MALATHION
Feras Alame Ddine. alameddf@myumanitoba.ca [Department of Environmental Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada R3T 2N2],
Introduction
Malathionisaninsecticideinthechemicalfamilyorganophosphates
andithasbeenregisteredforuseintheUnitedStatessince1956(1).
Productscontainingmalathionareusedoutdoorstocontrolawide
varietyofinsectsinagriculturalsettings,aroundpeopleshomesand
waterways,tomostlypreventmosquito-bornedisease(1).Itis
generallyusedonawiderangeofterrestrialfoodandfeedcrops,
terrestrialnon-foodcrops,aquaticfood,non-agriculturalindoor,
outdoorsites,andforwideoutdoorareas(1).Malathionisappliedby
foggingtrucksthereforemalathionwillentertheatmosphere.Whenin
theatmosphere,malathionisdegradedbyphotolysis,butchemical
residuescouldalsobedepositedbybulkatmospheric(rainfalland
particulatematter)deposition(2).Itslowacutemammaliantoxicityis
duetoitsselectivehydrolyticdegradation,viamammalian
carboxylesterases,versusitsoxidativeactivationtothepotent
acetylcholinesteraseinhibitormalaoxonininsects(10).
Molecular Structure
MolecularformulaC10H19O6PS2
IUPACname:Diethyl(dimethoxythiophosphorylthio)succinate
1) 2)
Figure1:Molecularstructureofmalathion.Takenfrom(1)
Figure2:ULV(ultralowvolumeapplications)usedbytheCityof
WinnipegtoapplyMalathion95forthecontrolofadultmosquito
populations(2).Takenfrom(11)
Physiochemical Properties
PhysicalState:Liquid(3)
MolecularWeight330.4g/mol(3)
Solubility(water):145mg/L(3)
Boilingpoint/range156-157C(3)
Meltingpoint2.8C(3)
Watersolubility@25C145ppm(3)
Vaporpressure1.78x10-4mmHgat25Cor5.3mPaat30C;also anddirection(2).Aerialapplicationshavebeenshowntodriftforlong
1.2x10-4to8x10-6mmHgat20C(3)
logKow(25C)2.36-2.89(4)
HalfLifeinsoilranger1-17daysandinwaterestimatedas65daysat
pH8.16and17.4daysatpH6.0(3)
SoilSorptionCoefficient(Koc):30,93-1800dependingonsoiltype
andenvironmentalconditions(3).
Use Characteristics Environmental Detection
Malathionisanon-systemic,widespectrumOPinsecticide.It Malathionwasdetectedat0.6%of174samplingstationsof
isusedintheagriculturalproductionofawidevarietyof Nationsriver(9).
food/feedcropstocontrolinsectssuchasaphids, Malathionwasoftendetectedinrainwaterwhenthecityfogged
leafhoppers,andJapanesebeetles(5). for21daysandused6,632kilogramsofmalathion(7).
Malathionisalsousedinthecottonbollweevilandmormon Malathiondetectedinfreshwateramphipods,waterflies,and
cricketeradicationprogramsandasageneralwide-area stonefliesspecies.Thisincluded16%oftheweeklysamples
treatmentformosquito-bornediseasecontrol(adulticide)(1). exceedingtoxicologicthresholds,effectingimportantkeystone
Itisalsoavailabletothehomegardenerforoutdoor species(7).
residentialuseswhichincludevegetablegardens,home
Malathionwasdetectedonlyonce(0.99mg/L)in446samples
orchards,variousornamentalsandlawnsaswellasoutdoor fromthreeOntarioriverbasins(detectionlimit0.1mg/L)(9).
mosquitoandinsectcontrol(5).
Table1: MalathionHydrolysisProcess.Takenfrom(10)
Table 1 : ThetableillustratestheMalathionHydrolysisprocessunder
differentaqueoussolutions.Malathionismorestableinnaturalfreshand
Figure 3: Malathion being sprayed by the City of Winnipeg fogging truck. (CBC) salinewatersbetweenpH5and7andlessstableatpH'sgreaterthan7or
Environmental Fate
lessthan2itcanundergochemicaldegradationthroughhydrolysisinsoil
andwaterasinfluencedbypH,temperature,soilminerals,organicmatter,
andmoisture,themagnitudeofmicrobialdegradationisprobablyfar
Water.PersistenceofMalathioninwaterispHdependantand
greater(10).
degradesquicklyinwaterwithpH>7.0.ithasalowvapourpressure
of5.3mPaat30C,thus,itssolubilityinwaterisquitehigh(145mg/L
at25C).Hydrolysisisthemainrouteofdegradationinalkaline
Conclusions
aerobicconditions.Thehalf-liferangeofmalathioninH2Ois0.2 Malathionisconsideredlowerintoxicityandlesspersistent(1
weeksatpH8.0comparedto21weeksatpH6.0(7). to25daysinsoil)thanotherorganophosphoruspesticides.
Soil.Malathionismoderatelytohighlymobileinsoil.Itbinds Therefore,itisusedheavilyoutdoorstocontrolwidevarietyof
moderatelytosoilandisbiodegradedandhydrolysedsignificantly;it insectsinagriculturalsettings,aroundpeopleshomesand
isnotexpectedtoleachtogroundwater.Theprimaryrouteof waterways,tomostlypreventmosquito-bornedisease.Inwater,
malathiondegradationinsoilisthroughaerobicsoilmetabolism.The malathionhasahalf-lifeofapproximatelyoneweekandismore
half-lifeofmalathioninsoilwasreportedtobe3daysinalkalinesoil stableinacidicaquaticconditions(Table1).Malathionissoluble
and7daysinacidicsoil(7).Biodegradationbymicroorganismsisan inwaterandcanbehighlymobileinsoilalthoughthelow
importantfateprocessinsoil.ThisisespeciallytruewhenpH<7.0(7). persistenceandapplicationtofoliageprovideforarelativelylow
Air Malathiontransportintheatmosphereisinfluencedbyfactorssuchas risktocontaminategroundwater.Malathionisthoughtnotto
itsatmosphericdegradationanddepositionrates,aswellaswindspeed bioconcentrateinaquaticspeciesbutcanbeacutelytoxicto
manyspecies.Ithighlytoxictolarvalstagesofamphibiansand
distances,causingadverseeffectsinsurroundingwaterways(2).Malathion
toaquaticinvertebrates(7).Tounderstandthecompletesetof
wasdetectedinverylowconcentrationsin41%rainfallsamples,and
between6and25%ofthesamplesexceededthetoxicologicalthreshold
effects,itisimportantweexaminebothrelevantconcentration
andecologicalsuccession.Therefore,morestudiesareneeded
onsurfacewaterasaresultofwetdeposition(2).Researchersfoundthat
toevaluatethenegativeeffectsitpossesonfreshwater
theHenry'sLawConstantwaspooratpredictingthedistributionof
malathionbetweenairandfogdroplets,withfogdropletscontainingupto organisms,astheareveryimportantfortheenvironmentaland
six-foldgreaterconcentrationsofmalathionthanexpected(8). ecologicalwellbeing.