Malathion

Malathion Risk Assessment Genericville’s city counsel is facing a very vital decision when it comes to the plan of action against the West Nile Virus. The use of the pesticide Malathion is the issue at hand. There are alternatives to using pesticides and all angles must be carefully weighed to determine the overall advantage of all available methods. Malathion has risks as well as benefits. I have evaluated all of the hazards as well as the benefits associated with using Malathion and the affects of using education of the population as the sole prevention for West Nile Virus and have come to the conclusion that the benefits of using the pesticide Malathion outweigh the hazards. Malathion shows little cause of increased likelihood to adverse health effects. Compared to other organophosphate insecticides Malathion has relatively low toxicity to humans, other mammals, and birds, which is why Malathion is the preferred method used to kill mosquitoes and prevent West Nile Virus (Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry, 2007). All the residents will be informed of the dates of application as well as the rate of exposure they will encounter should they go into the areas of direct application. Residents will also be informed to try to stay out of the areas of application for at least a week and to not touch anything that may have Malathion applied to it. Exposure to Malathion may have different effects depending on the dosage a person or being encounters. Early affects of Malathion exposure are as follows: nausea/vomiting, dizziness, muscle weakness, lethargy, agitation or anxiety. These symptoms are typically only seen in those doing the actual application of the Malathion or those who are in a lab formulating the Malathion who do not follow proper safety procedures. Studies of prolonged exposure have shown that irritation of the nose and eyes were the only affects even at high concentration. It is indicated that Malathion can lead to death if there is a very

References: Agency for Toxic Substance & Disease Registry. (2007). Toxicology Information About Insecticides Used for Eradicating Mosquitoes (West Nile Virus Control). Retrieved January 18, 2009 from http://atsdr.cdc.gov