.5 pre 2.2 1.5 1.6 1.7 1
4 12.5+oil pre 1.7 1.6 1.6 1.3
Peaches2) 1972/73 6 25 pre 5.7 3.6 2.2 2.2
12.5+oil pre 3.3 2.6 2.0 2.4 1
1) and 2) Data not corrected for recoveries, i.e. for cherries 78-84%, for peaches 70-74%.
TABLE 2a. (same as Table 2 except for intervals (days) after application)
Country Year No rate a.i. Pre-or
and g/100l post 0 1 3 5 7/8 11 15 Ref.
Crop (kg/ha) harvest
AUSTRALIA
Strawberries
1973 7 25 pre 9.0 7.0 3.3 2.4 1
7 12.5 + oil pre 2.5 1.7 1.4 1.8
FINLAND
Strawberries
1974 3 2.5 kg/ha pre 0.3 2
3 40 pre < 0.4
3 4 kg/ha pre 0.6
3 5 kg/ha pre 0.6
TABLE 2b. (same as Table 2 except for intervals (days) after application)
Application Residues in mg/kg, at intervals (days) after application
Country Year No rate a.i. Pre-or
and g/100l post
Crop (kg/ha) harvest 7 14 21 28 35 42 Ref.
BELGIUM
Lettuce 1974 2 1.5 kg/ha pre 25.4 7.5 1.6 3
18.0-32.3 7.1-9.4 1.2-2.7
(159 g) (261 g) (401 g) Average weight
of head g.
FINLAND
Lettuce 1973 5 1.8 pre 37.5 2
30-50
1 1.8 pre 26
19-32
1 1.8 pre 8.7
2.7-1.6
TABLE 2c. (same as Table 2 except for intervals (days) after application)
Residues in mg/kg, at intervals (days) after application
Application Residues in the peel and peel %, flesh 0.05 mg/kg
Country Year No rate a.i. Pre-or
and g/1000 kg. post
Crop harvest 45 112 167/169 181 267 Ref.
NETHERLANDS
Potatoes 1977 1 30 post 2.4 4
1.6-3.0
(10.7% peel)
30 post 8.4
6.4-10.0
(9.4% peel)
1976 1 30 post 2.2 4
0.05-4.4
(11.2% peel)
1976 1 30 post 5.9
5.8-6.0
(12.3% peel)
1976 40 post 8.7
5.0-11.0
(12.5% peel)
1976 30 post 9.5
7.8-11.0
(9.9% peel)
TABLE 3. Carbendazim residues in unwashed and washed lettuce
Carbendazim, mg/kg
I II III
Unwashed 4.8; average 37.5; average 7.5
(31 - 50 ) (2.7 - 16 )
Washed 4.4; average 9.3; average 2.2
(5.5 - 15); (1.8 - 2.2)
Neville and Eades (1976) found that residues on barley grain
decreased on melting. Treatment of barley in June with carbendazim at
0.56 kg a.i./ha resulted in residues in the grain at harvest of 0.05 -
1.88 mg/kg. Significant decreases occurred during malting: grain
containing 0.2 and 1.9 mg/kg carbendazim yielded malts containing
<0.05 and 0.4 mg/kg respectively.
METHODS OF RESIDUE ANALYSIS
The data in references 1 - 3 were obtained with the
spectrophotofluorimetric method of Pease and Holt (6) (see 1973
monograph on carbendazim). Recoveries of 70 - 90% have been obtained
depending on the commodity; the limit of determination is 0.1 - 0.3
mg/kg. The data in reference 4 were obtained by the TLC method of de
Vos (7) (1975) involving extraction with chloroform and bioassay on
the TLC plate with a fungus, Cladosporium cucumerinum. The limit of
determination is 0.05 - 01. mg/kg.
RESIDUES IN FOOD IN COMMERCE OR AT CONSUMPTION
Data were obtained from two countries, Australia and the
Netherlands. In market basket surveys made in Australia in the years
1970, 1973, 1974 and 1975 carbendazim residues were not detected,
though not specifically sought, in the food examined. Residues of
carbendazim have not been reported in the home produce (meat, grain,
dairy products, fruit and vegetables) examined continuously in routine
national surveys, A submission to the Meeting of data on the residues
found in 1977 in the Netherlands in the monitoring programmes of the
Food Inspection Services showed that none of the samples exceeded the
MRLS.
NATIONAL TOLERANCES REPORTED TO THE MEETING
The following additional MRLs were brought to the attention of
the 1978 Meeting. The figures between brackets are group tolerances,
which include the items listed.
