Mosquito-repellent incense is one of the daily essentials, which people use in their homes without fail. Proper usage can keep you from the mosquito’s bites, while their improper employment may affect your health or even cause your death. News about cases of poisoning due to improper use of mosquito-repellent incense has been happening quite often lately!
1. Ordering a plate of mosquito coils is equivalent to smoking 6 packs of cigarettes in a row?
A mosquito coil is made of wood chips and toner, which are the ignition parts, that is, it is a long burning product releasing low heat but being safe. As a rule, there is not a big issue with the normal usage of mosquito coils, however, it should be kept in mind that the carbon monoxide emitted in the burning procedure of mosquito coils is still higher than that in open flames. In a case where the doors and windows are closed tightly, the concentration of carbon monoxide keeps rising as the oxygen level in the room decreases which makes it easy to cause carbon monoxide poisoning incidents.
There were also some discussions “mosquito-repellent incense causing cancer” that it contains carcinogens like benzene. When a mosquito-repellent incense is burning, it emits the same kind of harmful substances as the burning of 6 packs of cigarettes, which can easily cause leukemia, lung cancer, and other cancer diseases. So, what’s the truth?
Actually, whether mosquito coils cause cancer or not, we still need to consider the quality of mosquito coils and the way of their usage. Generally, the impact of the body will be very low if we select qualified mosquito coils produced by regular manufacturers and use them properly.
The market for today-s qualified mosquito coils includes that of the planned pyrethroid insecticides which are strong in killing power, less toxic for humans and leave very low residues. In spite of their instability in the air, the smoke emitted when burnt can rapidly kill as well as repel mosquitoes.
Watch out, Some low-quality mosquito coils are made from DDT, benzopyr, arsenide, and other ingredients, and if these products are used for a long time, people will suffer from chronic poisoning, so they are low in safety!
For the statement, “the harm from ordering a plate of mosquito coils is equivalent to smoking 6 packs of cigarettes,” it is an exaggeration of the point.
One can measure the PM2.5 formed by one mosquito coil and cigarette burning. But the real toxins are hard to identify, and the pollutants released from the burning of mosquito-repellent incense and cigarettes are not exactly the same, plus there is no scientific uniform conversion standard, so they cannot be compared at all.
2. Will mosquito coils damage the liver if left open for 24 hours?
There has been news of pyrethroid ingredients in mosquito-repellent incense and electric mosquito-repellent incense liquid that are harmful to the human body. Long-term use in a closed-air space will lead to liver damage. How to decide between preventing mosquitoes and protecting the liver?
The essential compounds in mosquito-repellent incense or electric mosquito-repellent incense liquids that are currently produced in the market are tetrafluthrin, tetramethrin, chlorofluoromethane, sevoid, and propargyl, which are all low-toxicity.
“After the heating of the electric mosquito-repellent liquid, pyrethroids will volatilize and diffuse into the air, paralyzing the mosquito’s nerves first and then the contact happens”. The concentration of a qualified mosquito repellent liquid is normally relatively low and it is also safer for the human body.
Nevertheless, even with mild toxicity, caution should be kept during usage. One should particularly not use a confined space for a long duration, as it may cause symptoms such as dizziness and headache, and moreover, cause damage to the health of infants, young children, etc. Some people may also have skin allergic reactions.
The studies carried out reveal that the presence of trifluoromethacrylate solvent in electric mosquito-repellent fragrances or benzopyr in inferior mosquito-repellent fragrances can injure the liver cells even at a very low dosage if exposed for a long period. Therefore, the recommendation is that the public buys only mosquito-repellent incense products of high quality from legitimate manufacturers and at the same time, be careful not to use them in a closed environment for a long time.
3. “Anti-mosquito, this is the most effective!”
If you believe that mosquitoes are the most active in summer, I must tell you that they are actually coming more vigorously in autumn!
As per india Weather Network when the temperature is more than 26℃ and the relative humidity is 70%-80%, mosquitoes are the most active and they bite the most, on the other hand, if the temperature is more than 36℃ in summer, mosquitoes can be “overheated”, thus putting them less active.
In a nutshell, mosquitoes tend to a relatively warm and moist atmosphere for example a little rain in early autumn with the temperature about 25~30℃ is just right for the survival of mosquitoes. The past monitoring of mosquito densities has revealed that the density of mosquitoes has an annual “hump-like” distribution, in other words, usually in June the high-temperature period mosquitoes are “heat-dead”, and the peak of activity occurs again in August and September when the temperature drops slightly.
So the question is how we can effectively prevent and protect ourselves from mosquitoes in September doing high temperature and humid condition?
1. Physical mosquito repellent
Of course, mainly physical mosquito repellents, e.g. installing mosquito nets and screens, using electric mosquito swatters, wearing long sleeves, etc., are the means by which mosquito could be kept away though a bit troublesome.
2. Natural “mosquito repellent”
Use of mosquito-coil and other such products should not be overly relied upon, and albeit less toxic, regular use for a long time can also affect one’s health. You can use plant extracts such as citronella oil, lemon eucalyptus oil, and peppermint oil that you might not find as effective as mosquito coils but are very safe and cause little or no harm to pregnant women and children. They can be converted into sprays or aromatherapy and it is only wise to confirm that you are not allergic before using the products.
3. Environmental governance
If you want to kill mosquitoes, you can actually start from the source. For example, check whether the water-accumulating areas such as flower pot trays, water dispenser water trays, and floor drains at home are clean and clean, so as not to give mosquitoes a chance to reproduce. There is also garbage that does not stay overnight, and the food is well sealed, can also reduce mosquito breeding.
The temperature in autumn is lower than that in summer, and it is rainy, which is more conducive to mosquito breeding. Recently, there have been frequent reports of Aedes mosquitoes spreading chikungunya fever, so more attention should be paid to mosquito prevention. It is recommended that you do a good job in home environmental sanitation. If possible, you can install screens, mosquito nets and use electric mosquito swatters. Of course, you can also use mosquito coils or electric mosquito coils in moderation, but be sure to buy qualified products and keep the room ventilated when using it. It should not be used for too long.
Disclaimer: The following image/content has been generated by an Artificial Intelligence model and is not a photograph or a traditional human creation.
“Dr. Rana Patir is an eminent Neurosurgeon of India with more than 30 years of experience in the field of advanced neurosurgery. Besides being a teaching faculty at AIIMS and at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, and professor of Neurosurgery at Guwahati Assam. He has also been the head of the department of Neurosurgery at Max hospitals, and Sir Ganga Ram hospital New Delhi. He is known as one of the best Neurosurgeons and spinal surgeons in India, having more than 10,000 neurosurgical procedures to his credit. He specializes in Minimal Invasive Brain and Spine Surgery, Skull Base Surgery, Neurovascular Surgery, Extra Cranial-Intracranial Bypass Surgery,”
