In the fight against bedbugs, many insecticides managed to “break teeth”. The reasons for this are clear: not only are the bugs themselves quite resistant to various chemical compounds that are effective against other insects, in addition, the bed bug quickly adapts even to those poisons from which it seemed to die just yesterday. Not surprisingly, on the market, bedbug preparations are constantly replacing one another. And today, the most used and one of the most effective insecticides is considered to be a remedy for bedbugs Karbofos - a drug based on the ester of a phosphorus- and sulfur-containing organic compound - malathion.
This drug is one of the few that act on insects quickly and effectively, and the destruction of bedbugs by Karbofos usually does not require a lot of time.
How does Karbofos (aka Malathion) work on bedbugs?
The principle of action of Karbofos is that it disrupts the standard transmission of a nerve impulse from cell to cell, preventing the opening of the nerve circuit.In such a way that the circuit always remains closed, resulting in paralysis and death of the insect. In other words, Karbofos has a neuroparalytic mechanism of action.
Under the influence of various intracellular oxidants, malathion (this is another name for Karbofos) can turn into its analogue - malaoxon, the activity of which is several times higher than the level of its predecessor. It is this reaction of converting one substance into another that most often occurs in the body of an insect, and is less characteristic of plants and warm-blooded animals.
The reverse process or the decay of a toxic "relative" in insects proceed much more slowly than in the body of warm-blooded animals. That is why malathion is so strongly and quite selectively poisonous specifically for insects, among which there are many pests.
However, Karbofos in some cases may be ineffective against bedbugs. Repeated use of Karbofos causes the appearance of insects resistant to its effects. Bed bugs have the ability to break down malathion into less toxic compounds.
The basis of these reactions are mutations in the genetic apparatus of insects, leading to the emergence of new resistant enzymes in decay reactions or a significant increase in the activity of existing proteins in the body.
This is an example of evolution in its modern form in the struggle of insects with humans. We can say that constantly using Karbofos, residents of large cities themselves create mutants for whom this poison is not terrible.
A bit of history: how Karbofos was created
For the first time, the synthesis of organophosphorus compounds, to which Karbofos belongs, was carried out back in the 19th century.However, the intensive development of research on such substances, both as components of plastics and rubber, various additives for lubricating oils, and insecticides for agriculture, was the work of A.E. Arbuzov, started already in the 30s of the XX century. The first created organophosphorus compounds turned out to be extremely poisonous and, accordingly, dangerous for warm-blooded animals, including humans. This stimulated the search for new compounds with selectively targeted toxicity, as well as the discovery of drugs that could become antidotes for the class under study.
Of the many thousands of synthesized organophosphorus compounds, most, including Karbofos, were obtained in the Soviet Union in specially created laboratories. In parallel, the study of such drugs took place in several other countries: England, Germany and the USA (American Cyanamid Company). It was within the walls of this company in the middle of the last century that the drug T.M.4049 appeared, the trade name of which was at first Malaton, and then Malathion.
Physical and chemical properties of Karbofos
Pure Karbofos (Malathion) is an oily liquid that has no color, but with a characteristic very pungent and unpleasant odor. The drug, ready for use, is a dark brown liquid.
Karbofos properties:
- very poorly soluble in water
- mixes well with most organic solvents
- Relatively resistant to temperature and sunlight
- rapidly destroyed by the addition of alkali. Therefore, alkaline solutions, in particular soap solutions, can be used to neutralize household items after treatment with Karbofos.
- Karbofos is a substance with a relatively high volatility, which increases significantly with increasing temperature. This must be taken into account when processing the premises with Karbofos.
How dangerous is Karbofos for people and pets
For warm-blooded creatures, including humans, Karbofos can be very poisonous, while the level of toxicity depends on the purity of the drug.
In animal cells, this compound is quickly metabolized to form less dangerous decay products, which are quickly excreted from the body.
Karbofos has cumulative properties, and with prolonged exposure it can accumulate in the body, but this happens over a very long period of time.The symptoms that develop in the initial stages of intoxication with Karbofos mainly consist in excessive activation of the transmission of a nerve impulse, as well as a direct toxic effect on the cells of various organs. As a result of such activity, a violation of the functioning of various organs develops.
Areas of use
Karbofos (Malathion) is an insecticide, the relevance of which continues to be high to this day. This substance can be used by humans at home, in agriculture to combat many parasitic insects, including bedbugs. Karbofos against bedbugs is effective at all stages of development, from eggs to adults.
And further: Deadly methods of destruction of bedbugs that really work in practice
However, as with the use of any toxic substance, the treatment of premises with Karbofos requires considerable preliminary preparation.
