Reference articles on history, science, culture and more
Encyclopedia

Maneb

Chemical compound

Image credit is listed at the end of this article.

Maneb (manganese ethylene-bis-dithiocarbamate) is a fungicide and a polymeric complex of manganese with the ethylene bis (dithiocarbamate) anionic ligand.

01Health effects

Exposure to maneb can occur when breathed in; it can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat as well as cause headaches, fatigue, nervousness, dizziness, seizures and unconsciousness. Prolonged or long-term exposure may interfere with the function of the thyroid. Exposure to maneb is also shown to induce a Parkinson's disease-like neurotoxicity in mice. The link between maneb and Parkinson's disease had been suspected since the early 2000s; but however, a 2022 review concluded that maneb, alongside other pesticides like MPTP, paraquat, and rotenone, play a prominent role in the development of the disease. More investigation is needed to investigate its underlying mechanism of action.

02Production

Manganese(II) ethylenebis(dithiocarbamate) of low ethylenethiourea (ETU) content is prepared by mixing disodium ethylenebis (dithiocarbamate) with formaldehyde in aqueous medium then mixing a water-soluble manganese(II) salt to precipitate the maneb. The product can be further formulated with a metal salt and also with paraformaldehyde. (See External links for the patent citation)

03Applications

Maneb, is a broad spectrum fungicide that is extensively applied against a wide range of fungal pathogens affecting ornamental plants, food and feed crops. It can also be used to create a toxin-based animal model of Parkinson's disease, usually in primates.

04Environmental effects

Maneb will decompose into Ethylene thiourea, Mn2+, CS2, CO2, and NH3 upon exposure with air or moisture. Maneb's decomposition products are largely influenced by environmental factors.

05Regulation

Maneb was included in a pesticide ban proposed by the Swedish Chemicals Agency and approved by the European Parliament on January 13, 2009.

Watch videos about ManebExplainers and documentaries on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Sources and credits

This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article Maneb, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.

Images, from Wikimedia Commons:

Fathomly is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Wikimedia Foundation. Spotted a problem? Tell us.