Dimethylarsenic acid

Synonyms

Arsinic acid, dimethyl-; Acide cacodylique [French]; Acide dimethylarsenique [French]; Acide dimethylarsinique [French]; Agent Blue; Alkargen; Ansar 138; Arsan; Cacodylic acid; Chexmate; Cotton aide HC; Dilic; Dimethylarsenic acid; Dimethylarsinic acid; Erase; Hydroxydimethylarsine oxide; Kyselina kakodylova [Czech]; Moncide; Phytar; Phytar 138; Phytar 560; Phytar 600; Rad-E-Cate 35; Salvo; Silvisar; Silvisar 510; Sylvicor; [ChemIDplus] UN1572

Category

Arsenic Compounds, Organic

Description

Hygroscopic solid; [Merck Index] Colorless odorless hygroscopic solid; [CAMEO] White crystalline solid; [MSDSonline]

Sources/Uses

Used as a herbicide; [Sullivan, p. 981] Used as a drug (dermatological and veterinarian); [Merck Index] Used as a preharvest desiccant, a soil sterilant, a chemical warfare agent, a timber thinning defoliant, and a sugarcane ripener; [HSDB] Used as a defoliant and herbicide registered to control weeds under non-bearing citrus trees, around buildings, and for lawn renovation; [Reference #1]

Comments

"There is sufficient evidence in experimental animals for the carcinogenicity of dimethylarsenic acid. . . . Arsenic in drinking-water is carcinogenic to humans (Group 1)." [IARC] A forestry worker injecting trees with silvicide containing cacodylic acid developed anorexia, nausea, and abdominal pain; He had elevated urine arsenic, and symptoms subsided after termination of exposure; [HSDB] Essentially non-irritating in contact with skin and eyes; [CHRIS] Not converted into inorganic arsenic in the body; [Nordberg, p. 590] Most excreted unchanged; [Rosenstock, p. 947]

Reference Link #1

Biomedical References

1E-07 mm Hg

LCLo (rat) = 4,900 mg/m3/4h

Possible (2b)

Processes

Industrial Processes with risk of exposure:

• Farming (Pesticides)