TABLE 4. National MRLs reported to the Meeting
Commodity Australia Belgium Fed.Rep.Germany Netherlands Switzerland
(1970) (1971) (1978) (1978) (1978)
Citrus fruit 10 - 7 4 7
bananas 1 0.2 (flesh) - 1 (0.2 flesh)
other fruits - 2 (0.1) 3 3
apples, pears 2 (2) (0.1) (3) (3)
stone fruit 5 (2) 2 (3) (3)
grapes 3 (2) 3 (3) (3)
strawberries 5 (2) 1.5 (3) (3)
other berries - (2) 1.5 (3) (3)
pineapple - (2) 2 (3) (3)
vegetables - 2 1 3 -
(general)
cucurbits 0.5 0.3 0.5 (3) 0.1
celeriac - (2) (1) (3) 0.1
mushrooms - (2) (1) 0.5 2
raw cereals - 0.5 0.5 0.1* 0.3
potatoes (washed - - 0.1 3 -
before analysis)
peanut kernels 0.1 - - - -
* at or about the limit of determination
APPRAISAL
Additional information was obtained from Australia, Belgium,
Finland, Ireland and the Netherlands on changes and additions to the
use pattern and on residues from supervised trials involving such
uses.
On the basis of the new data, together with the information
already available the guidelines levels for carbendazim on bananas,
cherries, citrus fruits, peaches, strawberries and lettuce could be
confirmed. In order to cover the residues of carbendazim applied in
less favourable conditions an illustrated in the data from Ireland and
Finland, the guideline level for raw cereals should be raised to
0.5 mg/kg.
It was recognized that the extensive data on residues on potatoes
after storage treatment were derived from supervised trials in a
limited number of storage enterprises. To accommodate the larger
variation in residue levels which may occur when the product is used
in commercial storage practice a guideline level of 3 mg/kg on
potatoes (washed before analysis) is recommended.
RECOMMENDATION
The following guideline levels, amending or additional to those
of 1973 and 1976 are recorded:
Commodity Guideline levels mg/kg
grapes 5
* potatoes (washed before 3
analysis)
raw cereals 0.5
* new recommendation
FURTHER WORK OR INFORMATION
The present meeting was not able to establish an ADI and in the
absence of new data the needs set out under this heading in 1976
therefore are still valid.
REFERENCES
1. Data provided by the Australian government to the 1978 JMPR.
2. Data provided by Finland (Agriculture Research Centre, Pesticide
Regulation Unit) to the 1978 JMPR.
3. De Jonckheere, W., W. Steurbaut, J.V. Damme and R.H. Kips,
(1976) Evolution des résidus de bénomyl, decarbendazim at
du thiophanate méthyl appliqués sur laitues
Phytiatrie-Phytopharmacie, 25, 141-150.
Henriet, J., P. Meeus, F. Baelus, B. Valange and J.G. van Damme,
(1976) Recherches sur le traitment fungicide des laitues
d'hiver par le bénomyl et étude des residues.
Parasitica, 32 (1), 2-50.
4. Residue data provided by the Netherlands to the 1978 JMPR.
5. Neville, C., J.F. Eades, Pesticide residues in Crops. Res. Rep.
(1975) Pl. Sci. Crop Husb., An Foras Taluntais, Dublin,
101-103.
Neville, C. and J.F. Eades, Res. Rep. Pl. Sci. Crop Husb., An
Foras Taluntais, 97.
6. Pease, H.L. and R.F. Holt. Improved method for determining benomyl
residues, J. Assoc. Off. Agric. Chem. 54: 1399.
7. de Vos R.H., The analysis of benomyl residues in crop samples
(1975) by a T.L.C.-Bioassay method. Environmental Quality
and Safety, suppl. 111, 120-123.
See Also:
Toxicological Abbreviations
Carbendazim (EHC 149, 1993)
Carbendazim (HSG 82, 1993)
Carbendazim (ICSC)
Carbendazim (WHO Pesticide Residues Series 3)
Carbendazim (Pesticide residues in food: 1976 evaluations)
Carbendazim (Pesticide residues in food: 1977 evaluations)
Carbendazim (Pesticide residues in food: 1983 evaluations)
Carbendazim (Pesticide residues in food: 1985 evaluations Part II Toxicology)
Carbendazim (Pesticide residues in food: 1995 evaluations Part II Toxicological & Environmental)
Carbendazim (Pesticide residues in food: 1995 evaluations Part II Toxicological & Environmental)
Carbendazim (JMPR Evaluations 2005 Part II Toxicological)