Gateway on Pesticide Hazards and Safe Pest Management

Updates from the Daily News Blog

Soil Nematodes Vital to Plant Health Threatened by Nontarget Pesticide Exposure, Study Finds
May 9, 2025

Literature Reviews Add to Wide Body of Science Connecting Pesticides to Parkinson’s Disease
April 23, 2025

Literature Review of Over 200 Studies Highlights Pesticide Threats to Women’s Reproductive Health
April 8, 2025

Study Finds Reproductive System Effects in Adolescents with Prenatal Pesticide Exposure
April 2, 2025

Study Links Numerous Chemical Families of Pesticides to Endocrine Disrupting Effects, Including Obesity
December 17, 2024

Review Cites Memory and Learning Impairments; Children, Workers, and Nontarget Organisms at Risk
December 12, 2024

Toxic Pesticides Increase Rates of Chronic Kidney Disease in Agricultural Communities
August 22, 2024

Study Links Pesticide Exposure During Preconception and First Trimester to Stillbirth
August 14, 2024

Over 60 Biomarkers of Pollutants and Pesticides Found in Hair Analyses of French Children
August 7, 2024

Recent Studies Continue To Highlight Connection Between Depression and Suicide in Pesticide-Exposed Farmers
July 2, 2024

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Malathion

General Information

• Fact Sheet: Malathion.pdf
• Product Names:

  Fyfanon (Cheminova)
  Vegetables & Fruit Trees Spray (Bonide Products), formulated with Carbaryl
  Alco (Amvac Chemical)
  ULV Mosquitocide 731 (Clarke Mosquito Control Products), formulated with Resmethrin, Piperonyl butoxide (some formulations)
  Ferti-Lome (Voluntary Purchasing Group), formulated with PCNB, Captan (some formulations)

• Chemical Class: Organophosphate insecticide
• Uses: Alfalfa; apricot; asparagus; avocado; barley; bean (succulent and dry); beets (table); birdsfoot trefoil; blackberry; blueberry; boysenberry; broccoli; broccoli raab; Brussels sprout; cabbage (including Chinese); carrot; cauliflower; celery; chayote; cherry; chestnut; clover; collards; corn (field; sweet; and pop); cotton; cucumber; currant; dandelion; date; dewberry; eggplant; endive; escarole; potato; fig; garlic; gooseberry; grape; grapefruit; guava; hay grass; hops;
  horseradish; kale; kohlrabi; kumquat; leek; lemon; lespedeza; lettuce (head and leaf); lime; loganberry; lupine; macadamia nut; mango; melon; mint; mushroom; mustard greens; nectarines; oats; okra; onion; orange; papaya; parsley; parsnip; passion fruit; pea; peach; pear; pecan; pepper; pineapple; pumpkin; radish; raspberry; rice; rutabaga; rye; salsify; shallot; sorghum; spinach; spring wheat; squash; strawberry; sweet potato; Swiss chard; tangelo; tangerine; tomato (including tomatillo); turnip; vetch; walnut; watercress; watermelon; wheat (spring, and winter); wild rice; and yam; indoor stored commodity treatment and empty storage facilities for barley, corn, oats, rye, and wheat. Homeowner outdoor uses: ornamental flowering plants, ornamental lawns, ornamental turf, vegetable gardens and fruit trees; ornamental flowers, shrubs, and trees; Christmas tree
  plantations; slash pine; ornamental nursery stock; woody plants; building perimeters (domestic dwellings as well as commercial structures); uncultivated nonagricultural areas; outdoor garbage
  dumps; intermittently flooded areas; irrigation systems; pastures; and rangeland. Treatment of headlice and their eggs.
• Alternatives: Organic agriculture, Least-toxic outdoor residential control, Least-toxic head lice control, Least-toxic mosquito control
• Beyond Pesticides rating: Toxic

Health and Environmental Effects

• Cancer: Suggestive evidence (26)
• Endocrine Disruption: Yes (30)
• Reproductive Effects: Yes (13)
• Neurotoxicity: Yes (11)
• Kidney/Liver Damage: Yes (4)
• Sensitizer/ Irritant: Yes (6)
• Birth/Developmental: Yes (7)
• Detected in Groundwater: Yes (4)
• Potential Leacher: Yes (4)
• Toxic to Birds: Yes (8)
• Toxic to Fish/Aquatic Organisms: Yes (8)
• Toxic to Bees: Yes (8)

