Indoor Air Cartoon Journal, June 2019, Volume 2, #62

The irritation and illness caused by insects bite and the general nuisance their presence cause usually motivate the use of insecticides in the indoor environment. Unfortunately, the chemical contents that make insecticides effective in killing insects also make them dangerous to human health. Semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in insecticides are known to increase the risk of exposed human to suffering from respiratory diseases, allergic symptoms, and endocrine disruption.

The use of insecticides when there is a lack of or inadequate air movement or ventilation in the indoor environment will further increase the risk. The toxic pollutants – SVOCs – could stay longer in the indoor environment when they settle in the dust on indoor surfaces. Environmental conditions and human activities should be well managed to avoid the presence of insects in the indoor environment. The use of insecticides in the indoor environment should be avoided, especially for the sake of children, early people, and those with prevalent health issues.

Do you want to know more about this topic? Read Mnif et al (2011) and Sarwar (2016), papers.