nce of cancer at doses considered excessive. Still, there is some disagreement among scientists on how to interpret the results. The EPA has determined that there is suggestive evidence of carcinogenicity for malathion in animals but it is not sufficient to assess potential carcinogenicity in humans. See Chapter 3 for more information on how malathion can affect your health.
How can malathion affect children?
This section discusses potential health effects from exposures during the period from conception to maturity at 18 years of age in humans.
Children can be exposed to malathion from food and drinking water, but these risks are low and not of concern. Because malathion is a widely used pesticide, greater concern exists from exposure following application to recreational areas, parks, and playgrounds and from home and garden uses of malathion. Children can also be exposed when malathion is sprayed, for example, to control mosquitos. Because children spend more time outdoors than adults, they may be at a greater risk of exposure to malathion than adults. Because of their smaller weight, children's intake of malathion per kilogram of body weight may be greater than that of adults. The EPA permits residues of pesticides to be present in crops used as food, and these amounts are considered to be safe. Children may be exposed also by dermal contact with contaminated surfaces or by placing contaminated objects in their mouths.
The main target of malathion toxicity in children is the nervous system, the same as in adults. Children who have accidentally swallowed high amounts of malathion or who had skin contact with high amounts of malathion experienced difficulty breathing, chest tightness, vomiting, cramps, diarrhea, watery eyes, salivation, sweating, headaches, dizziness, and loss of consciousness, and some died. We do not know whether or not children are more susceptible than adults to malathion toxicity. However, studies in animals have shown that very young animals are more susceptible than older ones when exposed to high amounts of malathion.
There is no evidence that exposure to malathion at levels found in the environment causes birth defects or other developmental effects in people. Malathion has caused adverse developmental effects in animals, but only when administered to the pregnant mothers in amounts high enough to affect the health of the mothers. A study of people in California found that the use of pesticides, malathion among them, at home during pregnancy did not increase the risk of brain tumors in children.
Animal studies have shown that malathion and/or its breakdown products can be transferred from a pregnant mother to the developing fetus and that it can also be passed to newborn animals in the maternal milk. There is no information in humans regarding transfer of malathion to the fetus or to nursing infants.
More information regarding children's health and malathion can be found in Section 3.7.
How can families reduce the risk of exposure to malathion?
If your doctor finds that you have been exposed to significant amounts of malathion, ask whether your children might also be exposed. Your doctor might need to ask your state health department to investigate.
The general population is not likely to be exposed to large amounts of malathion. The populations living in the areas where malathion is used on crops or those who use the insecticide extensively in their gardens or near their homes, however, may be exposed to greater amounts of malathion. Malathion is often detected in foods and air samples collected where malathion is used. People who live close to areas of malathion use, such as where it is sprayed over urban/residential areas to control medflies or mosquitos, may also be exposed to larger amounts of malathion, because small amounts of the pesticide will move from the place where it is used to nearby areas. These exposures may take place during activities such as touching contaminated plants, soils, or man-made surfaces such as playground equipment, sidewalks, or pavements; breathing the mist fo