Risk_Assessment

Risk Assessment for Malathion Usage in Genericville James Thompson SCI 275 University of Phoenix April 11, 2009 I will start off with a general introduction to the meaning of the pesticide, Malathion which is a man –made organophosphate pesticide that is yellow in color and produces a skunk-like odor. This particular pesticide is used to control mosquitos that carry the sometimes deadly central nervous virus called West Nile. This pesticide is also used by farmers and the like to control the population of bugs that eat vegetables, fruits, and can be very destructive to landscaping such as small bushes and plants. This pesticide can also be found in other types of insect chemicals used to control fleas and ants. On humans, this product is an effective chemical used to treat lice. When spraying occurs, this will be a smoky mist that will be done in the early evening when most are settling down indoors for the night. Even if people were still outside, the risks of exposure are not as great as one would think. Once sprayed, the effects would diminish within 30 minutes. On exposure to water, Malathion does break down rapidly it does not pose a threat to ground water, even if it is in the topsoil. Hazard identification of Malathion has been used in Human trials to determine levels of toxicity as noted here in Human Studies: Results from human studies are presented for information purposes only. The U.S. EPA presently does not use data from human studies in its risk assessments (EPA has asked the National Academy of Sciences to make “recommendations regarding the particular factors and criteria EPA should consider to determine the potential acceptability ...”) of data from human studies. “... During the Academy's consideration of the issues and until a policy is in place, the Agency will not consider or rely on any such human studies in its regulatory decision making, whether previously or newly submitted. ...” – Quotes from: Environmental News R-246, U.S. EPA, December 14, 2001. The dose response is analyzed by the effects on humans by exposure to Malathion, includes inhalation, digestion, or through the skin also how this affects someone’s health. These symptoms would be anything from exacerbation of chronic illnesses such as breathing problems to dizziness, rashes, sluggishness, headaches, vomiting, muscle weakness, and nervousness. A more acute or life threatening poisoning would include symptoms such as severe breathing problems, diarrhea, confusion, tremors, or coma. Studies have also shown there is no risk of cancer causing carcinogens in animals tested by exposure to the chemical. EPA states: “The U.S. EPA has strict guidelines that require testing of pesticides for their potential to cause cancer. These studies involve feeding laboratory animals large daily doses of the pesticide over most of the lifetime of the animal. Based on these tests, and any other available information, EPA gives the pesticide a rating for its potential to cause cancer in humans. For example, if a pesticide does not cause cancer in animal tests at large doses, then the EPA considers it unlikely the pesticide will cause cancer in humans. Cancer tests are not conducted on human subjects.” This should be a relief for those who are worried what will happen when this chemical is used to control mosquitos that are thriving in the Wetlands. Chemicals when used per their instructions are generally safe with very minimal if any side effects on humans, wildlife, or their environment. The people that have the most exposure to this chemical are Farmers, manufacturers of the chemical, others living close to landfills, and even those outside while the chemicals is being used. The risk characterization assessment includes reviewing the list of contaminates and exposure to humans and animals. Then it takes into account the risk of the population, communities, and eco systems from the pesticides and other contaminates. Spraying the pesticide application may reduce West Nile risk by up to ninety percent. If allowed, the program will reduce the West Nile illnesses from 50 to just five with a rate of death at lower than twenty percent. I think the use of this chemical to take care of the impending mosquito problem certainly does outweigh any risks associated with its use. Our economy and way of life would suffer greatly if the mosquito population was not kept under control. Genericville relies on tourism to sustain the economy as well as our ability to be a popular destination with all of our natural amenities and tranquil atmosphere. References Malathion for Mosquito Control http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/health/mosquitoes/malathion4mosquitoes.htm Pesticide Fact Sheet Number 152: Malathion; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Pesticide Programs, U.S. Government Printing Office: Washington, DC, 1988. 2. Chamber, H. W. Organophosphorus Compounds: An Overview. In Organophosphates: Chemistry, Fate, and Effects; Chambers, J. E., Levi, P. E., Eds.; Academic: San Diego, CA, 1992; pp 3-17. 3. Malathion. In Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB) [CD-ROM]; U.S. National Library of Medicine: Bethesda, MD, (March 2000.) 4. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Pesticide Programs, Washington, DC. Malathion Preliminary Risk Assessments: Health Effects. http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/op/malathion.htm