Regi Thomas wrote asking for information on Furadan (carbofuran);
here's a few things I gleaned from some of the Web sites I shared in
my earlier post.
Here is information clipped from a New Jersey Department of Health
Hazardous Chemical fact sheet:
"CAS Number: 1563-66-2
"HAZARD SUMMARY
* Carbofuran can affect you when breathed in and by passing through
your skin.
* Carbofuran is a highly toxic carbamate pesticide. Exposure can
cause symptoms of weakness, sweating, nausea, abdominal pain,
blurred vision and muscle twitching. Higher levels could cause
breathing to stop.
* Carbofuran is on the Hazardous Substance List because it is cited
by ACGIH, DOT, NIOSH and EPA.
HEALTH HAZARD INFORMATION
Acute Health Effects
The following acute (short-term) health effects may occur
immediately or shortly after exposure to Carbofuran:
* Exposure can cause weakness, nausea and vomiting, abdominal
pain, sweating, and blurred vision. Higher levels cause muscle
twitching, loss of coordination, and may cause breathing to stop.
Chronic Health Effects
The following chronic (long-term) health effects can occur at
some time after exposure to Carbofuran and can last for months or
years:
Cancer Hazard
* According to the information presently available to the New
Jersey Department of Health, Carbofuran has not been tested for
its ability to cause cancer in animals.
Reproductive Hazard
* According to the information presently available to the New
Jersey Department of Health, Carbofuran has not been tested for
its ability to adversely affect reproduction.
Other Long-Term Effects
* Carbofuran has not be [sic] tested for other chronic (long-term)
health effects.
OTHER COMMONLY USED NAMES
Chemical Name:
7-Benzofuranyl, 2,3-Dihydro-2,2-dimethyl-, Methylcarbamate
Other Names and Formulations:
Furadan; Curaterr; ENT 27164"
[end of NJ DOH clip]
Carbofuran/Furadan is a carbamate pesticide; these are nerve
agents which affect cholinesterase, an enzyme crucial to nerve
functioning.
Here is one paragraph from ExToxNet's summary of Furadan/Carbofuran:
http://ace.ace.orst.edu/info/extoxnet/pips/carbofur.p93
"Carbofuran is highly toxic by inhalation and ingestion and
moderately toxic by dermal absorption (6, 30). Risks from exposure
to carbofuran are especially high for persons with asthma, diabetes,
cardiovascular disease, mechanical obstruction of the
gastrointestinal or urogenital tracts, or those in vagotonic states
(30)."
Source: ftp://alternatives.com/library/envchemh/chemh163