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 swallowed, 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 paraquat down the drain.
Triple rinse empty containers.
If exposed to paraquat, wash the skin with soap and water and rinse 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 continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT, a type of dialysis), which 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, a chest x-ray showed inflammation, thickening, and scarring of supportive tissue around air sacs in the 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 (from Horsley et al., 2025).
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What is paraquat? Is it banned in the US?
Paraquat is an herbicide used for weed control. It 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% or more) 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 swallowed, paraquat damages cells and destroys body tissues. It is actively taken up by the lungs, where it can cause cell death and scarring (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—potentially lethal 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 swallowed, do not make the person vomit. There are treatments that can be performed in an emergency room within the first hour to minimize absorption. Call 911 for emergency transportation to an emergency room.
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.
Is there an antidote for paraquat poisoning?
There is no antidote for paraquat poisoning. Medications such as cyclophosphamide and glucocorticoids can 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. In some cases, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been successfully used as a bridge until bilateral lung transplantation can occur. However, ECMO and lung transplantation are not available to everyone who might benefit from these treatments.
Does paraquat cause Parkinson’s disease?
Yes. Evidence suggests that people who work with paraquat have approximately twice the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease compared with those who are not exposed.
Paraquat exposure from food
While there might be trace amounts of paraquat in food, they are below concentrations 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. However, it is always good practice to rinse your fruits and vegetables before cooking or eating them.