What Is Pyrethrum Poisoning?
Pyrethrum is a naturally occurring mixture of different chemicals found in the flowers of a certain type of plant called - Chrysanthemum. Pyrethrum has insecticidal properties. It was first introduced around 1800 in Asia and was used to kill small insects and ticks, like fleas and mosquitos. In the 1950s, pyrethrins were registered as pesticides and are still used very commonly. However, since it has been used as a pyrethroid, a man-made product, it results in a longer-lasting effect of the chemical. Six individual chemicals are present, activating insecticidal properties in the pyrethrum extract; these compounds are called pyrethrins. Pyrethrins are soluble in water but can also dissolve in organic solvents like alcohol, chlorinated hydrocarbons, and kerosene.
What Are Some Products That Contain Pyrethrins?
At present, there are more than 2,000 pyrethrins containing registered pesticide products.
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Many of these are used around buildings, agricultural land, and ornamental plants.
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It is also used for certain pets and livestock.
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Pyrethrins are commonly found in foggers, sprays, dust, and pet shampoos.
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Pyrethrins are present in some of the substances used for organic farming.
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Pyrethrins are also found in some medicated products used in treating head lice, which the Food and Drug Administration approves.
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Other products include indoor bug bombs, human head-lice treatments, dragon, drion, pyrenone, and pyrocide.
What Happens to Pyrethrins in the Environment?
Pyrethrins and pyrethroids are released into the air because of their use as insecticides. They are used in agricultural land and spread in different ways. Pyrethrins break down in the water and on soil and plant surfaces in sunlight. Pyrethrins can stick to soil and have a very low potential to move through the soil toward groundwater. In field studies, pyrethrins were not found below a soil depth of 15 cm (centimeters). However, pyrethrins can enter the water through soil erosion or drift. In the top soil layers, microbes rapidly break down pyrethrins, which also break down quickly in the environment, especially when exposed to natural sunlight.
How Can Pyrethrins Affect Birds, Fish, or Other Wildlife?
Pyrethrins are natural toxins widely used as insecticides and can cause adverse effects on animals and birds. Pyrethrins are non-toxic to birds but highly toxic to honey bees. However, some of the risks to pollinators are limited by their slightly repellent activity and rapid breakdown.
Pyrethrins are highly toxic to fish. They are also highly toxic to lobsters, shrimp, oysters, and other aquatic insects. Lower temperatures can be a reason for its highly toxic nature. There is evidence that long-term exposure to pyrethrins can cause reproductive effects in fish and aquatic insects.
How Can Pyrethrins and Pyrethroids Affect Human Health?
Pyrethrins and pyrethroids have various effects on the nerves and brain functionality. For example, if a person is exposed to many pyrethrins or pyrethroids on the skin, they may experience numbness, itching, burning, stinging, tingling, or warmth on the exposed part that could last for a few hours.
But if a person gets exposed to very large amounts of these chemicals and enters the body, they might experience dizziness, headache, and nausea that might last several hours. In addition, larger amounts might cause some problems related to the nervous system, like muscle twitching, reduced energy, changes in awareness, convulsions, and loss of consciousness that could last a few days.
Allergic reactions have been seen in a few individuals who use products containing pyrethrins or pyrethroids and are exposed to them regularly. There is no evidence that pyrethrins or pyrethroids cause birth defects in humans or affect the ability of human fertility. However, there is evidence from animal studies that pyrethrins and pyrethroids might be capable of causing cancer in people.
What Are the Ways to Detect Pyrethrin in the Human Body?
Certain laboratory investigations are related to detecting pyrethrin in the body. When it enters the body, pyrethrin breaks down quickly and can be detected by performing blood and urine tests.
What Are the Benefits of Using Pyrethrin?
Pyrethrin is highly effective and strong against most insects, making it the best choice for gardeners and farmers. It can control different insects or flies like aphids, cabbage loopers, fleas, flea beetles, leafhoppers, stink bugs, moths, mosquitoes, and ants. Since it's a natural insecticide, it can be used around flowers, vegetables, and more in the garden. There are a few precautions recommended before using safety.
The man-made pyrethrin can be used for clothing and other accessories to keep mosquitoes, fleas, and other bugs away while wearing them and avoiding the smell. These products are great for camping trips in the forest near lakes or other water bodies. Flea collars will keep a person's pets bug-free and prevent their entry into the home. These man-made pyrethrins are also recommended for home gardening.
Both insecticides are powerful forms of insect control and do not even have to be used in large amounts to make them work. Spraying just a little insecticide where needed will be enough to control the insects without harming human health. Pyrethrin sprays are very popular in the home garden, but many other forms are typically used indoors to control fleas and insects.
How to Reduce the Risk of Exposure to Pyrethrins?
Pyrethrin exposure can be reduced by exercising care when using pesticides that contain these compounds around the house, on pets and children, and by storing them properly. Other ways to reduce the exposure are by thoroughly washing vegetables and fruits before eating them, ensuring that the children wash their hands before eating and educating young children not to eat dirt.
Soils near uncontrolled hazardous waste sites where pyrethrins might have been discarded should discourage children from playing in that soil.
Conclusion
Pyrethrins are naturally occurring chemicals that are commonly used as insecticides. Exposure to this chemical can affect the surrounding soil, air, water, animals, and humans. Different government agencies related to agriculture, drugs, or pesticides have proposed some precautions and safety measures that need to be followed during the use of pyrethrin chemical as an insecticide. If a person gets exposed to the chemical, they should ideally seek medical attention.
