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FACT SHEET ON A DRINKING WATER CHEMICAL CONTAMINANT
GENERAL INFORMATION
Synonym*
•	Trod© Names: Furadan 4F, Curaterr; 4F; Yaltox,
4 Fiowabie; Bnfur; Crisafuran, etc.
Chemical Description:
•	A pesticide which is a member of the
chemical family of carbamates
Properties:
•	White crystalline solid at room temperature
•	Very low vapor pressure
•	Moderately soluble in water
Production and Use:
•	Used as o pesticide to control beetles,
nematodes, and rootworm in numerous crops:
also used in home and garden {turf and
ornamentals) setting
•	Used primarily on corn and alfalfa crops,
generally applied directly to soil and plants by
spray (aerial or ground) just after emergence
ENVIRONMENTAL PROFILE
Occurrence:
•	Frequently found in ground water
•	Transported mainly by dissolution in water
•	Strong potential for contaminating both
ground and surface water
•	EPA's 1990 National Pesticide Survey (NPS) did
not detect carbofuran levels above the MCL
in rural domestic wells or Community Water
System (CWS) weils
Releases:
•	Enters surface wafer as a result of runoff from
treated fields, and enters ground water by
leaching of treated crop soils
•	May enter ground water from direct entry into
a well through accidental chemical spills or
improper storage near a well
Environmental fate:
•	Chemical hydrolysis and microbial decompo-
sition are primary processes responsible for
degradation in soil
•	Degradation rate in both soil and water
dependent upon pH: rapid hydrolysis (in
aqueous solution) in alkaline environments
•	Degrades to several toxic metabolites in soil:
the major metabolite, 3-hydroxycaroofuran. is
highly toxic
•	Metabolized rapidly to 3-hydrcxycarDofuran py
plants after application
•	Significant volatilization from surface or ground
waters is not likely
« Volatilization is major removal process on soil
surface
•	Highly mobile in soils (does not bind to soil or
sediments); mobility decreases with increasing
clay content
« Expected to be stable in most surface and
ground waters; stable in neutral to sightly
acidic solutions
•	Hydrolysis in alkaline water is major removal
mechanism in natural waters, followed by
direct photolysis and photooxidation
•	Will adsorb to particulates suspended in air
during aerial spray application, and is subject
to dry and wet deposition
•	Low potential for bioaccumulation
HEALTH EFFECTS
Humans:
•	Acute toxic effects due to its rapid inhibition of
cholinesterase, an enzyme essential for nerve
function
•	Short-term oral exposures have shown such
effects of acute oral toxicity as headache,
lightheadedness, blurred vision, drowsiness,
dizziness, anxiety, abdominal pain, nausea,
vomiting, hypersalivation, chest pains,
convulsions, and sometimes coma
« Effects of acute toxicity are usually reversible
one® exposure ceases
Experimental Animals:
» Short-term, high-dose studies have shown that
toxic effects are noticeable within minutes
after ingestion
» long-term exposure studies have shown that
low doses of carbofuran appear to have little
or no adverse health effects, and high aoses
appear to cause decreases in body weight,
and changes in cholinesterase levels in the
blood, liver, and brain
•	long-term, high-dose- exposures causes
aspermia (no sperm) and testicular

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~©generation m males, and alterations of the
uterine structure in females
•	No adverse effects on survival of offspring or
developmental effects observed
•	No evidence of mutagenicity or
carcinogenicity
REGULATORY PROFILE
Existing Standards:
•Clean Air Act (CAA): Not regulated
•Clean Water Act (CWA):
No criteria established
•Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
•	(RCRA):
Not regulated
•Superfund (CERCLA):
•Hazardous waste
•SARA; Not regulated
•	Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenficlde Act (FIFRA):
Not registered
•	Toxic Substances Control Act (TICA);
Not regulated
HEALTH INFORMATION
Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCIG):
« Non-enforceable levels based solely on an
evaluation of possible health risks and
exposure, and taking info consideration a
margin for public safety
•	Set at 0.04 mg/t to protect against damage to
the nervous and reproductive systems
MCIG for Carbofuran = 0.04 mg/L
(effective July 1992)
Maximum Contaminant levels (MCL):
•	Legally enforceable levels for contaminants in
public drinking wafer supplies
•	Based on health risks associated with the
contaminants, analytical methods for their
assay, and wafer treatment feasibility and
practicality aspects
•	Exceedance of the MCI in drinking water may
result in adverse effects which will depend
upon the contaminant concentration in water,
amount of water/contaminant ingested,
length of exposure, and other biological
parameters
MCI for Carbofuran = 0.04 mg/L
(effective July 1992)
EPA Health Advisories (HA):
•	Short-term HAs: Provide acceotacie
concentrations of contaminants in water for
up to 10 day exposures, primarily to evaluate
the public health risk resulting from an
accidental spill or an emergency
contamination situation
•	Longer-term HAs:	Q.cr:? *3'
persistent wafer contamination s.tua'iC-s *o
cover a period of up to ? years
•	Lifetime HAs: Derived :n rne same way as an
MCIG
Health Advisories:
Short-term HA for a child = 0.05 mg/L
Longer-term HA for a child = 0.05 mg L
Longer-term HA for an adult = 0.18 mg, L
Lifetime HA = 0.036 mg/L
ANALYTICAL METHODS
•	Direct Aqueous Injection HPIC with Post-
Column Derivatization
EPA Method 531.1
WATER TREATMENT
Permanent Treatment:
•	Best Available Technology (BAT):
•	Granular Activated Carbon
SHORT-TERM HAZARD ELIMINATION
•	If the drinking water standards are exceeded,
install BAT or us© an alternative drinking water
supply such as bottled water
ADDITIONAL HELP
•	State or county health officials can indicate a
certified laboratory for testing
« Experts in the state Department of
Environmental Protection, Natural Resources, or
Agriculture may also be of help
•	The EPA has toll-free numbers for further
information on drinking water quality,
treatment technologies, for obtaining Health
Advisories, and for other regulatory information
•	EPA Hotlines are available Monday through
Friday
•Safe Drinking Water	800-426-4791
•	National Pesticides:	800-858-7378
•	Superfund/RCRA:	800-424-9346
» For information on the Clean Water Act, call
(202) 260-7301
» For information on the Toxic Substances
Control Act. call (202) 554-1404
•	For information on the Clean Air Act, call
(919) 541-277?

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