Chemicals Found in Insecticide

Children whose homes have been treated with insecticides have a greater risk of developing leukemia than children whose homes have not been treated, according to the Journal of National Cancer Institute. Insecticides have also been linked to severe allergies, asthma, birth defects, cancers and decreased fertility in both adults and children. What makes these insecticides so harmful are the chemicals found in them.

Organochlorines

• Insecticides are commonly used In lawn care products.

  Organochlorines got their name because of their ingredients--mostly chlorine, hydrogen and carbon. These are some of the most controversial kinds of insecticides because they do break down easily. In other words, they stay in the air years after they have been spread, and continue to contaminate everything they come in contact with. DDT was the most common of these organochlorines, but it was taken off the market in the 1962, after it was proved to cause a plethora of health problems. But other kinds of this insecticide are still on the market, namely lindane and endosulfan, both of which are commonly used in lawn care products.

Organophosphates

• Organophosphates commonly cause headaches in adults.

  Organophosphates were invented when most organochlorines were banned. They kill insects by destroying the nerve endings in their bodies. The problem with this method is that, in an effort to kill the insects, it also does harm to humans. In at least three studies of these chemicals' toxicity, adults exposed to it had increased headaches, loss of memory and concentration, and were in increasingly negative moods. Children suffered seizures and comas.

Carbamates

• Lawns treated with insecticides can cause harm to pets.

  Carbamates are made from carbamic acid. They are similar to organophosphates in the way they kill insects. Like the more commonly used insecticides, carbamates pose dangers to humans and pets. The most common form of these chemicals is called Icaridin or Picaridine, and is used in home insect repellent.