Trichlorfon Insecticide 30% EC, 80/90% SP and 97% TC

Attribute	Product Information
Active Ingredient	Trichlorfon
CAS Number	52-68-6
Molecular Formula	C4H8Cl3O4P
Insecticide Class	Organophosphate
IRAC Group	1B
Mode of Action	Acetylcholinesterase inhibition
Main Activity	Contact and ingestion
Formulations	30% EC, 80% SP, 90% SP, 97% TC
Core Commercial Position	White grubs, turf pests and other registered professional pest programs
TC Role	Formulation and registration projects
Documentation	COA, SDS/MSDS, TDS
OEM / Private Label	Available
Packaging	Formulation- and market-specific

Exact pests, crops, turf uses, application rates, PHIs, REIs, intervals, and restrictions depend on the registered product label in the destination market.

What Is Trichlorfon?

Trichlorfon is a Group 1B organophosphate insecticide.

It should not be positioned simply as:

• A low-toxicity insecticide
• A long-residual surface treatment
• A universal agricultural pesticide
• A livestock product
• An aquaculture treatment
• A ready-to-use technical material

Its correct role depends strongly on the registered formulation and target market.

For a broader technical explanation of the active ingredient, see our guide to What Is Trichlorfon?.

How Does Trichlorfon Work?

Trichlorfon affects the insect nervous system.

IRAC Group 1B

Trichlorfon belongs to IRAC Group 1B, which includes organophosphate acetylcholinesterase inhibitors.

This classification is important for:

• Product positioning
• Resistance management
• Rotation planning
• Registration documentation

Acetylcholinesterase Inhibition

Acetylcholinesterase normally helps terminate nerve signals.

When this enzyme is inhibited, acetylcholine accumulates at nerve junctions.

Susceptible insects can develop:

• Continuous nerve stimulation
• Loss of coordinated movement
• Paralysis
• Death

This nerve-action mechanism is one reason Trichlorfon is generally associated with relatively rapid control of susceptible pests.

Contact and Ingestion Activity

Trichlorfon can act when susceptible insects:

• Contact treated areas
• Consume treated material

The relative importance of each pathway depends on:

• Pest
• Application system
• Formulation
• Use site
• Registered label

Trichlorfon should not be marketed as a strongly systemic, long-residual insecticide.

Which Pests Does Trichlorfon Control?

The pest spectrum depends on the destination market and formulation.

Its strongest professional positioning includes turf and soil-associated insect problems.

White Grubs

White grubs are one of the most important commercial targets for Trichlorfon.

These larvae feed on turf roots and can cause:

• Wilting
• Poor root anchorage
• Irregular brown areas
• Turf that lifts easily
• Secondary damage from birds or mammals digging for larvae

Trichlorfon is often positioned where active grub populations are already present and a relatively fast curative response is needed.

Mole Crickets

Certain registered Trichlorfon products may be used against mole crickets in turf and related professional systems.

Treatment success depends on:

• Pest stage
• Soil moisture
• Application timing
• Formulation
• Local label

Sod Webworms and Other Turf Pests

Depending on registration, Trichlorfon may also be positioned against selected:

• Sod webworms
• Caterpillar-type turf pests
• Other susceptible insects

Do not assume one formulation has every historical Trichlorfon use.

Why Is Trichlorfon Important for White Grub Control?

Trichlorfon occupies a different commercial position from many preventive grub insecticides.

Curative Positioning

Some grub-control products are applied before major larval feeding begins.

Trichlorfon is often used when susceptible grubs are already present and feeding.

This gives it a strong curative treatment position where registered.

Timing Still Matters

Curative does not mean growth stage is irrelevant.

Control can depend on:

• Grub species
• Larval stage
• Soil moisture
• Turf condition
• Application timing
• Product rate

Very large or late-stage larvae may respond differently from younger susceptible stages.

Water-In Requirements May Matter

For soil-active turf uses, irrigation after treatment may be required by some product labels to move the insecticide into the root zone.

This should never be converted into one universal irrigation volume or timing rule.

Follow the exact registered product instructions.

