Insect ShieldHealth & Safety Testing
Years of human health and safety research went into developing the Insect Shield technology and its use in the field.
Our repellent technology is recommended by leading health agencies.
Permethrin Safety History
Permethrin, the active ingredient in Insect Shield technology has been used in the United States as an EPA-registered product since 1979, with an excellent safety record.
Permethrin Facts · NPIC National Pesticide Information Center
Laboratory Testing
Before pesticides are registered by the U.S. EPA they must undergo laboratory testing for short-term (acute) and long-term (chronic) health effects. These tests help scientists judge how the chemicals might affect humans, domestic animals and wildlife in cases of overexposure.
Uses of Permethrin
Permethrin is an insecticide in the pyrethroid family. Pyrethroids are synthetic chemicals that act like natural extracts from the chrysanthemum flower.
Permethrin is used in a number of ways to control insects. Products containing permethrin may be used in public health mosquito control programs. They may be used on food and feed crops, on ornamental lawns, on livestock and pets, in structures and buildings. Permethrin may also be used in places where food is handled, such as restaurants. Permethrin can also be used in numerous residential sites, both indoor and outdoor, and on pets and clothing. There are currently more than 1400 registered products containing permethrin.
Some products are used to treat scabies and head lice on people. These products are drugs and are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). *see exhibit A
Permethrin and Mosquito Nets
CDC: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) only pyrethroid insecticides are approved for use on Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs.) These insecticides have been shown to pose very low health risks to humans and other mammals but are toxic to insects and kill them, even at very low doses. In community-wide trials in several African settings ITNs have been shown to reduce the death of children under 5 years from all causes by about 20%.
WHO: The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a guidance for the use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets to protect people from malaria. The WHO Pesticide Evaluation Scheme (WHOPES) has given either full or interim approval to a number of Long-Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets (LLIN) for use in the prevention of malaria. LLINs have been associated with sharp decreases in malaria in countries where malaria programs have achieved high LLIN coverage. WHO now recommends that LLINs be distributed to and used by all people ("universal coverage") in malarious areas not just by the most vulnerable groups: pregnant women and children under 5 years.
*Exhibit A
Safety for Humans
A study was conducted involving 196 women who had applied a single, full-body, dermal dose of 4% permethrin as a scabies treatment during their second or third trimesters of pregnancy. Researchers found no evidence that exposure to permethrin affected the outcome of the participants pregnancies.
A study involving 113 women using a 1% permethrin head lice during pregnancy found no indication that exposure to permethrin affected the outcome of their pregnancies.
While children may be especially sensitive to pesticides compared to adults there are currently no data to suggest that children have increased sensitivity specifically to permethrin.
WHO Risk Analysis
Utilizing the method outlined by WHO (2009)
Analysis performed by: RiskSciences.net, LLC
Calculation is straightforward whereas the dermal LD50 for permethrin is divided by the weight fraction (0.52%) of permethrin in the formulated product.
a) Limit value, i.e., 2000mg/kg, is consistent with dermal toxicity and MSDS for technical active ingredient.
Calculation shows that Insect Shield application is 192.3 X below any level of concern for dermal exposure.
Oral exposure is not listed since it is not possible to ingest numerous completed textiles products such as shirts and pants.
Insect Shield is on the Oeko-Tex® Approved Active Chemical List
Active Chemical Products
Here you will find an overview of active chemical products which have been controlled by independent toxicologists and assessed as harmless to human health, as long as they are used as indicated and designated. The safety assessments are based on information, test reports, recipes etc. which have been provided for the product in question by the manufacturer. The test reports taken into consideration for this assessment have been drawn up by accredited toxicological and/or dermatological institutes.
The Oeko-Tex Standard evolved from the independent test standards of the Austrian Textile Research Institute and the Hohenstein Research Institute in 1992. One year later the Swiss Textile Testing Institute joined the founding members. Today there are 14 authorized test institutes in Europe and Japan with 31 representative agencies in all key textile production regions.
Hohenstein Institute Test
Skin Irritation
Extensive allergy/skin sensitivity tests have been conducted by the Hohenstein Institute, an accredited test laboratory and research institute specializing in the testing and certification of textiles.
Allergy/Skin Irritation Test
In vitro screening test for the investigation of the sensitizing potential of test sample.
Insect Shield was awarded the following Quality Labels:
- “Hypoallergenic”
- “No Allergy Potential”
Osaka Skin Safety Evaluation Testing
Summary of Evaluation of Potential Exposures & Health Risks Associated with Insect Shield Apparel
(BOIS Bio-Monitoring Study)
In 2005, Insect Shield commissioned one of the most detailed studies ever conducted on the subject of dermal exposure to wearers of permethrin-treated clothing. The clothing tested was treated using the Insect Shield proprietary treatment process and the Insect Shield proprietary permethrin formula. Therefore, the resulting conclusions only apply to wearers of Insect Shield clothing, and are not representative of other permethrin treatment processes and formulas.
Three analytical methods were used to determine transfer of permethrin from clothing onto the skin of the wearer: gauze wipe, whole body dosimeter, and hand wash. In addition, a urinary bio-monitoring study was performed to ascertain the level of permethrin absorbed into the body of the test subjects. This bio-monitoring evaluation is the "gold-standard" of assessment and created direct measures of exposure specific to the use of Insect Shield apparel. The data obtained from the four test methodologies are very well behaved. Each data set correlates with and corroborates the other data sets, strengthening the validity and soundness of the overall study.
The study results also showed that garments treated using the proprietary Insect Shield formula and process yield permethrin exposure levels 182 times lower than exposure levels measured on garments treated with permethrin via a standard spray method. It is important to note that exposure levels associated with the standard spray method are well within the EPA's acceptable limits. Furthermore, the standard spray method has been utilized since the late 1970s with an excellent safety record. In summary, these impressive results confirm that Insect Shield binds permethrin so tightly to fabric fibers that it remains in place and does not transfer onto the skin or into the environment.
- Sixteen individuals between the ages of 39 and 66 were studied to conduct the analysis.
- Of the sixteen, 7 were females and 9 were males.
- The evaluation took place between the months of May and August, and was conducted in 3 locations: Saskatchewan, Canada, Creedmoor, North Carolina, and Durham, North Carolina.
- All of the subjects wore complete sets of Insect Shield apparel for 7 to 10.5 hours per day.
- They participated in non-choreographed activities, mainly in the outdoors, which offered a high level of activity.
- The clothing consisted of long-sleeve shirts and long pants made from various blends and weights of fabric.
- All diets were managed and monitored throughout the evaluation to prevent any of the results from being skewed.
- The results were then extrapolated to determine the impact of long-term, prolonged use.
- The study concluded that all measured levels of exposure were well below the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) level of concern.
- The EPA concern level is considered to be a very conservative standard.
- The levels of permethrin exposure were 100 times lower than the EPA's allowable limits of exposure.
Build Insect Protection Into Your Workforce Programs
Whether it's licensing our technology or building a workforce safety program, our team can help you address this risk directly.
Start the Conversation