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The insect repellents: A silent environmental chemical toxicant to the health

In recent years, a large number of insect repellents have been developed with the idea of consumer benefits. In addition to already known advantageous application of insect repellents, there is increasing concern about the potential toxicity in environment leading to health caused by random use of these compounds. An increasing number of evidence suggests that insect repellents may trigger undesirable hazardous interactions with biological systems with a potential to generate harmful effects including intermediate metabolites. Biotransformation followed by bioaccumulation (vice e versa) may be an important phenomenon for toxic response of this chemicals.

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 Chemical or natural: what’s the best way to repel mozzies?

The most effective topical repellents are those that contain either DEET or picaridin. These two products have repeatedly been shown to protect against bites and, despite the common misconception, have shown to be safe to use, including on children over the age of three months. While there is still some debate about whether products such as DEET and picaridin actively repel or simply confuse mosquitoes looking for blood, there is no doubt that when applied to exposed skin, they stop biting by mosquitoes.

Articles of Interest

Insect Repellents Fact Sheet

There are multiple active ingredients in insect repellents registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). DEET, picaridin, IR3535, and oil of lemon eucalyptus are referred to in this fact sheet as common insect repellents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends using products with one of these EPA registered ingredients. They can be applied to human skin and some can be used on clothing. They come as sprays, wipes, or lotions. Find the repellent that is best for you with EPA's repellent search tool. Oil of lemon eucalyptus and IR3535 are based off of chemicals that occur in nature but are man-made ingredients. Because they are related to substances found in nature, they are both considered to be biopesticides. Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) may also be listed on products by its chemical name, p-menthane-3,8-diol (PMD).

How to Repel Mosquitoes Safely

Although recent scientific data calls into question evidence that DEET results in seizures in children, Beyond Pesticides suggests that people consider least-toxic repellents such as OLE and the others listed in this article be used in place of DEET. In humans, symptoms of acute exposure to DEET include headache, exhaustion and mental confusion...

These bug repellents actually work—if you use them correctly

Many experts consider picaridin to work just as well as DEET, and it may even last a bit longer. They both offer protection against a slew of irritating insects, including biting flies, gnats, ticks, chiggers, and fleas. Outdoorsy types may want to consider using permethrin on their clothes. It’s another EPA-approved repellent that not only masks human scent but also acts as an insecticide, killing insects on contact, says Herbert.

What You Want To Know About Insect Repellent and Chemical Safety

The insect repellents we rely on in the great outdoors are a type of pesticide. ​People often think the term “pesticide” refers only to a product that kills insects, but pesticide is a broader term that includes products designed to repel – not kill – pests. Spray-on insect repellents, for example, simply make people less attractive to the pest.