Paraquat: A highly toxic herbicide
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The bottom line
Paraquat is an herbicide used for weed control. Paraquat solution is corrosive even at low concentrations, so getting it on the skin, getting it in the eyes, or swallowing it causes burns. When ingested, it is taken up by the lungs resulting in cell death and scarring of the lungs. It causes kidney failure, liver injury, and heart damage. The toxic and lethal doses are low and there is no antidote. There is evidence that paraquat increases Parkinson’s disease risk.
Prevention tips
Store paraquat up, away, and out of reach of children.
Do not use paraquat unless you are a certified commercial applicator.
Keep paraquat in its original labeled container.
To dispose of paraquat, take it to a hazardous waste collection program.
Do not pour it down the drain.
Triple rinse empty containers.
Wash skin with soap and water and eyes with a large amount of water.
This really happened
A 16-month-old child ingested an unknown amount of undiluted paraquat that had been transferred to a plastic water bottle. The parents were advised by the poison center to immediately go to the emergency department by ambulance. The child vomited once. The child received activated charcoal to decontaminate the gastrointestinal tract, methylprednisolone, and N-acetylcysteine (an antioxidant). The child was transferred to a tertiary care center, intubated, and 7 hours after ingestion started on a type of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) which was continued for 81 hours. Blood and urine paraquat concentrations were monitored throughout the time in the pediatric intensive care unit.
On the second day, the child developed ulcerations of the lips, mouth, and tongue, which improved in 48 hours. The child also experienced pneumatosis intestinalis (gas bubbles or cysts in the wall of the intestines), which was treated with bowel rest, fluids, and antibiotics. On the third day, the chest x-ray showed interstitial changes (inflammation, thickening, scarring in supportive tissue around air sacs in lungs). The child was treated with an antifibrotic agent (pirfenidone) to minimize the risk of pulmonary fibrosis. On follow-up 6 months after discharge, there was no evidence of pulmonary fibrosis.
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What is paraquat? Is it banned in the US?
Paraquat is an herbicide used for weed control. Is not banned in the US, although some public health groups are urging for it to be banned. It is banned in Vermont as of May 2026.
It is available for commercial agricultural use; however, it is categorized as a “restricted-use” herbicide, meaning only certified commercial applicators can use it. It is packaged to prevent accidental spills and swallowing. It cannot be used in homes, schools, parks, playgrounds, or golf courses.
Why is paraquat so poisonous?
Concentrated paraquat solutions (≥20%) are highly corrosive and can even corrode metals such as steel and aluminum. In people, even low concentrations of paraquat can cause serious burns to the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes. When ingested, paraquat damages cells and destroys body tissues. It is actively taken up by the lungs, where it can cause cell death and scarring known as pulmonary fibrosis. Paraquat poisoning can also cause kidney failure, liver injury, and heart failure. Even a small amount can cause severe, potentially life-threatening poisoning.
Symptoms of paraquat poisoning
If paraquat is swallowed, it causes burning, pain, and swelling in the mouth and throat. Severe corrosive gastrointestinal injury results in nausea, vomiting (sometimes with blood), abdominal pain, diarrhea, and dehydration due to massive fluid and electrolyte loss. There can be severe damage to the esophagus and stomach.
Other symptoms include difficulty breathing, coma, seizures, high heart rate, shock (resulting from very low blood pressure), muscle weakness, fluid in the lungs, heart failure, liver injury, and kidney failure. Within a few days, pulmonary fibrosis can occur – a potentially lethal lung disease which causes scarring and thickening in the air sacs of the lungs, making it difficult to breathe.
What to do if someone swallows or is exposed to paraquat
If you get paraquat on your skin, remove your clothes and wash your skin with plenty of soap and water. If it gets in your eyes, rinse them with water for 15–20 minutes. If it is ingested, do not make the person vomit. There are treatments that can be performed in the emergency department within the first hour to minimize absorption. Call 911 for emergency transport to an emergency department.
Get expert help
If someone swallows paraquat, gets paraquat in the eyes, or if you have a question about using paraquat safely, use the webPOISONCONTROL® online tool to get help, or call your poison center at 1-800-222-1222. Whether online or by phone, expert guidance is always free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day.
Does paraquat cause Parkinson’s disease?
Yes. Evidence suggests that paraquat exposure increases the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. People who work with paraquat may have approximately twice the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease compared with those who are not exposed. Paraquat may contribute to the development of Parkinson’s disease by damaging nerve cell mitochondria, disrupting dopamine function, and causing oxidative stress that can eventually lead to nerve cell death.
Is there an antidote for paraquat poisoning?
There is no antidote for paraquat poisoning. Medications such as cyclophosphamide and glucocorticoids may be used in moderate to severe paraquat poisoning, although their benefit has not been proven. Other treatments, including antioxidants (vitamins C and E), N-acetylcysteine, desferrioxamine, and edaravone, have been studied for paraquat poisoning but have shown limited benefit. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been successfully used as a bridge to bilateral lung transplantation in some cases. However, ECMO and lung transplantation are not available to everyone who might benefit from these treatments.
Paraquat exposure from food
While there might be trace amounts of paraquat in food, they are below levels that cause poisoning. When approved agricultural standards are followed, foods from crops treated with paraquat are considered safe. In addition, paraquat breaks down on contact with soil, so there is minimal residue on crops.