Chemicals Used To Treat Mosquitoes Could Be Changed To Less Harmful Methods
By: Marlisa Goldsmith
Updated: August 16, 2012
"We started actually about three weeks ago hitting a few spots through the city of Abilene where there is an accumulation of calls," says Glenn Bailey.
The more mosquitoes pop up, the more calls the city receives for requests to spray. However they are up against some challenges.
"We're coming under more stringent guidelines," Bailey continues.
There is a law that urges entities that spray, not to do nuisance mosquito spraying, only to do that in circumstances where diseases are positive in mosquitoes.
He says, "So we're morphing toward that requirement."
Until they have made the complete transition when chemicals like insecticides are used to treat mosquitoes, some of them will accumulate inside the insects body, which biochemist Qiang Xu says could potentially present a problem for humans.
"Through the food chain, those chemicals finally might be accumulated inside the human body. So there is a risk when we spray insecticides," says Qiang Xu, a molicular biologist at Abilene Christian University.
Whether or not increasing the dose of the insecticide to kill mosquitoes is the best option, that still has yet to be determined.
"So we have to make a decision, what is correct amount we need to apply. But we do need to control mosquito population," says Xu.
How that population is controlled is worrying for parents.
"I think that is a really big concern," says Miranda Riddle.
"It's concerning when you have kids and especially when you eat food from other animals. It does concern me a lot," says Jazzmyne Holter.
Environmentalists say they are using the safest chemicals they possibly can, and say a change is coming in the near future.
Bailey says, "The spraying, adultaciding is going to become the last measure to be used."
The more mosquitoes pop up, the more calls the city receives for requests to spray. However they are up against some challenges.
"We're coming under more stringent guidelines," Bailey continues.
There is a law that urges entities that spray, not to do nuisance mosquito spraying, only to do that in circumstances where diseases are positive in mosquitoes.
He says, "So we're morphing toward that requirement."
Until they have made the complete transition when chemicals like insecticides are used to treat mosquitoes, some of them will accumulate inside the insects body, which biochemist Qiang Xu says could potentially present a problem for humans.
"Through the food chain, those chemicals finally might be accumulated inside the human body. So there is a risk when we spray insecticides," says Qiang Xu, a molicular biologist at Abilene Christian University.
Whether or not increasing the dose of the insecticide to kill mosquitoes is the best option, that still has yet to be determined.
"So we have to make a decision, what is correct amount we need to apply. But we do need to control mosquito population," says Xu.
How that population is controlled is worrying for parents.
"I think that is a really big concern," says Miranda Riddle.
"It's concerning when you have kids and especially when you eat food from other animals. It does concern me a lot," says Jazzmyne Holter.
Environmentalists say they are using the safest chemicals they possibly can, and say a change is coming in the near future.
Bailey says, "The spraying, adultaciding is going to become the last measure to be used."
