Methyl parathion is a powerful poison that affects the central nervous system. This chemical has been found in at least 16 of 1,416 National Priorities List sites identified by the Environmental Protection Agency. Methyl parathion is an insecticide that comes in two forms, white crystals or a brownish liquid. It smells like rotten eggs and is similar to nerve gas. It has been made in the United States since 1952.
Methyl parathion is used to kill insects on farm crops, especially cotton.
It is a restricted-use pesticide. This means that only trained people are allowed to mix, load, and spray it. Methyl parathion enters the environment primarily through spraying on farm crops. Methyl parathion is rapidly broken down to other chemicals in water and soil. Fish do not appear to take in and store methyl parathion from the water.