Malathion

You don't need to be Editor-In-Chief to add or edit content to WikiDoc. You can begin to add to or edit text on this WikiDoc page by clicking on the edit button at the top of this page. Next enter or edit the information that you would like to appear here. Once you are done editing, scroll down and click the Save page button at the bottom of the page.

Malathion
Image:Malathion-skeletal.png
IUPAC name	2-(dimethoxyphosphinothioylthio) butanedioic acid diethyl ester
Other names	Malathion Carbofos Maldison Mercaptothion
Identifiers
CAS number	121-75-5
PubChem	4004
SMILES	CCOC(=O)CC(C(=O)OCC)SP(=S)(OC)OC
Properties
Molecular formula	C10H19O6PS2
Molar mass	330.358021
Density	1.23 g/cm3
Melting point	2.9 °C
Boiling point	156-157 °C at 0.7 mmHg
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) Infobox disclaimer and references

Malathion is an organophosphate parasympathomimetic which binds irreversibly to cholinesterase. Malathion is an insecticide of relatively low human toxicity.

In the former USSR it was known as carbophos, in New Zealand and Australia as maldison and in South Africa as mercaptothion. ^[1]

Risks

Malathion breaks down into malaoxon, which is 60 times more toxic than malathion. For this reason, if malathion is used in or somehow enters an indoor environment, as it breaks down into malaoxon, it can seriously and chronically poison the occupants living or working in this environment. Malathion present in untreated water is converted to malaoxon during the chlorination phase of water treatment, so malathion should not be used in waters that may be used as a source for drinking water, or any upstream waters.

In 1976, numerous malaria workers in Pakistan were poisoned by isomalathion, a common impurity in malathion,^[1] which is capable of inhibiting carboxyesterase enzymes in those exposed to it; the original toxicity evaluation for malathion had not anticipated isomalathion coexposure.

Clinical uses

Malathion is used as a treatment for head lice, body lice and scabies. It effectively kills both the eggs and the adult lice.

Instances of use

In the US, it is the most commonly used organophosphate insecticide. ^[1]

Malathion was used in the 1980s in California to combat the Mediterranean Fruit Fly. This was accomplished on a wide scale by the near weekly aerial spraying of suburban communities for a period of several months. Formations of three or four agricultural helicopters would overfly suburban portions of San Bernardino county releasing a mixture of malathion and corn syrup, the corn syrup being a bait for the fruit flies. Malathion has also been used to combat the Mediterranean Fruit Fly in Australia.^[1]

Malathion was sprayed in many cities to combat West Nile virus. In the Fall of 1999 and the Spring of 2000, Long Island and the five boroughs of New York City were sprayed with malathion. Use of the insecticide has been blamed for large lobster die-off in Long Island Sound.^[1]

Manitoba, Province of Canada, ordered the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba to be sprayed in July 2005 as part of the West Nile virus campaign. Prior to this, Malathion was used over the last couple of decades on regular basis during summer months to kill nuisance mosquitos, but homeowners were allowed to exempt their properties if they chose. Today, Winnipeg is the only major city in Canada with an ongoing Malathion nuisance adult mosquito control program.

Malathion is also used in conjunction with diesel to fog an area where there are plenty of mosquitoes. By diluting the mixture, it becomes much weaker. It is possible to dilute the mixture to the point where mosquitoes are not killed, but become more resistant to the mixture, making it less effective in subsequent foggings.

See also

• Pesticide toxicity to bees

References

v • d • e Ectoparasiticides (P03)
Sulfur-containing products	Disulfiram
Chlorine-containing products	Lindane
Pyrethrines, including synthetic compounds	Pyrethrum · Phenothrin · Permethrin
Other ectoparasiticides, including scabicides	Benzyl benzoate · Malathion · Quassia

cs:Malation

de:Malathionfa:مالاتیون fr:Malathion nl:Malathion

External Links

• Malathion Technical Fact Sheet - National Pesticide Information Center
• Malathion General Fact Sheet - National Pesticide Information Center
• Malathion Pesticide Information Profile - Extension Toxicology Network

WikiDoc Help Menu Quick Start.. Get Started Here! How to Login How to Search Pages How to Start a New Page How to Edit a Page Cheat Sheet Editing basics Learning Basic Formatting How to make Links in WikiDoc & to External Sites How to Make Lists How to Ignoring Formatting Adding References or Footnotes to Articles Tracking Changes You Have Made How to Put an Article Into a Category When Multiple Topics Should Go To The Same Page (MI, Acute MI, AMI) Using Redirection Advanced editing How to Make Tables How to Insert Images and Other Media How to Add Video Help:How to Make Columns Web Colors How To Make Templates How to Move Pages Inserting Dynamic Dates and Times Inserting WikiDoc Statistics Editing the Table of Contents Communicating your edits Let others know what you changed: The importance of Edit Summaries Minor Edits Edit Conflicts Help Videos You Can Watch Getting Started Video

Acknowledgement and Attribution Regarding Sources of Content

Some of the initial content on this page may be incorporated in part from copyleft sources in the public domain including wikis such as Wikipedia and AskDrWiki. Drug information for patients came from the The National Library of Medicine. Infectious disease information may have come from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Differential Diagnoses are drawn from clinicians as well as an amalgamation of 3 sources: 1.The Disease Database; 2. Kahan, Scott, Smith, Ellen G. In A Page: Signs and Symptoms. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2004:3; 3. Sailer, Christian, Wasner, Susanne. Differential Diagnosis Pocket. Hermosa Beach, CA: Borm Bruckmeir Publishing LLC, 2002:7 .