"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

In article ,
"George.com" writes:
|
| ... Borax is also a simple chemical and breaks down fairly
| quickly in the environment (as opposed to complex chemicals that can
| linger).
|
| Er, no. The most basic chemistry should tell you THAT!
|
| Nick, I realise that agreeing with me can be harmful to your reputation
but
| isn't that essentially what you are doing. I am interested as a
learning
| exercise how your (useful and understandable) explaination differs
greatly
| from what I have said. You are saying that borax (sodium borate)
remains in
| environment in that form?

No. I have no idea what happens to it but, as the active ingredient is
an element (boron), it isn't going to break down quickly (or at all) in
any environment that plants or animals will survive in.

The point is that high levels in the diet of insects causes sterility
or death (whichever it is) and that very low levels in the soil are
essential to plant life. Very like copper and iron in that respect.

yes, thanks. I should have said that borax is a simple compound that does
not remain in the environment as a complex chemical or that it is a
naturally occurring chemical/mineral (?). My language wasn't exacting.

rob