Before poisoning bedbugs with Karbofos, it is necessary to clean the room, during which all food products, dishes and cutlery, personal use and personal hygiene items must be packed in plastic bags. It is advisable to make it hermetically, and put it in some closed place (for example, in the refrigerator). And furniture, both wooden and upholstered, on the contrary, should, if possible, be made more accessible to the influence of Karbofos.
All pets must be evacuated from the apartment during treatment with the drug. And if the apartment has an aquarium, then it is necessary to turn off the air filtration in it and cover it with something from above.
Having bought Karbofos from bedbugs and intending to use it, you must first read the instructions. The person who will carry out the treatment of the apartment from bedbugs using Karbofos must perform all operations in rubber gloves, a cotton-gauze bandage and the most closed clothing.
It would be a good idea to use safety goggles if possible. During the appropriate manipulations, due to non-compliance with precautionary measures, poisoning or an allergy may occur.
According to the instructions, the emulsion concentrate of Karbofos from bedbugs is diluted in a certain volume of water, after which it is mixed and sprayed on the surface of objects.
Particular attention should be paid to such "secluded" corners of the apartment as the back walls of wooden furniture, joints in upholstered furniture and between wallpaper, cracks in the walls and floor, baseboards, space inside the bookshelves. You can apply the product using ordinary household sprayers or spray bottles from household chemicals.
Karbofos during the treatment of the room from bedbugs should not be applied to bedding, clothing, or human skin.
After the treatment, you must thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water, and simply get rid of the “working” clothes, or wash them with the addition of baking soda.
After the appropriate exposure time of the drug (usually 4-5 hours), the apartment must be well ventilated, if possible - until the smell of Karbofos disappears completely. Also, those areas of the interior and furniture, which the inhabitants of the apartment most often touch with their hands, must be washed with soapy water with the addition of baking soda.
On the third day after the first treatment, re-treatment from bedbugs is carried out, the implementation of which occurs according to the above scheme. General cleaning can be done only 1.5-2 months after using Karbofos.
Substitutes for Karbofos
Today, Karbofos is gradually being replaced by insecticides that are safer for humans from the groups of Pyrethroids (Cypermethrin, Permethrin), Neonicotinoids (Imidacloprid, Thiamethoxam), as well as compounds of the same class as Karbofos itself, but of a newer generation (for example, Diazinon).
Synthetic pyrethroids are analogues of natural substances contained in chamomile flowers. They appeared on the market of agricultural insecticides in the last century, but they had several serious drawbacks - high cost and relatively rapid loss of activity in the external environment. However, subsequently, technologists were able to rid the preparations of the main drawbacks, and today this class of compounds is widely used both in domestic conditions and in agriculture to combat many insects, including bed bugs.
The simultaneous use of Karbofos and Permethrin from the group of Pyrethroids proved to be very good, since these drugs turned out to be synergists, enhancing the action of each other, and allowing to overcome the resistance of insects to each of them individually.
Insecticides of the neonicotinoids class are synthetic analogues of substances contained in the leaves of tobacco and shag. These compounds are characterized by accumulation mainly in the stems and leaves of agricultural plants, which is very important when they are used on fruit and vegetable crops that are consumed by humans mainly in fresh form.
Diazinon is a contact and intestinal insecticide developed by the Swiss chemical company Ciba-Geigy. For a long time it was used in residential areas against bedbugs, cockroaches, ants, moths and fleas, but for almost 10 years it has been used almost exclusively in agriculture.
Today, preparations based on Karbofos remain the main means of combating bed bugs, accounting for 75-80% of the household insecticide market and delighting the user with relatively low prices. Therefore, if necessary, you can safely use them.
Does karbofos help against bedbugs?
More information about bed bugs and how to deal with them
Question: About 30 years ago, after moving to a new apartment, we received bed bugs and cockroaches from neighbors who were carrying contaminated furniture with them. We processed skirting boards, cracks, etc. The result was positive.
Six months later, the "attack" was repeated, increased concentration.There are no bedbugs and cockroaches, but if high humidity is summer, rains are a persistent smell of karbofos. Could it be 30 years after application? Thank you.
Same. The smell of karbofos is eternal.
Only Karbofos helped us, so for me - let it smell better than these parasites.
Tell me, please, do you need to spray karbofos throughout the apartment, or will one room in which they bite be enough? 4 people live, only one of them bites.
It is necessary to process the entire apartment. They don’t bite one, but just one of you has a reaction to bites - an allergy, and the rest are also bitten, only because of a certain blood type, they almost do not pay attention to bites, which may not even itch. And that's why they think they don't bite. I have the same situation. They only seem to bite me. So everything needs to be handled.