Trichlorfon Formulation Options

The four specifications on this page serve different commercial roles.

Specification	Formulation	Main Product Role	Buyer Consideration
Trichlorfon 30% EC	Emulsifiable Concentrate	Liquid formulated product	Liquid handling, emulsion quality, packaging
Trichlorfon 80% SP	Soluble Powder	High-content dry formulation	Solubility, moisture protection, dry-pack market
Trichlorfon 90% SP	Soluble Powder	Higher-content dry formulation	Concentration, solubility, packaging, registration
Trichlorfon 97% TC	Technical Material	Formulation and registration projects	Assay, impurities, stability, downstream formulation

Higher concentration does not automatically mean better field efficacy.

A fair comparison should consider:

• Registered use rate
• Target pest
• Formulation
• Application method
• Number of treatments
• Cost per treated area
• Market registration

Trichlorfon 30% EC

30% EC is a formulated liquid product.

Important buyer considerations include:

• Active-content consistency
• Emulsion quality
• Storage stability
• Solvent system
• Packaging compatibility
• Destination-market registration

The commercial advantage is mainly liquid formulation handling and established EC distribution channels.

It should not be compared with 80% or 90% SP by concentration alone.

Trichlorfon 80% SP and 90% SP

SP means Soluble Powder.

These high-content dry formulations are designed to dissolve in water according to their registered use instructions.

Important commercial considerations include:

• Active content
• Water solubility
• Moisture control
• Solution stability
• Packaging barrier
• Storage conditions

The difference between 80% and 90% SP should be evaluated by:

registration + use rate + pack size + formulation quality + cost per treated area

rather than simply assuming that 90% is always better.

What Is Trichlorfon 97% TC Used For?

Trichlorfon 97% TC is technical material.

It is intended mainly for:

• Formulation manufacturing
• Registration projects
• Local repacking or manufacturing where legally permitted
• Downstream EC or SP development

Trichlorfon 97% TC should not be presented as a ready-to-apply field, livestock, or aquaculture product.

Professional TC buyers should evaluate:

• Assay
• Moisture
• Appearance
• Relevant impurities or degradates
• Batch consistency
• Storage stability
• Formulation suitability

The final TC specification should match the downstream formulation and registration dossier.

Why Water pH Matters With Trichlorfon

Trichlorfon stability is an important technical issue.

Under alkaline conditions, Trichlorfon can degrade more rapidly and can form dichlorvos-related degradation products.

This means spray-water quality and formulation conditions matter.

The practical principle is:

avoid treating Trichlorfon as chemically stable under every water condition.

Professional users should follow:

• Product-label water-quality instructions
• Formulation specifications
• Mixing guidance
• Storage conditions

This page does not provide one universal pH adjustment rule because the correct procedure depends on the exact registered product.

Is Trichlorfon the Same as Dichlorvos?

No.

Trichlorfon and dichlorvos are different pesticide active ingredients.

However, they are chemically related, and Trichlorfon can form dichlorvos under certain degradation conditions.

This is important for:

• Storage stability
• Product specification
• Analytical testing
• Environmental behavior
• Registration documentation

Do not market them as interchangeable products.

What Should Trichlorfon Not Be Used For Without Specific Registration?

Historical uses of Trichlorfon should not be transferred automatically to modern agricultural products.

Livestock Use

Trichlorfon has been used in certain veterinary or livestock pest-control products in some markets.

That does not mean an agricultural EC, SP, or 97% TC product can be applied directly to animals.

Livestock use requires a dedicated registered end-use product.

Aquaculture

Trichlorfon has also appeared historically in some aquatic parasite-control programs.

However, aquatic use involves substantial:

• Species-specific safety issues
• Water chemistry
• Exposure control
• Aquatic-organism risk
• Regulatory requirements

Agricultural Trichlorfon products should not be promoted for fish ponds or aquaculture unless the exact formulation is registered for that use.

Public Health or Residential Use

Professional structural or public-health applications also require product-level registration.

Do not infer indoor, household, or mosquito use from the active ingredient alone.

Technical Material

97% TC is not a finished pesticide.

