The Effects of Chlorine Gas on Insects

Pesticides

• Many popular pesticides used privately as well as those used by governments have used chlorine. Chlorine effectively kills insects because insects only need to breath in small amounts of chlorine before suffering from respiratory failure.

Internal Respiratory Problems

• When an insect breathes in the slightest amount of chlorine gas, the gas begins to combine with water in the cells of the insect. This, in turn, creates an acid that begins to eat up the tissue of the insect, such as its nervous and respiratory system tissues.

Strong Odor

• Unless directly applied to an insect nest or insect, chlorine often makes an insect repel and escape. This is because the odor of chlorine is strong for any animal. Although insects do not have similar breathing mechanisms as other animals, the effects of chlorine should effect them more. This is because most species of insects have trachea veins that absorb oxygen across the insects' skin. This would mean the chlorine could give an unpleasant feeling to the entire insect's body.

DDT

• DDT was one of the first insecticides that was created as an insect repellent and a human chemical weapon with chlorine. Its role in the history of chemical agents has been controversial. Although initially DDT helped destroy insects carrying malaria in places like Sri Lanka, there became growing concern over its effects on humans. This was because large amounts of DDT could expose the human body to the dangers of chlorine gas inhalation.