Talk:Boric acid
The Accuracy of an Article on pestpush.com
The article "Diatomaceous Earth vs Boric Acid – Which One Do You Need?" by Jared contains information about Diatomaceous Earth and Boric Acid as it relates to insect control and safety to humans.
Here is a breakdown of the accuracy of the article.
Summary of the Article
The article compares diatomaceous earth (DE) and boric acid as pest control solutions, detailing their composition, application methods, effectiveness, safety, and pros and cons. It describes DE as a non-toxic, natural powder made from fossilized diatoms that kills insects by physical abrasion and dehydration. Boric acid is presented as a naturally occurring compound that acts as a stomach poison and abrasive agent, particularly effective against cockroaches. The article emphasizes DE’s safety for pets and children, its messiness, and its ineffectiveness when wet, while noting boric acid’s ease of use in baits and potential toxicity concerns.
Accuracy Evaluation
Composition and Origin:
DE: The article accurately states that DE is a powder made from fossilized diatoms, composed of silica, and acts as a mechanical insecticide by cutting and dehydrating insects. This aligns with sources like Oklahoma State University Extension and the National Pesticide Information Center, which confirm DE’s silica-based structure and desiccant properties.
Boric Acid: The article correctly identifies boric acid as a compound of boron, oxygen, and hydrogen, found in seawater and plants, and produced by refining borax. This is consistent with scientific descriptions, such as those in a USDA report cited elsewhere, which notes boric acid’s chemical derivation from borate salts.
Accuracy: Both descriptions are accurate and well-supported by external sources.
Mechanism of Action:
DE: The article claims DE kills insects via microscopic jagged edges that damage exoskeletons, leading to dehydration. This is accurate and corroborated by expert John D’Abruzzo, who describes DE as a desiccant that dries out insect cuticles, and other sources noting its physical action.
Boric Acid: It states boric acid damages insects’ digestive and nervous systems upon ingestion and can abrade exoskeletons. This is mostly accurate; the National Pesticide Information Center confirms boric acid’s role as a stomach poison and its abrasive effects, though its primary efficacy comes from ingestion rather than contact alone.
Discrepancy: The article slightly overstates boric acid’s exoskeleton damage as a primary mechanism, as most sources emphasize ingestion for optimal effect, especially for cockroaches. This is a minor issue, as it does acknowledge the digestive system impact.
Effectiveness:
DE: The article claims DE kills pests within 7 days and is effective against roaches, bed bugs, fleas, ticks, and others, requiring only contact. This is generally accurate, with sources like pestideas.com noting DE’s 100% mortality rate for roaches within a week. However, it correctly notes DE’s ineffectiveness when wet, aligning with D’Abruzzo’s warning that moisture renders DE non-irritating.
Boric Acid: It highlights boric acid’s effectiveness against cockroaches, especially via baited tablets, and notes that other cockroaches may ingest it from dead ones. This is accurate, as sources like Hacker News and pestideas.com describe boric acid’s slow-acting nature, allowing it to spread within colonies.
Discrepancy: The article implies boric acid is less effective against bed bugs, stating they won’t ingest it, which is accurate per a Quora post noting boric acid’s limited efficacy against non-ingesting pests like beetles. However, it could clarify that boric acid’s effectiveness varies by pest type more explicitly.
Safety:
DE: The article claims DE is non-toxic, safe for pets and children, and FDA-approved. This is accurate for food-grade DE, which is Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) by the FDA, though inhalation risks are noted elsewhere (e.g., House Digest warns of respiratory irritation). The article omits this inhalation risk, which is a minor oversight given its focus on application safety.
Boric Acid: It notes boric acid’s safety for homes with pets and children when contained in baited tablets but doesn’t explicitly address risks of loose powder. This is partially accurate; sources like earthworkshealth.com and House Digest emphasize that boric acid poses risks if ingested or inhaled in significant amounts, especially for children and pets, requiring careful placement.
Discrepancy: The article understates boric acid’s toxicity risks by not mentioning potential inhalation or ingestion hazards of loose powder, which other sources highlight as critical safety concerns. This is a notable gap, as it could mislead readers about safe handling.
Application and Practicality:
DE: The article describes DE application via a powder duster, its messiness, and the need to vacuum it up, which aligns with user experiences on Reddit and expert advice to apply it in dry areas. It also notes DE’s degradation over time, which is consistent with sources stating it needs reapplication.
Boric Acid: It accurately describes boric acid’s use in baited tablets or as a sprinkled powder, with sources like pestideas.com confirming its ease of use in targeted areas. The claim that boric acid is less messy than DE is supported by House Digest’s comparison of contained baits versus DE’s dustiness.
Accuracy: Application details are accurate and practical, with no significant discrepancies. Notable Issues and Discrepancies
Omission of Inhalation Risks: The article does not mention the respiratory risks of inhaling DE dust, which can cause irritation or, with long-term exposure, more severe issues, as noted by House Digest and greendiatomics.com. Similarly, it overlooks boric acid’s inhalation risks, which are critical for safe use, especially in homes with pets or children.
Understated Boric Acid Toxicity: By focusing on baited tablets, the article downplays the risks of loose boric acid powder, which can be toxic if ingested or inhaled in large amounts. Sources like earthworkshealth.com and drkilligans.com stress the need for cautious handling, particularly around pets and children.
Limited Pest-Specific Guidance: The article generalizes boric acid’s effectiveness without detailing its limitations against pests like bed bugs or beetles, which don’t readily ingest it. A Quora post clarifies this, suggesting the article could be more precise about pest-specific efficacy.
No Mention of Food-Grade DE: The article doesn’t specify that only food-grade DE is safe for household use, unlike filter-grade DE, which is harmful. This is a minor omission, as greendiatomics.com and other sources emphasize the importance of using food-grade DE.
Critical Examination
The article aligns well with the establishment narrative on DE and boric acid as effective pest control agents, drawing from widely accepted scientific and practical insights. However, its omission of inhalation risks and understated boric acid toxicity may reflect a bias toward promoting these solutions as user-friendly without fully addressing safety nuances. This could stem from an intent to simplify advice for a general audience, but it risks leaving readers underinformed about precautions. The lack of peer-reviewed citations or primary research references is typical for such blogs but limits its authority compared to academic or regulatory sources like the EPA or National Pesticide Information Center.
Conclusion
The Pest Push article is largely accurate in describing the composition, mechanisms, effectiveness, and application of DE and boric acid, with claims supported by expert opinions and other web sources. However, it has notable gaps: it omits inhalation risks for both substances, understates boric acid’s toxicity when not contained in baits, and lacks clarity on pest-specific efficacy and the need for food-grade DE. These discrepancies don’t invalidate the article but suggest readers should supplement it with additional sources, such as EPA guidelines or veterinary advice, for a complete understanding of safe use.