It should only be used for legitimate formulation and registration purposes.

Trichlorfon Resistance Management

Trichlorfon belongs to IRAC Group 1B.

Repeated reliance on Group 1B insecticides can increase resistance selection pressure.

A stronger resistance-management program includes:

• Correct pest identification
• Monitoring pest pressure
• Treating susceptible life stages
• Using effective registered rates
• Rotating with effective insecticides from different IRAC groups
• Avoiding repeated exposure across consecutive generations
• Integrating cultural and nonchemical tools where practical

Is Another Organophosphate a True Rotation?

Not necessarily.

Many other organophosphate insecticides are also Group 1B.

Therefore:

Trichlorfon → another Group 1B organophosphate is not a true IRAC-group rotation.

Changing active ingredient names does not always change the mode of action.

Why 30% EC Quality Matters

A stable EC formulation should maintain consistent performance through:

• Manufacturing
• Filling
• International shipping
• Warehouse storage
• Dilution
• Field use

Important QC parameters may include:

EC QC Item	Buyer Concern
Active content	Confirms formulation strength
Appearance	Detects abnormal changes
Emulsion stability	Supports spray preparation
pH / acidity where applicable	Formulation consistency
Low-temperature stability	Export storage
Accelerated storage stability	Shelf-life evaluation
Packaging compatibility	Leakage and deformation risk

Final specification limits should follow the actual product TDS and registration dossier.

Quality Control for Trichlorfon 80/90% SP

Soluble powder formulations require a different QC system.

Important test items may include:

SP QC Item	Buyer Concern
Active content	Batch strength
Appearance	Product consistency
Water solubility	Field mixing performance
Solution stability	Spray preparation
Moisture	Storage and chemical stability
Insoluble matter	Mixing quality
pH	Product consistency
Storage stability	Shelf-life confidence
Packaging barrier	Moisture protection

Dry packaging should provide suitable moisture protection because formulation stability can be affected by storage conditions.

Quality Control for Trichlorfon 97% TC

Technical material QC should focus on downstream formulation reliability.

Depending on the agreed specification, test items may include:

• Trichlorfon assay
• Appearance
• Moisture
• Relevant impurities or degradation products
• Batch consistency
• Storage stability

TC buyers should confirm analytical requirements before commercial production.

Safety and Worker Protection

Trichlorfon is an organophosphate insecticide and should not be described as “low-toxic” simply because it may degrade relatively quickly.

Its mechanism of action involves acetylcholinesterase inhibition, which also creates important occupational exposure considerations.

Professional programs should follow the exact product:

• Label
• SDS/MSDS
• PPE requirements
• REI
• Mixing/loading instructions
• Spill procedures
• Storage requirements

Safety classification depends on the final formulation and destination-market registration.

Environmental Considerations

Trichlorfon should not be marketed as environmentally harmless.

Water protection is particularly important.

Potential concerns can include:

• Runoff
• Surface-water exposure
• Aquatic invertebrates
• Non-target organisms
• Degradation products

Trichlorfon may degrade relatively rapidly under some environmental conditions, but faster degradation does not mean zero environmental risk.

Application near:

• Ponds
• Streams
• Drainage channels
• Irrigation water
• Aquatic habitats

must follow the local product label.

Packaging and Private Label Supply

POMAIS can supply Trichlorfon products for professional B2B projects.

30% EC Packaging

Liquid packaging can be customized according to:

• Destination market
• Pack-size demand
• Registration
• Transport
• Distributor channel
• Label language

80% / 90% SP Packaging

Dry soluble-powder packaging should prioritize:

• Moisture protection
• Seal integrity
• Product compatibility
• Export transport

97% TC Packaging

Technical material packaging should fit:

• Industrial formulation use
• Stability requirements
• International transport
• Registration documentation

Private-label support may include:

• Packaging selection
• Label artwork
• Multilingual labeling
• Outer cartons
• Batch coding
• Shipping marks

How Should Importers Evaluate a Trichlorfon Supplier?

A professional purchasing decision should go beyond active percentage.

