Talk:Malathion

Malathion Use during World War II
This article should contain information about malathion use during World War II. It should be added. --TJRana (talk) 20:08, 16 June 2013 (UTC)

Untitled
Regarding this statement; "

The skeletal formula is wrong. It lacks the two methyl groups attached to the Oxygen atoms at left. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.231.135.83 (talk) 02:37, 20 May 2008 (UTC)


 * No, it's not wrong. The methyl groups are there - look.


 * Ben (talk) 10:02, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

The article states that malathion and lindane are the only pediculicides approved by the FDA. I believe that permethrin is also approved by the FDA for head lice. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.76.176.70 (talk) 16:53, 7 December 2011 (UTC)

Chronic toxicity?
In regards to malathion and chronic poisoning, there is no evidence for this. http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/MHMI/mmg154.html

Fixed up this whole paragraph in an attempt to make it neutral, and not avoid facts that are given in the references.

"Complete recovery generally occurs within 10 days unless severe lack of oxygen has caused residual brain damage. CNS effects such as confusion, fatigue, irritability, nervousness, and impairment of memory can occasionally last for several weeks. There is no evidence that malathion induces delayed neurotoxicity.

Chronic Exposure

Persistent weakness and impaired memory have been reported to occur from low-level exposures to some organophosphates in the absence of acute cholinergic effects, but there is no reliable information on adverse health effects of chronic exposure to malathion."

The reason I removed this statement in the first place is it seems to be deliberately written in an overly alarming way. corvus.ag (talk) 16:28, 2 April 2008 (UTC)

I just finished up making another change to this article. The reference cited to support the whole thing with malathion killing lobsters was grossly taken out of context, apparently in an attempt to support anti-pesticide views. (Thanks to the anonymous editor for finding this). I think everything in this article is of neutral POV now, but I'll be going through more stuff over the next couple of weeks when I have time to make sure.--corvus.ag (talk) 14:45, 7 April 2008 (UTC)

Malathion is listed on the Head louse page, shouldn't there be a link to it from here? --24.46.164.83 22:00, 23 March 2007 (UTC)

Thinking it as a toothpaste... I mistakenly ate approx 25g of prioderm containing 10% maldison. Can anyone help me figure out if I would have any toxic effect from this act.

I am paranoid about it. Is there any antidote available for this.

Aucklander


 * I would suggest that, if you're being truthful, you contact a physician immediately. – ClockworkSoul 14:42, 10 March 2006 (UTC)

In 1995 I was caught in Pesticide drift near the town of San Miguel, 13 miles south of Las Cruces. I suffered "asthma-like" symptoms, over the years, my lungs have become scarred and pitted, and I was recently hospitalized for a non-related illness when tests indicated I had developed emphysema. I am a non-smoker, had been very active and athletic, and Malathion has pretty much destroyed my quality of life. I believe it should be banned. In the area where it was being sprayed in 1995, children were going to the emergency room with respiratory difficulties, there was a run on meds for "allergies" and I was hospitalized overnight after hemorraging a cup and a half of blood from the ruptured bronchii. It was horrifying, especially when hospital personnel insisted there was "no pesticide problem in the 'clean air' city of Las Cruces, New Mexico, so therefore, I must have either asthma or heart trouble. (I didn't have either)  Nor did I have ulcers.  A bronchoscopy showed beginning damage that seems to have solidified into what is how emphysema.  maya.nolastname@gmail.com.  I am not happy about the reckless spraying of toxins that are killing our fish, wildlife, trees, and us.  This nonsense that a few may die "for the sake of the whole" is insane.


 * And I would suggest you consult a lawyer immediately, rather than post your (unsigned) experience here... Freestyle-69 (talk) 22:47, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Regading this statement; "Formations of three or four agricultural helicopters would overfly suburban portions of Alameda County, San Bernardino county, and Santa Clara County releasing a mixture of malathion and corn syrup, the corn syrup being a bait for the fruit flies."