Residential Uses as Found in the ManageSafe™ Database

• Bagworms
• Head Lice
• Cockroaches
• Fleas
• Mosquitoes
• Thrips
• Aphids

Additional Information

• Regulatory Status:
  • Beyond Pesticides' Comments (October 2024)
  • Biological Evaluation Chapters for Malathion ESA Assessment (2017)
  • Beyond Pesticides' Experimental Use Permits comments (3/2017)
  • Beyond Pesticides' Human Health Draft Risk Assessment for Registration Review comments (12/2016)
  • EPA Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) signed (7/2006)
  • NRDC and friends revised risk assessment comments (2005)
  • Beyond Pesticides' Cumulative Risk Organophosphate comments (2002)
  • Beyond Pesticides' preliminary risk assessment comments (2000)
• Supporting information:
  • Asthma, Children and Pesticides (Beyond Pesticides)
  • NCAP Malathion Factsheet (Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides)
  • Extoxnet Malathion Factsheet (Extension Toxicology Network)
  • PAN Pesticides Database: Malathion (Pesticide Action Network)
• Studies:
  • Carcinogenicity of tetrachlorvinphos, parathion, malathion, diazinon, and glyphosate. Lancet Oncol. 2015 May; 16(5):490-1.
  • Cytogenetic evaluation of malathion-induced toxicity in Sprague-Dawley rats. Moore PD, Patlolla AK, Tchounwou PB. 2011. Mutat Res. 725(1-2):78-82
  • Acute Illnesses Associated With Pesticide Exposure at Schools. Alarcon, W. et. al. 2005. Journal of the American Medical Association 294(4): 455-465.
  • Comparison of pesticide levels in carpet dust and self-reported pest treatment practices in four US sites. Colt, J. et. al. 2004.Journal of Exposure Analysis and Environmental Epidemiology 14:74–83
  • US EPA's regulatory pesticide evaluations need clearer guidelines for considering mammary gland tumors and other mammary gland effects. Cardona, B. and Rudel, R.A., 2020. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, p.110927.
  • Prenatal and infant exposure to ambient pesticides and autism spectrum disorder in children: population based case-control study. von Ehrenstein, et al. 2019. BMJ 2019;364:l962
  • Biomonitoring of Toxic Effects of Pesticides in Occupationally Exposed Individuals.. Arshad M, Siddiqa M, Rashid S, Hashmi I, et al. 2016. Saf Health Work. 7(2):156-60
  • Dietary Intake and Its Contribution to Longitudinal Organophosphorus Pesticide Exposure in Urban/suburban Children.. Lu C, Barr DB, Pearson MA, Waller LA. 2008. Environ Health Perspect. 216(4):537-42.
  • Genetic susceptibility loci, pesticide exposure and prostate cancer risk.. Koutros S, Berndt SI, Hughes Barry K et al. 2013. PLoS One. 8(4):e58195
  • Impact of isomalathion on malathion cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in human HepaRG cells.. Josse R, Sharanek A, Savary CC, Guillouzo A. 2014. Chem Biol Interact. 209:68-76
  • In vitro-in vivo correlations for endocrine activity of a mixture of currently used pesticides.. Taxvig C, Hadrup N, Boberg J, et al. 2013. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol.272(3):757-66
  • Association of Pesticides and Kidney Function among Adults in the US Population 2001–2010. Wan, E.T., Darssan, D., Karatela, S., Reid, S. and Osborne, N. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health.
  • Breast carcinogenesis induced by organophosphorous pesticides. Calaf, G.M., 2022. Advances in Pharmacology (San Diego, Calif.), 96, pp.71-117.
  • Exposure to pesticide components causes recurrent pregnancy loss by increasing placental oxidative stress and apoptosis: a case–control study. El-Baz, M.A., Amin, A.F. and Mohany, K.M., 2023.Scientific Reports, 13(1), p.9147.
  • Pesticide exposure and increased breast cancer risk in women population studies. Panis, C. and Lemos, B. (2024) Pesticide exposure and increased breast cancer risk in women population studies, Science of The Total Environment. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969724031358?via%3Dihub.
  • Depressive symptoms and suicide attempts among farmers exposed to pesticides. Zheng, R. et al. (2024) Depressive symptoms and suicide attempts among farmers exposed to pesticides, Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1382668924001017?via%3Dihub.
  • Exposure to pesticides, persistent and non − persistent pollutants in French 3.5-year-old children: Findings from comprehensive hair analysis in the ELFE national birth cohort. Macheka, L. et al. (2024) Exposure to pesticides, persistent and non − persistent pollutants in French 3.5-year-old children: Findings from comprehensive hair analysis in the ELFE national birth cohort, Environment International. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412024004677.
