Use
Pure parathion is a pale yellow liquid with a faint odor of garlic, while technical parathion
is a deep brown to yellow liquid. It is sparingly soluble in water, but soluble in alcohols,
aromatic hydrocarbons, esters, ethers, n-hexane, dichloromethane, 2-propanol, toluene,and ketones. Parathion is one of the most acutely toxic pesticides and the US EPA has classifi
ed parathion as an RUP, meaning it should only be handled by qualifi ed, trained, and
certifi ed workers. In January 1992, the US EPA announced the cancellation of parathion for
all uses on fruit, nut, and vegetable crops.
Parathion was used for the control of pests of fruits, nuts, and vegetable crops. The only
uses retained are those on alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, sorghum, soybeans, sunfl owers,
and wheat. Further, to reduce exposure of agricultural workers, parathion may only be
applied to these crops by commercially certifi ed aerial applicators and treated crops may
not be harvested by hand. Parathion is a broad spectrum, organophosphate pesticide used
to control many insects and mites.