PDA

View Full Version : Possible Ortho defense max Insecticide exposure


borillion_star
04/20/2014, 08:26 PM
I had an aquarium stored in my parents shed, it a ten gallon bowfront with curved glass corners.

I wanted to set it back up and I discovered my father had placed the container of Ortho defense max Insect killer in the tank. I'm going with the assumption some leaked out. I filled the tank with 4 gallons of bleach at 3% and filled the rest with water to the point of overflowing, I left this for a few hours in direct sunlight and will leave it out over the day tomorrow too, with a water jet in it to create circulation. Is poisoning still going to be a concern from the MSDS sheet?

Active Ingredients
.05% Bifenthrin .0125% Zeta-Cypermethrin

ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY: Bifenthrin is highly toxic to fish and aquatic arthropods, with LC50 values ranging from 0.0038 to 17.8 µg/L. In general, aquatic arthropods are the most sensitive species. Bifenthrin has no effect on mollusks at its limit of water solubility. Exercise extreme care to avoid contamination of aquatic environments. Bifenthrin is only slightly toxic to both water fowl and upland game birds with LD50 values ranging from 1,800 mg/kg to > 2,150 mg/kg.

I was hoping the combination of the sodium hypocrite, and the sun's heat and UV that it would break down anything that may have dripped out of the insecticide container.

Sugar Magnolia
04/20/2014, 08:59 PM
[Moved]

disc1
04/20/2014, 09:21 PM
I'd get after that with soap. I hate to put soap on a tank, but it sounds better than that stuff. Be sure to rinse rinse rinse some more. When you think you've rinsed enough, rinse five times that much.

disc1
04/20/2014, 09:22 PM
Although the bleach wasn't a bad idea. That has probably broken down anything that was there.

Amphiprotic
04/20/2014, 11:51 PM
christ, .0003 ug/L????? I would just buy a new tank if I were you, i wouldnt risk it

edit: check out page 8 bottom:

http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/biftech.pdf

Also bifenthrin is hydrophobic so the soap will act as an emulsifier if you decide to clean it with that.

DgenR8
04/21/2014, 12:56 AM
I would think that acid would be a better cleaning agent, A good cleaning with vinegar would probably make me comfortable.

disc1
04/21/2014, 07:49 AM
I would think that acid would be a better cleaning agent, A good cleaning with vinegar would probably make me comfortable.

No groups in that molecule to ionize. So no hope of making it appreciably water soluble. That's why I was suggesting soap.

DgenR8
04/21/2014, 08:09 AM
No argument from me, I defer to your knowledge on the matter. Acid was just a guess on my part.



No groups in that molecule to ionize. So no hope of making it appreciably water soluble. That's why I was suggesting soap.

twistedfinn967
04/21/2014, 08:15 AM
Seems like an awful lot of work,time and still potential risk invested for a 10g. Maybe just get a new one?

DasCamel
04/21/2014, 01:53 PM
Eventually the UV from the sun light will break it down, might take 2-3 months though.

HighlandReefer
04/22/2014, 06:29 AM
Soap will remove about 85% per studies on the Bifenthrin residues found on fruit and vegetibles. Bleach should break it down as well.

Saturated lime water will break it down completely according to detoxification studies for this group of pesticides. On concrete Bifenthrin residues break down very quickly.

DasCamel
04/22/2014, 07:26 PM
Soap will remove about 85% per studies on the Bifenthrin residues found on fruit and vegetibles. Bleach should break it down as well.

Saturated lime water will break it down completely according to detoxification studies for this group of pesticides. On concrete Bifenthrin residues break down very quickly.

Good info, thanks.

MinnFish
04/22/2014, 09:00 PM
Is it possible the pesticide leech in the silicone?

bertoni
04/23/2014, 04:34 PM
Not particularly. Silicone isn't very porous, so it can't leach much.

HighlandReefer
04/23/2014, 04:48 PM
FWIW, a carbon filter will remove these organic pesticides from water.

When wells are contaminated with termiticides used in the same class as Bifenthrin & Cypermethrin the decontamination procedures are to chlorinate the well. Flush the bleach out, test the water and add a charcoal filter to the well line. After chlorination, I've never seen any residues of the pesticides present. The charcoal filter is an extra measure to make sure. HTH