It should include Los Angeles County. I was there (L.A.) and saw the helicopters over L.A. There were many warnings and notices prior to the gassing. We were told that malathion was not dangerous,but we should cover our vehicles or the paint might be damaged.-BrianAlex


 * If you can find a reliable reference, then by all means include LA County. Freestyle-69 (talk) 22:22, 19 June 2008 (UTC)

Sorry, I don't really know how to do wikipedia editing but they dropped this crap on me too so I just had to chime in. The Los Angeles program happened before the rise of the public internet so it's hard to find more than passing references in related documents but the California Department of Pesticide Regulation compares the more recent Ventura County spraying to the 1989-90 Los Angeles eradication program at

http://www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/emon/pubs/ehapreps/eh9705exsum.htm

I believe the article, as it stands, misrepresents the extent of spraying in California. They've sprayed a lot of places beyond the current list and the above mentioned LA and Ventura counties. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.88.232.97 (talk) 07:22, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Forbidden in Europe This product is forbidden in Europe since 2006. Maybe it's interesting to mention this in the article. There was no convincing evidence that it would / would not be harmful. (http://www.pan-europe.info/Resources/Links/Banned_in_the_EU.pdf)

Lamarck was right!
This line should probably be rephrased: 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. Drutt (talk) 15:46, 1 May 2009 (UTC)

Thiomalate?
Is this thing a thiomalate? Doctor House would like it. Albmont (talk) 12:52, 6 October 2009 (UTC)
 * No, an entirely unrelated substance. Doctor House wouldn't like this one, it stinks terribly. Colchicum (talk) 12:55, 6 October 2009 (UTC)


 * Why the stench? Would it be due to the binding of the SH ions to the Carbayl group, that might give its odourous tell-tale? Richard416282 (talk) 04:48, 2 June 2014 (UTC)

ADHD
ADHD in kids tied to organophosphate pesticides: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE64G41R20100517

Can we please fix reference footnote [3] to cite the actual study and not a reuters or los angeles times coverage of the article? Actual article: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2010/05/17/peds.2009-3058.abstract — Preceding unsigned comment added by 206.192.233.62 (talk) 19:33, 11 December 2012 (UTC)


 * Actually the news report is the better source. See WP:RS. Kendall-K1 (talk) 16:00, 22 January 2013 (UTC)

FDA treaments
RE: "Malathion and lindane are the only two agents approved by the FDA for treatment of pediculosis." This info is out of date. Benzyl alcohol was approved in 2009, and Ivermectin was approved in 2012. The statement is also misleading, as pyrethrum (and others) is widely used but is "registered" not "approved." Kendall-K1 (talk) 22:39, 20 January 2013 (UTC)
 * Would you go ahead and fix that? Gandydancer (talk) 22:53, 20 January 2013 (UTC)


 * I'd like to, but not without sources. I'll see what I can dig up. Kendall-K1 (talk) 03:45, 22 January 2013 (UTC)


 * I fixed it. Even the existing source had a third agent. Gandydancer (talk) 14:13, 22 January 2013 (UTC)

I'm going to delete the following:

Malathion is also used in conjunction with diesel fuel to fog an area where there is an infestation 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.

I am not able to source it but we are being quoted - see here for example. If someone can source it, please return the info. Gandydancer (talk) 15:18, 22 January 2013 (UTC)


 * Thanks. Much better, and I agree about the diesel fuel. Unfortunately the FDA web site is maddeningly hard to use and I can't find a current list of approved head lice treatments but we don't really need to list them all here anyway.


 * I kind of wish news outlets wouldn't use WP as a source. They should go to whatever source we're using. Otherwise it becomes a circular reference. I think that's just laziness on their part. Kendall-K1 (talk) 15:57, 22 January 2013 (UTC)

Second most common organophosphate
http://www.epa.gov/opp00001/pestsales/07pestsales/usage2007_3.htm#3_7

The EPA Data shows it being the second most common, after chlorpyrifos. Data in the currently cited article must come from 2005, whereas 2007 it switched.```` — Preceding unsigned comment added by Triggerdog91 (talk • contribs) 20:17, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

Opening paragraph Medical Jargon
The opening paragraph is a lexicon of medical jargon. Yes. That is a very good definition, but it is not for the lay-person.


 * "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.[3]"

Suggested replacement text.

Malathion is an insecticide. It has been tested to be relatively low in toxicity to humans. [Source Needed]

Medical definition:Malathion is an organophosphate parasympathomimetic which binds irreversibly to cholinesterase.

Other names:In the former USSR, it was known as carbophos, in New Zealand and Australia as maldison and in South Africa as mercaptothion.[3]

Richard416282 (talk) 04:42, 2 June 2014 (UTC)

Peroxide leaving group?
Something looks to be wrong with the statement about peroxide being a leaving group. Source?199.242.209.6 (talk) 13:45, 15 February 2019 (UTC)
 * I agree that it appears to be wrong because malathion has no peroxide group to become a leaving group. But at the very least, even if there's something more complex going on, it lacks context and explanation to be meaningful, so I have removed the statement. -- Ed (Edgar181) 14:04, 15 February 2019 (UTC)