Latest research suggests that the very products we use to keep the mosquitoes away might be quietly harming us at the cellular and DNA level. 

Too much pollution has led to too many mosquitoes. And we keep looking for the products to keep them away, but are those products even safe? The fumes and vapours from coils, liquid vaporisers, and plug-in repellents are good for your DNA? 

What if the chemicals in these products are circulating through your bloodstream, along with repelling the mosquitoes? 

Let’s find out.

In this article, I will break down peer-reviewed research about mosquito repellants, the chemicals present in them, whether they are harmful to our DNA and what it means for our long-term health. 

Let us first talk about the chemicals present in these repellants.

Related article: 5 Simple and Scientifically Proven Tips to Make Your DNA Healthy.

Chemicals present in the mosquito repellent products:

Liquid vaporisers and plug-in devices 

DEET (N, N-dimethyl meta toluamide), allethrin and prallethrin, transfluthrin, permethrin, kerosene/solvent base. 

Mosquito coils 

Allethrin, octachlorodipropyl ether, benzene derivatives, heavy metals, and particulate matter.

Mosquito mats 

Prallethrin, d-Trans allethrin, polymeric binders and fillers.

Let’s see what science says about these repellants and the chemicals in them. 

Mosquito repellent products and DNA damage:

A recent research study published in the International Journal of Mosquito Research by Sharma et al. showed that these mosquito repellants can provoke oxidative stress, inflammation and genotoxic effects, which can lead to respiratory disease, neurological injury, reproductive harm and possibly cancer.

We are usually exposed to these chemicals by inhalation by smoke, dermal absorption and ingestion. This study also sheds light on the chemicals present in these repellants that can have some very harmful effects.

For instance, pyrethroids and other components found in repellants can increase reactive oxygen species, reduce the antioxidant defences, and induce oxidative damage to lipids, proteins, and DNA. Pyrethroids are also known to alter sodium/potassium membrane permeability, which can result in neurotoxicity.

Burning coils emit genotoxic compounds like acetaldehyde/formaldehyde and other carbonyls. These harmful compounds are known to form DNA adducts (unwanted compounds that bind to DNA, destroying its chemical structure, making it hard for the cell’s machinery to read it ) and crosslinks ( this happens when 2 parts of the DNA helix get chemically linked together or DNA is linked to a protein), leading to cell injury. 

These coils also emit fine particulate matter that is so small that it can even enter our bloodstream and generate inflammatory signals that contribute to DNA damage in distant tissues. 

And not only this, some components like phthalates even affect the reproductive physiology. 

Adding to this, the researchers state that since these repellants are primarily used at night, the vapours released or burned during the night can have toxic effects on the body as a whole. 

For example, when a mosquito coil is burned overnight, it releases heavy metals, aldehyde, and carbon particles. These substances, when inhaled, can cause the lung’s tissues to sustain cellular damage. 

Additionally, burning and spraying these repellants can also be harmful to our environment because they release a large amount of particulate matter, which pollutes the air. Such pollutants also affect our genetics, peer-reviewed research suggests.  

Another study published in the Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal found that prolonged inhalation of mosquito repellants like coils, liquids, and mats can cause significant toxic effects in vital organs. 

This study was on Swiss albino mice, and the researchers found that when inhaled, the chemicals and substances present in these repellants can generate oxidative stress, leading to DNA damage and the overexpression of the response gene, p53. The overexpression of this gene is a key signal that the cell is trying to repair the genetic injury. 

Scientists say that persistent activation of this pathway can push cells toward mitochondria-mediated apoptosis and trigger numerical and structural chromosomal abnormalities in sensitive tissues like bone marrow and lung macrophages. 

In this study, the order of toxicity of different repellents on nervous and hepatic tissues was found to be: Coil > Liquid > Mat, while in renal and cardiac tissues, Coil was again found to be the most toxic one, Mat with medium toxicity, whereas Liquid was least toxic (Coil > Mat > Liquid). 

Giving us a conclusion that among all of these repellents, coils are the most harmful ones.

So what should we do, let mosquitoes bite us and not let us live in peace? You are thinking this, right? Let me pull out some safer alternatives and recommendations for you. 

Related article: Are Your Allergies Genetic?

What to do?

1. Prefer non-burning strategies like mosquito nets and window screens.
2. Improve ventilation when you use coils or vaporisers. 
3. Avoid overnight burning in small, enclosed rooms with no ventilation. 
4. Prolonged overnight exposure should be avoided, especially in children, pregnant women and infants.
5. Opt for safer alternatives, e.g., plant-based repellants, biological vector control.

Some essential plant extracts and oils were used against insects and mosquitoes before synthetic chemical compounds had been developed. Repellents made from plants usually do not possess any toxicity risks to humans or pets, and are easy to degrade in the environment.  

In recent years, many institutions and researchers have started to create natural active ingredients, with a particular emphasis on plant-based ingredients. Still, research is ongoing on eco-friendly and nontoxic compounds as insecticides.

Wrapping up: 

Don’t panic, this doesn’t mean that you have to bear the mosquitoes to save your DNA. You just have to be mindful of what you choose in your daily life. Sometimes, you just have to switch to safer alternatives, and that’s it; that’s your solution.

Remember, these compounds and chemicals are toxic when the exposure is prolonged. And also one suggestion from my side, use mosquito nets, and don’t pollute your surroundings. 

Resources:

• Naz, Mamuna, et al. “Comparative Study of Subchronic Toxicities of Mosquito Repellents (Coils, Mats and Liquids) on Vital Organs in Swiss Albino Mice.” Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal, vol. 27, no. 3, Mar. 2019, pp. 348–353, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsps.2018.12.002.
• Sharma, Vinita, et al. “Human Health Risks to the Use of Chemical Mosquito Repellents: A Review.” International Journal of Mosquito Research, vol. 11, no. 1, 1 Jan. 2024, pp. 161–167, www.dipterajournal.com/pdf/2024/vol11issue1/PartC/11-1-19-401.pdf, https://doi.org/10.22271/23487941.2024.v11.i1c.757.