A review of the efficacy and uses of deltamethrin for wood preservation

IRG/WP 96-30105

A J Adams, J L Lindars

The synthetic pyrethroid deltamethrin, is one of the most active insecticides available for protecting and curing wood from attack by beetles and termites. Freshly felled trees can be protected against bark beetles by spraying to run off with a 0.025% Al solution (K-Otek EC25) with negligible leaching. Alternatively, sawn timber may be dipped in a 0.0125% Al solution for short to medium term protection. Trials data and European Norm (EN) test results have demonstrated that dipping, vacuum pressure impregnation (VPI) and deltamethrin as an LOSP treatment need to provide retention levels of as little as 10 g Al/m³ for the protection of timber for use in Hazard Classes I-III (above ground). When deltamethrin is included in glueline applications, then protection of plywood from attack by the subterranean termite, Coptotermes havilandii is provided by levels of <40 g Al/m³. EN test results, for protective (EN46) and remedial (EN22, EN48, EN118) uses, support surface application rates of <50 mg Al/m² and <20 mg Al/m², respectively, of ready to use (RTU) and water-dilutable products (K-Otek Anti-insect OL, K-Otek Anti-insect SL ). Surface application (brushing) of EC, OL and SL formulations resulted in approx. 90% of the applied deltamethrin being recovered from the outer 2 mm of wood blocks.


Keywords: PYRETHROIDS; DELTAMETHRIN; INSECTICIDES; LOSP; FORMULATIONS; REMEDIATION; PENETRATION; APPLICATION; IMPREGNATION; LEACHING

Conference: 96-05-19/24 Guadeloupe, France


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