  • Pre-Conception And First Trimester Exposure To Pesticides And Associations With Stillbirth. Furlong, M. et al. (2024) Pre-conception and first trimester exposure to pesticides and associations with stillbirth, American Journal of Epidemiology. Available at: https://academic.oup.com/aje/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/aje/kwae198/7714541.
  • Chronic kidney disease from agricultural communities—association and accumulation of hexachlorobenzene, malathion, and parathion pesticides. Verma, J. et al. (2024) Chronic kidney disease from agricultural communities-association and accumulation of hexachlorobenzene, malathion, and parathion pesticides, Toxicology and Environmental Health Sciences. Available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13530-024-00222-y.
  • Organochlorine and organophosphorous pesticide residues in ground water and surface waters of Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. Sankararamakrishnan, N., Sharma, A.K. and Sanghi, R. (2005) Organochlorine and organophosphorous pesticide residues in ground water and surface waters of Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India, Environment International. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0160412004001394.
  • Malathion insecticide resistance in Aedes aegypti: laboratory conditions and in situ experimental approach through adult entomological surveillance. de Souza Leandro, A. (2020) Malathion insecticide resistance in Aedes aegypti: laboratory conditions and in situ experimental approach through adult entomological surveillance, Tropical Medicine & International Health. Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/tmi.13474.
  • Long-term and low-dose malathion exposure causes cognitive impairment in adult mice: evidence of hippocampal mitochondrial dysfunction, astrogliosis and apoptotic events. dos Santos, A.A., Naime, A.A., de Oliveira, J. et al. Long-term and low-dose malathion exposure causes cognitive impairment in adult mice: evidence of hippocampal mitochondrial dysfunction, astrogliosis and apoptotic events. Arch Toxicol 90, 647–660 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-015-1466-0
  • Crocin-protected malathion-induced spatial memory deficits by inhibiting TAU protein hyperphosphorylation and antiapoptotic effects. Mohammadzadeh, L. et al. (2019) ‘Crocin-protected malathion-induced spatial memory deficits by inhibiting TAU protein hyperphosphorylation and antiapoptotic effects’, Nutritional Neuroscience, 23(3), pp. 221–236. doi: 10.1080/1028415X.2018.1492772.
  • Impact of Endocrine Disrupting Pesticide Use on Obesity: A Systematic Review. Pérez-Bermejo, M. et al. (2024) Impact of Endocrine Disrupting Pesticide Use on Obesity: A Systematic Review, Biomedicines. Available at: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/12/12/2677.
  • .
  • Pesticide-Induced Inflammation at a Glance. Lopes-Ferreira, M. et al. (2023) ‘Pesticide-induced inflammation at a glance’, Toxics, 11(11), p. 896. doi:10.3390/toxics11110896.
  • Biochemical effects of some pesticides on lipid peroxidation and free-radical scavengers. B.D. Banerjee, V. Seth, A. Bhattacharya, S.T. Pasha, A.K. Chakraborty, Biochemical effects of some pesticides on lipid peroxidation and free-radical scavengers, Toxicology Letters, Volume 107, Issues 1–3, 1999, Pages 33-47, ISSN 0378-4274, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-4274(99)00029-6.
  • A cocktail of contaminants: how mixtures of pesticides at low concentrations affect aquatic communities. Relyea R. A. (2009). A cocktail of contaminants: how mixtures of pesticides at low concentrations affect aquatic communities. Oecologia, 159(2), 363–376. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-008-1213-9
  • Prenatal residential proximity to endocrine disrupting agricultural pesticides and menstrual cycle characteristics among Latina adolescents in California. Paul, J. et al. (2025) Prenatal residential proximity to endocrine disrupting agricultural pesticides and menstrual cycle characteristics among Latina adolescents in California, American Journal of Epidemiology. Available at: https://academic.oup.com/aje/advance-article/doi/10.1093/aje/kwaf059/8083004.
  • Maternal exposure to the mixture of organophosphorus pesticides induces reproductive dysfunction in the offspring. Yu, Y., Yang, A., Zhang, J., & Hu, S. (2013). Maternal exposure to the mixture of organophosphorus pesticides induces reproductive dysfunction in the offspring. Environmental toxicology, 28(9), 507–515. https://doi.org/10.1002/tox.20741
