Posted by
Source Chem on Friday, March 20, 2009 3:00:00 PM
In agriculture, permethrin
is mainly used on cotton, wheat, maize, and alfalfa crops, and is also used to
kill parasites on chickens and other poultry. It’s extensively used in Europe
as a timber treatment against wood boring beetle (woodworm). Its use is
controversial since, as a broad-spectrum chemical, it kills indiscriminately;
as well as the intended pests, it can harm beneficial insects including honey
bees, aquatic life, and small mammals such as mice.
Recently, in South Africa,
residues of permethrin were found in
breast milk, together with DDT, in an area that experienced DDT treatment for
malaria control, as well as the use of pyrethroids in small-scale agriculture.
Permethrin is toxic to cats and many cats die
each year after being given flea treatments intended for dogs, or by contact
with dogs who have recently been treated with permethrin.
Permethrin is also used in healthcare, to
eradicate parasites such as head lice and mites responsible for scabies, and in
industrial and domestic settings to control pests such as ants and termites.
However, the British National Formulary states that permethrin has low efficacy
in eradicating head lice.
Permethrin kills ticks on contact with treated
clothing. According to the Connecticut Department of Public Health, it
"has low mammalian toxicity, is poorly absorbed through the skin and is
rapidly inactivated by the body. Skin reactions have been uncommon."
Permethrin is also used on humans for lice or scabies, the common prescription
is Pertmethrin with 5% concentration for scabies, and OTC (over the counter)
treatment for head lice/crabs is usually permethrin with 1% concentration.
Nanjing Essence Fine-Chemical Co., Ltd. supplies
high quality permethrin and other
agrochemical products.