User:Ctpen15/sandbox

Outline of Wikipedia Page on Dacthal:

Firstly, we would like to greatly expand upon the chemical properties table found on the current wikipedia page (boiling point, half life etc). We would also like to expand upon chemical in the introduction of the article, adding facts like current usage or when the compound was first synthesized.

Usage In this section, we would go into more depth on the creation of Dacthal, and it’s uses in society. This section could discuss where in the world Dacthal is used as a pesticide, and the quantity of usage in these areas. This could also be a good section to explain the mechanism by which Dacthal acts as a pesticide, and also explain why some might choose to use Dacthal over other common pesticides

Efficacy This section could be key to explaining the success of Dacthal as a pesticide, potentially getting data from the company that synthesizes the product. These figures could include the parts per million value of Dacthal in some pesticide sprays, and potentially Dacthal’s suppressive ability for various crops

Degredation Through our research, we have determined that Dacthal degregates, TPA and MTP, are what may be responsible for developmental disruption due to Dacthal. This would be a good place to introduce these degregates, and here we can link to our pages on TPA and MTP. Currently, these pages do not exist, so even brief wikipedia entries would be helpful. We can use data from studies that show the stability of Dacthal, which multiple studies have investigated. This will describe the process by which Dacthal degrades, and also what causes this degradation.

Toxicology/ Environmental Damage This section should make up the bulk of our article. We could begin by noting some characteristics such as OD 50, and subsequently discuss studies that have shown the levels of Dacthal found in humans/animals that have been exposed to Dacthal. The studies we have found show the contamination of Dacthal in ground water, soil, plants, animals, fish, etc. We could discuss how Dacthal moves from being sprayed onto crops into the environment, and the implications of Dacthal in the environment. Furthermore, this section could discuss how high levels of Dacthal have been shown to disrupt healthy bodily functions, and what may lead to these effects on a cellular level.

Regulation and the Future of Dacthal Many of our data sources come from federal or state governments that have performed research, testing, and analysis on Dacthal and its degragates. One would think they are running these tests to determine if Dacthal is safe as well as effective. We would discuss varying usage limits of Dacthal in different US regions, and even around the world. We could also discuss alternatives to Dacthal that may be safer, or reasons that further testing may lead to a phasing out of Dacthal.

Degradates of Dacthal
Dacthal degrades into monomethyl tetrachloroterephthalate (MTP) and tetrachloroterephthalic acid (TPA) by dealkylations of the methyl groups at the ester linkages. TPA and MTP are both more water-soluble than Dacthal, and readily leach into groundwater wherever Dacthal is used, regardless of soil composition. TPA has been observed to cause weight loss and diarrhea in laboratory rats, the same symptoms caused by Dacthal, but at lower doses than necessary for Dacthal.