What harm does a fumigator cause to people, and how can it be prevented?

Composition of toxic substances in the fumigator

The main difference between fumigators and all other mosquito repellents is their degree of effectiveness. Repellents simply repel mosquitoes with a smell or block the smell of a person for insects; traps, on the contrary, lure bloodsuckers with the same smells, and fumigators are aimed specifically at exterminating them.

An insecticide is placed inside the fumigator in liquid form or in the form of a plate, which, when heated, releases fumes that are toxic to cold-blooded creatures. As a rule, DEET or prallethrin is used as a toxic substance. This is a nerve-paralytic substance that blocks the nerve endings of mosquitoes and flies, which soon leads to their death.

Advantages and disadvantages

Disadvantages of fumigators:

1. According to statistics, with prolonged use of such chemicals , 12% of people experience an allergic reaction (in adults - headache, sore throat, runny nose, and in children even cough, diarrhea and fever).
2. Do not use indoors where there are pregnant and nursing mothers.
3. After turning off the device , toxic chemicals remain in the room for some time.

But, despite these disadvantages, fumigators also have undoubted advantages.:

1. The main advantage of this method of protection against mosquitoes is, of course, their rapid destruction.
2. Evaporating substances do not have a pungent odor , and the human sense of smell practically does not perceive it.
3. These are general purpose protection products against unwanted insects. They protect all people in the room at once.

Repellent composition

The principle of operation of the fumigator is simple: inside it there is a spiral, which, when connected to the network, heats a cardboard plate with repellent or a liquid of the same composition. The insecticide evaporates when heated, and the mosquitoes soon die. The device operates within a radius of 12 square meters.

Companies that produce repellents for fumigators guarantee that after 30 minutes the room will be free of parasites. But consumers are interested in whether the insecticides that the device evaporates cause harm to the human body. This is especially true for children and pregnant women.

Many repellents, such as the popular Raptor, contain the following ingredients:

• Esbiotrin (d-trans-allethrin). This poisonous agent is often used to kill insects. It is included in repellents under different names. Esbiotrin negatively affects the nerve endings of insects and their muscle function. Under the influence of the insecticide, mosquitoes first buzz intensely and rush around the room, then they become paralyzed. The parasites fall down and die.
• Prallethrin. A synthetic drug that is poisonous to many insects. It is an analogue of Dalmatian chamomile extract. The drug poisons the respiratory and digestive systems of parasites.
• DEET substances. These components have a detrimental effect not only on mosquitoes, but also on flies, ticks, fleas and other blood-sucking parasites. They destroy the olfactory system and nervous function of insects. The consequences of poisoning are paralysis and death.
• Isopropanol This is an alcohol that depresses the nervous system of parasites. It is a highly toxic substance.
• Essential oils, plant extracts. Mosquito repellent substances that are added to repellents. These compounds mask human body odor, which attracts mosquitoes. They make it “invisible” and unpleasant for parasites.

Allethrin plate 27 mg

During testing of the second plate with a large amount of active substance, the first mosquito died a little later - after a minute and a half. But after five minutes and 45 seconds there was not a single living insect left in the chamber.

“In fact, heating a substance with a small content can release it faster. And the efficiency will be great in the first few tens of minutes, and then everything will fade away,”

explained Mikhail Alekseev.

Rules of application

Before you start using the fumigator, carefully read the instructions for use and precautions.

Pay special attention to the following tips:

1. Plug the fumigator only into a working outlet.
2. Do not leave the device turned on unattended for a long time.
3. the fumigator, plates and liquids for them out of the reach of children, away from food, personal hygiene products and medicines.
4. When the device is plugged into an outlet, do not handle it with wet hands or come into contact with metal objects.
5. In rooms where there are pregnant women, nursing mothers and people prone to allergies, it is better not to use fumigants.
6. In children's rooms, use mosquito repellents specially designed for children, with a low content of insecticide (toxic substances), and the switched on fumigator should be no closer than 1 m from the sleeping place.
7. for pets (cats, dogs), just as it is not dangerous for people, but fish and birds cannot tolerate the toxic fumes of pyrethroids.
8. before and after using the device to avoid headaches. Doctors say that when using fumigators for more than 3 hours in an unventilated area, a small part of the chemicals enters our body through the respiratory system.
9. If the area of ​​the room where such a device is used is larger than indicated in the instructions for it, use several devices for effective operation.

Bloodsucker, go away: how not to get poisoned along with a mosquito by turning on the fumigator

Summer is a time of romance, gatherings in nature and travel, but mosquitoes can pretty much ruin your mood. What to do? Fumigators will help in such situations .

But the fact is that the smoke from the coil is dangerous not only for mosquitoes, but also for humans.
Are there harmless repellents? And which fumigator is best to use at home? We’ll find out in “The Most Useful Program” with Vladimir Shcheglov on REN TV.

How does Raptor work?

The Raptor fumigator is a compact device designed to operate from a 220 V outlet. The device is based on a microelement that heats up when turned on. The liquid cartridges or replacement plates that are inserted into the device also become hot. At the same time, active components evaporate from them. Reaching a certain concentration in the air, the substances begin to destroy mosquitoes. At the same time, they remain safe for humans, provided that the device is used in accordance with the instructions.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated here. You just need to take out the replacement plate or can from the packaging and install it on the fumigator. By plugging in the device, you can enjoy fresh air from open windows without worrying about insect attacks.

( Video : “Comparison of mosquito repellent liquids. What makes RAPTOR® liquids high quality?”)

