Metam sodium

Metam sodium is an organosulfur compound (formally a dithiocarbamate), which is used as a soil fumigant, pesticide, herbicide, and fungicide. It is one of the most widely used pesticides in the United States, with approximately 60 million pounds used in 2001.[2] Metam sodium is the sodium salt of methyl dithiocarbamate.

Metam sodium[1]

Names
IUPAC name Sodium methylaminomethanedithioate
Other names Metham sodium Carbathion Carbathione Carbothion Metamsodium Metam-sodium
Identifiers
CAS Number	137-42-8
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
ChemSpider	2273119
ECHA InfoCard	100.004.812
PubChem CID	5366415
UNII	3CD7UKN224
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID2029167
InChI InChI=1S/C2H5NS2.Na/c1-3-2(4)5;/h1H3,(H2,3,4,5);/q;+1/p-1 Key: AFCCDDWKHLHPDF-UHFFFAOYSA-M InChI=1/C2H5NS2.Na/c1-3-2(4)5;/h1H3,(H2,3,4,5);/q;+1/p-1 Key: AFCCDDWKHLHPDF-REWHXWOFAS
SMILES [Na+].[S-]C(=S)NC
Properties
Chemical formula	C2H4NNaS2
Molar mass	129.18 g/mol
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Infobox references

Metam sodium can be prepared from methylamine, carbon disulfide, and sodium hydroxide; or from methyl isothiocyanate and sodium thiolate.[1]

Upon exposure to the environment, metam sodium decomposes to form methyl isothiocyanate.[3]

Metam sodium is a documented cause of reactive airways dysfunction syndrome.

In 1991 a tank car with 19,000 gallons of metam sodium spilled into Sacramento River above Lake Shasta. This killed all fish in a 41-mile stretch of the river. By 20 years later the rainbow trout population had recovered.[4]

See also

• Zineb - A related dithiocarbamate salt which is also used as a fungicide

References

1. Merck Index, 11th Edition, 5860.
2. 2000-2001 Pesticide Market Estimates Archived 2009-02-07 at the Wayback Machine, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
3. Review of Metam Sodium, Dazomet, Methylisothiocyanate (MITC), Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority, June 1997
4. "Largest chemical spill in California history". dtsc.ca.gov. Retrieved 2017-12-11.

External links

• Metam sodium in the Pesticide Properties DataBase (PPDB)