2,4-D

MedEd Pesticide lists 2,4-D as a herbicide in the phenoxy herbicide class.

MedEd Pesticide Summarizes 2,4-D at a Glance

Type

Herbicide

Chemical class

Phenoxy herbicide

CAS number

94-75-7

Formula

C8H6Cl2O3

Molar mass

221.03 g/mol

EU status

Approved in the EU since 01/01/2016, current approval expires 31/12/2030.

US status

Registered with EPA. 705 active products contain 2,4-D.

MedEd Pesticide Summarizes 2,4-D’s Toxicity Records

MedEd Pesticide holds 276 toxicity records for 2,4-D, from 6 sources. The headline values are below.

Oral LD50 in ratsAcute, swallowed

Lowest reported 375 mg/kg, median 430.5 mg/kg, from 2 records.

Dermal LD50Acute, skin contact

Lowest reported 1400 mg/kg, median 1450 mg/kg, from 2 records.

Lowest NOAELLong term, mammals

1 mg/kg-day in dog, 13 weeks. Source: ToxRefDB.

EPA signal wordsActive US products

Danger 229, Warning 65, Caution 411.

See all 276 2,4-D toxicity records in the explorer. The records come from EPA’s Toxicity Values Database, and the methodology explains their limits.

MedEd Pesticide Reports 2,4-D’s EU Safety Reference Values

MedEd Pesticide takes these values from the EU, which sets them when it assesses an active substance. They are expressed per kilogram of body weight.

ADIAcceptable daily intake

0.02 mg/kg bw/dayThe amount a person can take in every day over a lifetime without appreciable health risk.

ARfDAcute reference dose

0.3 mg/kg bwThe amount that can be taken in over a short period, such as one meal or one day, without appreciable health risk.

AOELAcceptable operator exposure level

0.02 mg/kg bw/dayThe level of exposure for people who apply the pesticide at which no adverse effect is expected.

MedEd Pesticide Lists 2,4-D’s EU Hazard Classification

MedEd Pesticide lists the harmonised EU hazard statements for 2,4-D below.

• H302 Harmful if swallowed
• H412 Harmful to aquatic life with long-lasting effects
• H318 Causes serious eye damage
• H335 May cause respiratory irritation
• H317 May cause an allergic skin reaction

MedEd Pesticide takes EU status, reference values and hazard classification from the EU Pesticides Database. MedEd Pesticide takes US status from EPA’s Pesticide Product Information System (dated 2026-10-13) and chemical identity from PubChem. Retrieved 2026-10-16. Values and approvals change, so check the source for the current entry. See the methodology and the glossary, or compare 2,4-D with another pesticide.

MedEd Pesticide. (2026). 2,4-D. https://mededpesticide.org/pesticides/2-4-d/ (accessed Month Day, Year)