Chlorfenvinphos — toxicity, side effects, diseases and environmental impacts
11/23/2017 / By Michelle Simmons
Chlorfenvinphos is an organophosphorus cholinesterase inhibitor that is used as an insecticide and an acaricide. It can be physically described as a colorless liquid with mild odor. It was widely used until all products that contain the chemical was banned in the United States in 1991. It was commonly used to control household pests such as flies, fleas, mice, ticks, lice, and mites on cattle and for blowfly, lice, ked, and itchmite on sheep.
In addition, it is used as a foliage insecticide for potatoes, rice, maize, and sugar cane and is used to control soil insects. Chlorfenvinphos has the molecular formula of C12H14Cl3O4P.
List of known side effects
There are a lot of side effects of chlorfenvinphos in humans, both acute and chronic health effects. Exposure to chlorfenvinphos can cause rapid, fatal organophosphate poisoning with headache, sweating, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of coordination, and death. If inhaled, the chemical may cause irritation in the lungs, which can also lead to coughing and/or shortness of breath. Inhalation may cause pupillary constriction, muscle cramp, and excessive salivation. It may also cause the vision to blur if eye contact occurs.
Moreover, higher exposures may result to severe shortness of breath and pulmonary edema, which is the build-up of fluid in the lungs. In addition to the list of acute health effects, it may also affect the heart, resulting to bradycardia, in which the heart beats slower, or arrhythmia wherein the heart beats irregularly. Long-term effects of the chemical are headache, confusion, loss of coordination, slurring of speech, convulsions, and unconsciousness. In addition, it may cause personality changes, depression, anxiety, or irritability. If the chemical is swallowed and inhaled, it can be fatal. Moreover, it can be toxic in contact with skin.
Chlorfenvinphos is highly toxic to mammals, birds, honeybees, and aquatic invertebrates, while it is moderately toxic to fish and earthworms.
Body systems affected by chlorfenvinphos
The body systems negatively affected by chlorfenvinphos include the nervous, immune, digestive, ocular, integumentary, respiratory, muscular, and cardiovascular systems.
Items that can contain chlorfenvinphos
Chlorfenvinphos can be found in insecticide products that are used to control rootflies, rootworms, and other soil pests, such as ticks, livestock flies, mites, Colorado beetle, and leafhoppers. Products that contain chlorfenvinphos are applied on the soil and on potatoes, rice, and vegetables such as brassicas, swedes, turnips, carrots, onions, citrus, sugarcane, and sweetcorn.
Some of the brand names that contain chlorfenvinphos are Vinylphate, Birlane, Steladone, Supona,, Sapercon, Apachlor, and Haptarax.
How to avoid chlorfenvinphos
There are several ways to avoid chlorfenvinphos exposure when handling the chemical. One of these is to wear protective gloves and other protective clothing, such as suits, shoes, headgear to avoid skin contact with the chemical. To avoid eye contact with the chemical, use protective eye wear such as safety goggles. It is also advised to wear the proper respirator to avoid inhaling the chemical. To avoid swallowing the chemical, refrain from eating, drinking, or smoking where chlorfenvinphos is handled, processed, or stored. In addition, washing hands thoroughly before eating, drinking, or smoking is another way to prevent swallowing the chemical.
Where to learn more
Summary
Chlorfenvinphos is an insecticide applied on soil to control root-flies, rootworms, and other soil pests, such as ticks, livestock flies, mites, Colorado beetle, and leafhoppers.
Chlorfenvinphos is also used as a foliage insecticide for potatoes, rice, maize, and sugar cane and is used to control soil insects.
Chlorfenvinphos may cause organophosphate poisoning with headache, sweating, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of coordination, and even death.
Chlorfenvinphos may irritate the lungs, causing cough and/or shortness of breath.
Higher exposure to chlorfenvinphos may result to severe shortness of breath and pulmonary edema.
Chlorfenvinphos may also cause bradycardia and/or arrythmia.
Long-term effects of chlorfenvinphos include headache, confusion, loss of coordination, slurring of speech, convulsions, and unconsciousness.
It may also cause personality changes, depression, anxiety, or irritability.
Chlorfenvinphos is extremely toxic to mammals, birds, honeybees, and aquatic invertebrates. Meanwhile, it is moderately toxic to fish and earthworms.
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