Buy a gold plan, powder, pour 100 grams into a salt bowl and sprinkle over the baseboards. One pack is enough for two rooms. And let it stand for a whole month. One hundred percent kills, I give a guarantee. I myself am from Turkmenistan, I work in a sanitary and epidemiological station.
Hello. Where can I buy this gold plan? I didn’t even find it on Google, there is no information about it on the Internet.
Thanks to everyone who responded.
Goldplan 20RP is a Turkish-made insecticide; in our markets and stores in Turkmenistan, this is the only effective remedy for bedbugs.
The smell of karbofos is very nasty. Even after a few years it will stink, leaving behind stains (white spots). The smell is impossible to get rid of. And it does not always work on bedbugs.
There is specifically an article about karbofos, and not about the extermination of bedbugs.Although Karbofos is a remedy for bedbugs, it is clearly and correctly written here that frequent use (it’s not just about you, but about your house, if it’s an apartment building) on bedbugs can give a mutation that will give immunity or something like that - in it is written again in the same article.
So, there is another way that should work for many more years or even centuries - deadly steam (who says what temperature). It seems that bedbugs cannot stand temperatures of +48 and above (or +55 and above), frost is almost not terrible for them, they can live for a month and a half at -15 or more. So PAR! And nefig yourself to poison and give immunity to bedbugs. If they came to you from neighbors, then they will return to them along the same paths or go to other neighbors. They need to be exterminated sharply upon detection. Yesterday I crushed them all, about 80-100 pieces, and most importantly, thanks to my very good eyesight, I found their white larvae. At such moments, you just have to have a strong desire to explore the entire area with very close observation (at a distance of 20 cm, facing the surfaces), find all the larvae in the apartment and exterminate them with steam. Otherwise, then it will be too late, and the offspring will grow, do not hesitate. I am 25, this is the second time I have encountered bedbugs, and the apartment is the third in a row (the bedbugs were in the first and third). By the way, yesterday I exterminated the offspring from the first bugs, karbofos did not help, they huddled in one room and make a midnight dinner out of me.
Absolutely just as important is the factor of the presence of gaps throughout the apartment. It would seem that the gap leads towards the street, but no, we do not see the moves, they clearly lead to the neighbors. They can migrate here and there.Murat all the walls thoroughly, blood from the nose! All plinths (floor and ceiling) should be removed, foamed with a montage or smeared - whatever you want, but so that it does not collapse for many more years, it must be done conscientiously. Skirting boards, by the way, need to be laid at a certain angle, google how this is done, be sure, otherwise you will create a lot of very convenient and direct moves for bedbugs. Imagine that you have poisoned everything, even under the baseboards, but the larvae have not been killed somewhere. They will grow up, it goes without saying, but the offspring are smarter, they are looking for other places, and it is guaranteed that they will find passages in poorly attached skirting boards and will dart around the apartment. If you do not do everything thoroughly, you will get rid of bedbugs for ten years without success. If your city has a special service for the extermination of reptiles, call! If not, study and do a great job. Well, or be an eternal dinner, whatever.
P.S. If you believe another article, then the ferry will have to evaporate for a long time, about 30-90 minutes one place, read other articles.
P.P.S. I haven’t kept pets for many years and there were no such cases, so that both bedbugs and animals. But do not forget to check, for example, a dog rug or a cat box (well, who has what after all) AND EVERYTHING AROUND them (it’s better to sort the whole apartment upside down, but no one will ever want to do this, am I right?) Well, and there it doesn’t hurt to take them to the veterinarian for an examination, cases are sometimes different and difficult for pets.
Yes, hell, you hand them over with your hands, what kind of nonsense in general. And it is necessary to drive such neighbors from whom this infection climbs. We are going to evict such a person, he lives on lease and has created such a garbage heap that God forbid. And there are clouds of bedbugs, the neighbors suffer. Yes, he himself must be crushed like a bug!
So bedbugs need it, but how long does karbofos disappear from the house?
Recently moved into a new apartment and faced this terrible problem. The apartment was cheap, so we bought it. As it turned out later, all the neighbors in this house are mostly disadvantaged (asocial). It is pointless to make a deal with them, they supposedly are doing well. We tried to fight ourselves, but to no avail (fufanon). They called specialists, they didn’t know troubles for half a year. Now again they ran from the neighbors. The specialist, of course, immediately warned that it was better for all neighbors to poison, but it was enough for the warranty period (just six months). We are thinking of changing housing, but we are still paying off the loan for this apartment. In general, I'm going to the store for Karbofos.
Guys, get out of this house, otherwise you will live on poison. Sympathize with you…
Will karbofos help in removing cockroaches?