How to use the Raptor mosquito repellent fumigator correctly

You need to understand that a large amount of liquid in a bottle intended for a fumigator contains a high concentration of the active substance. This bottle should be handled with extreme care. Before inserting it into the fumigator, remove the protective cap. Screw the bottle into the device so that it holds as tightly as possible. The device is inserted into the outlet in a vertical position. This will avoid spilling toxic liquid. Choose sockets in the room that are not covered by furniture.

15 minutes after switching on, the active substances begin to evaporate. Accordingly, the fight against insects begins. In the morning, when there is no need for the device, it is unplugged. The bottle of liquid is used until it completely evaporates. To achieve maximum efficiency, you can use some tips:

• to improve the distribution of active components throughout the room, the fumigator is inserted into the socket in the direction of air flow;
• ensure free access of air to the device;
• It is recommended to turn on the fumigator 30-40 minutes before bedtime;
• if you sleep with the windows open, the device should be left on all night;
• the presence of a draft impairs the effectiveness of the active ingredients.

Is Raptor dangerous?

Common opinions about the safety of a fumigator lead to the fact that many simply refuse to use this device, resigning themselves to mosquito attacks. Indeed, the pyrethroids contained in the replacement plates are powerful nerve agents. They have a deadly effect on insects. Even after turning off the device from the network, the product sprayed in the air remains effective for some time.

However, you need to understand that a tiny proportion of active substances is released into the air. For humans, they are practically harmless due to the huge difference in the mass of a mosquito and a person. In addition, the course and speed of metabolic processes in humans and insects differ significantly.

Despite the harmlessness of this device, caution when using it will never hurt. What you need to pay attention to when using a fumigator:

• There is a category of people whose body exhibits an allergic reaction even at low concentrations of active substances. That is why you need to make sure that the operation of the device does not worsen your well-being. If a rash appears on the body, headaches, sore throat and difficulty breathing, it is recommended to turn off the device;
• When purchasing a new fumigator with plates, pay attention to the instructions. It must be in Russian. Here you can find out the manufacturer's recommendations regarding the correct use of the device. Also, from the instructions you can find out which active substance is used and in what concentration it is present;
• Make sure that no moisture gets on the device, even if it is unplugged. If electrical current is applied, it may cause a fire;
• It would be useful to have a fire certificate, which is provided by specialized companies for their products. Counterfeits made from flammable plastic can cause significant damage to your home;
• a fumigator may not be suitable for various reasons. In this case, it is recommended to replace it with folk remedies, which include the smells of cloves, cedar oil, tobacco smoke, valerian, pine needles, and camphor.

Experiment to determine the best remedy

Half an hour - and the mosquitoes were gone. This is how the manufacturers of absolutely all fumigators advertise their products - even for 50 rubles, even for a thousand. But if everything is really like that, why overpay? To find out whether all bloodsucker remedies are equally effective, experts conducted a small experiment. We bought two plates with the active ingredient allethrin and two bottles with prallethrin. Moreover, the concentration of insecticide is different everywhere. The higher it is, the more expensive the sample.

Allethrin 8 mg plate –

17 rubles for 10 pieces, a plate with allethrin 27 mg
-
50 rubles for 10 pieces, a bottle with prallethrin 1.2%
-
85 rubles, a bottle with prallethrin 1.8%
-
135 rubles.

“We have a chamber with a volume of 0.5 cubic meters. We release mosquitoes into this chamber, ideally we release one hundred individuals, that is, when one hundred individuals die, there is a 100% defeat,”

explained Mikhail Alekseev.

We turn on the fumigators and measure how long it takes for the first and penultimate mosquitoes to die. The latter does not count; experts leave it as an error. The shorter the time, the more effective the product works. In theory, with such a chamber volume, most of the mosquitoes should die in five minutes.

How to choose a fumigator?

1. Pay attention to the concentration of the chemical. This information must be indicated on the packaging. If the content of hazardous substances does not exceed 10-15%, then such a fumigator is suitable for children and allergy sufferers.
2. It is better to choose coils for outdoor recreation , and not for getting rid of mosquitoes in the apartment, as they spread smoke with a pungent odor.
3. If you choose plates as a fumigant , they will need to be changed each time before use. 1 plate is enough for 8 hours of use, but this is only one night.
4. Liquid cartridges do not need to be changed every time. You insert them into the device once, and the filler consumption is calculated automatically. Typically, liquid fumigants are designed for 30-45 days of eight-hour operation per day, which does not cause any hassle in replacing the cartridge. All you have to do is remember to plug it in.
5. For alternate use, it is better to take 2 in 1 devices , with the ability to use both plates and liquid in one device.
6. And if you are forgetful , choose a fumigator with an on/off timer, then you won’t even need to unplug it from the socket, just change the cartridge once every month and a half and sleep peacefully.

Which fumigator is better to buy?

The experiment showed that allethrin plates will help get rid of mosquitoes the fastest. And the cheapest. Cassettes are more expensive –

with a large amount of active substance
-
they no longer work as effectively, because the repellent in them evaporates more slowly. But such plates will last a little longer. But, as it turned out, there is no point in overpaying for liquid insecticides. In most electrofumigators, the rod through which the contents of the bottle evaporates is very poorly saturated. Therefore, the effectiveness of such a fumigator drops sharply.

Watch even more experiments and life hacks in “The Most Useful Program” with Vladimir Shcheglov on REN TV! Every Saturday at 10:05 on our channel!

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