Procurement Question	Why It Matters
Which country will import it?	Registration determines legal uses
Which formulation is required?	EC, SP and TC serve different markets
Which pests drive demand?	White grub and turf demand may differ from agricultural demand
Is the market curative or preventive?	Trichlorfon is strongly positioned for active pest pressure
What water-quality conditions are common?	Stability may be affected
Which IRAC groups dominate locally?	Resistance planning matters
What QC specification is required?	Formulation stability affects reliability
Which pack sizes are needed?	Distribution channels differ
Which documents are required?	Import and registration needs vary
Is the buyer sourcing TC or end-use product?	Completely different commercial roles
What is cost per treated area?	Better comparison than price per kg or liter

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Trichlorfon?

Trichlorfon is an organophosphate insecticide used against susceptible pests in registered professional pest-control programs.

What IRAC group is Trichlorfon?

Trichlorfon belongs to IRAC Group 1B.

How does Trichlorfon work?

It inhibits acetylcholinesterase, disrupting normal insect nerve signaling.

Is Trichlorfon an organophosphate?

Yes.

Is Trichlorfon systemic?

It should not be positioned as a strongly systemic, long-residual insecticide. Its primary commercial value is relatively rapid control of susceptible pests.

Does Trichlorfon kill white grubs?

Yes, white grubs are one of its most important turf targets where registered.

Is Trichlorfon preventive or curative for grubs?

It is commonly positioned as a relatively fast curative option when susceptible grubs are already present.

Does Trichlorfon control mole crickets?

Some registered products include mole-cricket control.

What is the difference between 30% EC and 80/90% SP?

They differ in active concentration, formulation type, handling, packaging, use rate, and registration.

Is 90% SP automatically better than 80% SP?

No. The correct comparison is based on registered use, formulation quality, treatment economics, and market demand.

What is Trichlorfon 97% TC used for?

It is technical material used for formulation and registration projects.

Can 97% TC be applied directly?

No. TC should not be presented as a ready-to-apply agricultural, livestock, or aquaculture product.

Does water pH affect Trichlorfon?

Yes. Trichlorfon stability can decrease under alkaline conditions.

Is Trichlorfon the same as Dichlorvos?

No. They are separate active ingredients, although Trichlorfon can form dichlorvos under certain degradation conditions.

Can Trichlorfon be used on livestock?

Only where a specific registered veterinary or livestock end-use product permits it.

Can Trichlorfon be used in aquaculture?

Only where the exact formulation is specifically registered for the aquatic species and use system.

Is Trichlorfon low toxic?

It should not be described with a universal “low-toxic” claim. Safety depends on the final formulation, exposure route, label, and professional handling requirements.

What QC tests matter for Trichlorfon?

The key tests differ by formulation. EC, SP, and TC require different quality-control parameters.

Can POMAIS provide private-label Trichlorfon?

Yes. Suitable B2B projects can include customized packaging, multilingual labels, technical documentation, and private-label production.

Choose Trichlorfon by Pest, Formulation and Registration

Trichlorfon should not be positioned as a universal organophosphate for every agricultural, animal, aquatic, and household pest.

Its commercial identity is clearer when buyers evaluate:

Trichlorfon → IRAC Group 1B → acetylcholinesterase inhibition → relatively fast pest control → white grub and registered professional uses → correct EC/SP/TC formulation → resistance management → safety and water protection → formulation QC.

The four specifications serve different purposes:

30% EC
Liquid formulated insecticide for registered end-use markets.

80% SP
High-content soluble powder for registered commercial channels.

90% SP
Higher-concentration soluble powder for markets requiring that specification.

97% TC
Technical material for formulation and registration projects.

For importers, distributors, registration companies, and private-label pesticide brands, POMAIS can support Trichlorfon projects with:

• Product specifications
• Batch quality control
• COA, SDS/MSDS and TDS
• Customized packaging
• Multilingual labeling
• Private-label production
• Registration-oriented documentation

The correct procurement question is not:

How many different pests can Trichlorfon be used against?

It is:

Which Trichlorfon formulation matches the target pest, registered use, application system, resistance plan, safety requirements, QC specification, and commercial channel in the destination market?