What is the difference between public health insecticides and general pesticides?
First, based on the climate characteristics and the pests' day-and-night activity patterns, choose a favorable time period for application. The best times to apply are from 9 to 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m. This is because from 9 to 10 a.m., the dew on the crop leaves has dried, and it is also the time when day-active pests are most active. Applying at this time will not, because of the dew...
Technical materialPublic health insecticides and pesticide technical materials differ in purity, toxicity (including acute and chronic), residues and safety to objects. The technical material of public health insecticides must be highly pure, of moderate or low toxicity, free of the three teratogenic effects (teratogenicity, carcinogenicity and mutagenicity), and low in residue.
Many insecticides can be used both agriculturally and for public health, but their purity differs. The effects of insecticides on people and the environment are largely caused by impurities contained in the technical material; for technical materials there are many toxicity studies, and the toxicity is clear. But the types of impurities are uncertain and numerous, and their effects on people and the environment are also complex. Generally, a purity of above 95% is required.
Formulations
Preparing insecticide formulations requires adding many adjuvants, and the toxicity and safety of the adjuvants are also very important. For example, in pesticide emulsifiable concentrates, large amounts of xylene benzene-series chemicals are used as solvents, which are highly toxic. At the same time, the purity of the adjuvants is also low, and they are additionally mixed with industrial impurities of unknown types and unclear properties, further increasing the toxicity and uncertainty of the formulation.
Adjuvants used to prepare public health insecticides should likewise be highly pure and non-toxic, and their use should be minimized.
The places of use are different
Public health insecticides are mainly used in places where people live, reside and work, so there are very high requirements for the safety of public health insecticides; general pesticides are used on agriculture, forestry and animal husbandry, and the safety requirements are not as high as those for public health insecticides.