Transfluthrin Explained

Transfluthrin is a fast-acting pyrethroid insecticide with low persistency. It has the molecular formula C₁₅H₁₂Cl₂F₄O₂.

Transfluthrin can be used in the indoor environment against flies, mosquitoes, moths and cockroaches. It is a relatively volatile substance and acts as a contact and inhalation agent.^{[1] [2]}

Transfluthrin, if used contrary to product instructions, may cause symptoms of poisoning including nervousness, anxiety, tremor, convulsions, skin allergies, sneezing, running nose and irritation. Treatment depends on symptoms. No specific antidotes are known, but antihistamines may help to control any allergies.^[3]

In experiments, transfluthrin was shown to kill 85 percent of mosquitos within one hour of exposure at concentrations below 0.3 μg/m³ (which was the detection limit) in air.^[4] (The data suggests that transfluthrin is effective at these concentrations within much less than an hour of exposure.)

Various household transfluthrin products such as vaporizers and mosquito coils may result in concentrations of 15 μg/m³ to 40 μg/m³.^[5] In the EU, the acceptable exposure level (AEL) for humans is 500 μg/m³.^[5]

See also

• Metofluthrin
• Tefluthrin

External links

• Book: Paranjape. Kalyani. Gowariker. Vasant. Krishnamurthy. V.N.. Gowariker. Sugha. The Pesticide Encyclopedia. 22 December 2014. CABI. 978-1-78064-014-3. see 486.
• Vesin. Aude. Glorennec. Philippe. Le Bot. Barbara. Wortham. Henri. Bonvallot. Nathalie. Quivet. Etienne. Transfluthrin indoor air concentration and inhalation exposure during application of electric vaporizers. Environment International. 60. 2013. 1–6. 0160-4120. 10.1016/j.envint.2013.07.011. 23973617. 2013EnInt..60....1V . 16608444 .

Notes and References

1. Web site: WHO Specifications and evaluations for public health pesticides: Transfluthrin. WHO specification 741/2006 – Evaluation Report 741/2002 (November 2006) . World Health Organization (WHO) . November 2006 . 15 May 2020 . 20.
2. Pates . H. V. . Lines . J. D. . Keto . A. J. . Miller . J. E. . September 2002 . Personal protection against mosquitoes in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, by using a kerosene oil lamp to vaporize transfluthrin: Mosquito repellent vaporizing lamps . Medical and Veterinary Entomology . en . 16 . 3 . 277–284 . 10.1046/j.1365-2915.2002.00375.x. 12243228 . 32047931 .
3. Information on the leaflet supplied with the product: Good Knight Advanced (ACTIV+ System) Mosquito Repellent Vaporizer cartridge (UPC Code:8 901157 001143)
4. N.J. Martin et al., The impact of transfluthrin on the spatial repellency of the primary malaria mosquito vectors in Vietnam: Anopheles dirus and Anopheles minimus.. Malar J 19, 9 (2020)
5. http://dissemination.echa.europa.eu/Biocides/ActiveSubstances/1404-18/1404-18_Assessment_Report.pdf Assessment report: Transfluthrin