Cyfluthrin is a
pyrethroid
A pyrethroid is an organic compound similar to the natural pyrethrins, which are produced by the flowers of pyrethrums (''Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium'' and ''Chrysanthemum coccineum, C. coccineum''). Pyrethroids are used as commercial and hou ...
insecticide
Insecticides are substances used to kill insects. They include ovicides and larvicides used against insect eggs and larvae, respectively. Insecticides are used in agriculture, medicine, industry and by consumers. Insecticides are claimed to b ...
and common household pesticide. It is a complex organic compound and the commercial product is sold as a mixture of
isomer
In chemistry, isomers are molecules or polyatomic ions with identical molecular formulae – that is, same number of atoms of each element – but distinct arrangements of atoms in space. Isomerism is existence or possibility of isomers.
Iso ...
s. Like most pyrethroids (MoA 3a),
it is highly toxic to fish and
invertebrates
Invertebrates are a paraphyletic group of animals that neither possess nor develop a vertebral column (commonly known as a ''backbone'' or ''spine''), derived from the notochord. This is a grouping including all animals apart from the chordate ...
, but it is far less toxic to humans.
[ It is generally supplied as a 10–25% liquid concentrate for commercial use and is diluted prior to spraying onto agricultural crops and outbuildings.
]
Safety
In rats, the s are 500, 800 (oral), and 600 (skin) mg/kg.
Excessive exposure can cause nausea, headache, muscle weakness, salivation, shortness of breath and seizures. In humans, it is deactivated by enzymatic hydrolysis to several carboxylic acid metabolites, whose urinary excretion half-lives are in a range of 5–7 hours. Worker exposure to the chemical can be monitored by measurement of the urinary metabolites, while severe overdosage may be confirmed by quantification of cyfluthrin in blood or plasma.
Health and safety risks are controlled by right to know
Right to know is a human right enshrined in law in several countries. UNESCO defines it as the right for people to "participate in an informed way in decisions that affect them, while also holding governments and others accountable". It pursues ...
laws that exist in most developed countries. Cyfluthrin is regulated in the US by the EPA.
See also
* Cyhalothrin
Cyhalothrin is the ISO common name for an organic compound that, in specific isomeric forms, is used as a pesticide.
It is a pyrethroid, a class of synthetic insecticides that mimic the structure and properties of the naturally occurring insectici ...
* Imiprothrin
Imiprothrin is a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide. It is an ingredient in some commercial and consumer insecticide products for indoor use. It has low acute toxicity to humans through the inhalation and dermal routes, but to insects it acts as a ...
References
{{insecticides
Fluoroarenes
Organochlorides
(cyano-(3-phenoxyphenyl)methyl) 2,2,3-trimethylcyclopropane-1-carboxylates
Pyrethroids