BROMETHALIN

Chemical properties

Pale yellow, water-insoluble crystalline substance.

The Uses of BROMETHALIN

Bromethalin is used to control rats and mice indoors and outdoors. It is more effective against rats.

The Uses of BROMETHALIN

Rodenticide.

Definition

ChEBI: Bromethalin is a C-nitro compound.

Hazard

Poisonous; moderately toxic; causes headache, confusion, personality changes, seizures, coma, death.

Metabolic pathway

Bromethalin is a complex molecule possessing several functional groups and rapid and multi-pathway metabolism would be expected. There is a dearth of information published on its environmental fate and metabolism in plants but some limited information on metabolism in rats is available.

Degradation

Bromethalin is stable under normal storage conditions but it is degraded by UV light.

Toxicity evaluation

Bromethalin is produced by reaction of 2,4-dinitro-6- trifluoromethyl methylaniline with 1,2,3,5-tetrabromobenzene (15). This compound has been known for some time to have rodenticidal properties (16) but has only recently been made available. Bromethalin is used in baits at a concentration of 0.005 or 0.01% and is effective against rodents resistant to anticoagulants. It does not induce bait shyness. Anorexia occurs after an effective dose has been consumed. The mode of action is by uncoupling oxidative phosphorylation in cells of the central nervous system. Symptoms of poisoning include tremors, convulsions, prostration, and hind-limb paralysis. No specific antidote is available but a symptomatic treatment has been described (17). Trade Names. Assault (Purina Mills), Vengeance (Dow- Elanco). The following acute and subacute compounds are used for rodent control less frequently than those listed above, either because they are not widely available or because restrictions have been placed upon their use due to safety considerations (11,18).