EPA Approves Veratine as a Safe Pesticide, But Is It?
Once thought to treat roseacea, high blood pressure, and lice, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently approved a new pesticide Veratine from McLaughlin Gormley King Company. The chemical is used to interfere with the nervous system and kill ants (including carpenter, harvester, pharaoh and red imported fire ants), German cockroaches, house flies, and mosquitoes that are living in the cracks of buildings.
The pesticide is plant based from the mexican plant sabadilla, but just because it is natural doesn’t mean it is entirely safe.
Veratrine’s immobility and susceptibility to photolysis means it will stay where it is applied and break down over the course of two weeks via sun exposure, making transport to areas where it is not applied unlikely. - US EPA
What is Veratine?
sabadilla plant (Schoenocaulon officinale)
Veratrine is a mixture of sabadilla alkaloids (an extract of the ground seeds from the sabadilla plant) consisting of primary active alkaloids, veratridine and cevadine (total of approximately 10%) plus impurities.
Veratridine is found in Liliaceae plants (e.g. sabadilla seed of Mexican Schoenocaulon officinale) and has long been recognised for its potential as a pharmacological tool. When sabadilla seeds are aged, heated, or treated with alkali, several insecticidal alkaloids are formed or activated.
This plant is part of the lily family and has been used as a homeopathic remedy for allergies, hay fever, colds, and intestinal worms.
In the 1950s, scientists thought this chemical could be used to reduce blood pressure.
Potential Impacts to the Environment
Veratrine has a variety of hazard values, ranging from practically non-toxic to highly toxic. Sabadilla kills insects of some species immediately, while others may survive in a state of paralysis for several days before dying.
The active ingredient (a.i.) is highly toxic to honey bees on an acute exposure basis with mortalities of 87 to 92 percent.
It was also highly toxic for aquatic invertebrates (e.g., Daphnia and mysid shrimp)
Highly and moderately toxic to many birds such as Northern Bobwhite Quail, zebra finch, mallard duck,
According to the EPA, “while insects exposed to veratrine may be consumed by some non-target species, contaminated individuals are not expected to be a large amount of any diet given the highly localized application sites and potential inaccessibility of insects within the cracks and crevices or spots.”
The proposed label indicates not to apply this product directly to or allow it to drift to blooming crops or weeds while bees or other pollinating insects are actively visiting the treatment area. The EPA further goes on to say “Veratrine is a neural insecticide, but it is highly unlikely that non-target terrestrial invertebrates are present or will enter the limited treated areas (crack or crevice) on man-made structures.” As an ecologist, we know that by their very nature non-target invertebrates will occupy cracks and crevices of buildings either as their home, or by crawling through the area treated with chemicals. Birds and other vertebrates will often seek out food where they see invertebrates congregating around cracks.
It is likely that even if pesticide applicators follow the directions, they are still likely to apply this chemical throughout the outside of a structure, filling all cracks with the insecticide. The total area covered will increase the likelihood of exposure to birds, insects and mammals that may seek out prey or cover.
The half-life of Veratrine in sediment in aerobic soil metabolism testing in four soils ranged from 11.5 days to 79 days, above the 10-day half-life criterion. Similarly, the half-life of veratrine in sediment in two aquatic metabolism studies was 65.5 and 179 days. It appears this is persistent enough to affect non-target species.
Potential Impacts to People
Purified veratrine alkaloids are quite toxic, however, and are considered on a par with the most toxic synthetic insecticides.
Sabadilla seeds have been used as a vermifuge, and to destroy vermin in the hair, but their dangerous drastic and irritating properties have caused them to be dismissed from practice.
Sabadilla can be severely irritating to skin and mucous membranes, and has a powerful sneeze-inducing effect when inhaled. Ingestion of small amounts may cause headaches, severe nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cramps and reduced circulation.
Ingestion of very high doses may cause convulsions, cardiac paralysis, and respiratory failure. Sabadilla alkaloids can be absorbed through the skin or mucous membranes.