  • Pesticide use and risk of Hodgkin lymphoma: results from the North American Pooled Project (NAPP). Latifovic, L., Freeman, L. E. B., Spinelli, J. J., Pahwa, M., Kachuri, L., Blair, A., Cantor, K. P., Zahm, S. H., Weisenburger, D. D., McLaughlin, J. R., Dosman, J. A., Pahwa, P., Koutros, S., Demers, P. A., & Harris, S. A. (2020). Pesticide use and risk of Hodgkin lymphoma: results from the North American Pooled Project (NAPP). Cancer causes & control : CCC, 31(6), 583–599. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-020-01301-4
  • Adverse Effects of Pesticides on the Ovary: Evidence from Epidemiological and Toxicological Studies. Wang, L., Ma, X. and Liu, J. (2025) Adverse Effects of Pesticides on the Ovary: Evidence from Epidemiological and Toxicological Studies, Environment & Health. Available at: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/envhealth.4c00243.
  • Effects of the insecticides malathion and diazinon on the early oogenesis in mice in vitro. Bonilla, E., Hernández, F., Cortés, L., Mendoza, M., Mejía, J., Carrillo, E., Casas, E. and Betancourt, M. (2008), Effects of the insecticides malathion and diazinon on the early oogenesis in mice in vitro. Environ. Toxicol., 23: 240-245. https://doi.org/10.1002/tox.20332
  • Differential effects of herbicides atrazine and fenoxaprop-ethyl, and insecticides diazinon and malathion, on viability and maturation of porcine oocytes in vitro. Casas, E., Bonilla, E., Ducolomb, Y., & Betancourt, M. (2010). Differential effects of herbicides atrazine and fenoxaprop-ethyl, and insecticides diazinon and malathion, on viability and maturation of porcine oocytes in vitro. Toxicology in vitro : an international journal published in association with BIBRA, 24(1), 224–230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tiv.2009.09.004
  • The effect of follicullar fluid pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls concentrations on intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) embryological and clinical outcome. Al-Hussaini, T. K., Abdelaleem, A. A., Elnashar, I., Shabaan, O. M., Mostafa, R., El-Baz, M. A. H., El-Deek, S. E. M., & Farghaly, T. A. (2018). The effect of follicullar fluid pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls concentrations on intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) embryological and clinical outcome. European journal of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology, 220, 39–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejogrb.2017.11.003
  • Protective effect of intravenous lipid emulsion treatment on malathion-induced ovarian toxicity in female rats. Ozsoy, A. Z., Nursal, A. F., Karsli, M. F., Uysal, M., Alici, O., Butun, I., Tas, U., & Delibas, I. B. (2016). Protective effect of intravenous lipid emulsion treatment on malathion-induced ovarian toxicity in female rats. European review for medical and pharmacological sciences, 20(11), 2425–2434.
  • In vitro effect of malathion and diazinon on oocytes fertilization and embryo development in porcine. Ducolomb, Y., Casas, E., Valdez, A. et al. In vitro effect of malathion and diazinon on oocytes fertilization and embryo development in porcine. Cell Biol Toxicol 25, 623–633 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10565-008-9117-3
  • Monitoring the aquatic toxicity of mosquito vector control spray pesticides to freshwater receiving waters. Phillips, B. M., Anderson, B. S., Voorhees, J. P., Siegler, K., Denton, D., TenBrook, P., Larsen, K., Isorena, P., & Tjeerdema, R. S. (2014). Monitoring the aquatic toxicity of mosquito vector control spray pesticides to freshwater receiving waters. Integrated environmental assessment and management, 10(3), 449–455. https://doi.org/10.1002/ieam.1534
  • Pesticide Use and Relative Leukocyte Telomere Length in the Agricultural Health Study. Andreotti G, Hoppin JA, Hou L, Koutros S, Gadalla SM, et al. (2015) Pesticide Use and Relative Leukocyte Telomere Length in the Agricultural Health Study. PLOS ONE 10(7): e0133382. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0133382
  • Pesticide residue in cucumber-exposed plants, and its associated effects on soil nematode population. Imonikebe, P. et al. (2025) Pesticide residue in cucumber-exposed plants, and its associated effects on soil nematode population, Advances in Modern Agriculture. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/390847748_Pesticide_residue_in_cucumber-exposed_plants_and_its_associated_effects_on_soil_nematode_population.