Pesticides
David J. George in Poisons, 2017
Pesticides are chemicals used to kill, control, or repel pests. Target pests can include insects, worms, weeds, mollusks, birds, mammals, fish, and plant pathogens. There are many types of pesticides with diverse chemical structures that are formulated into many different products with human toxicity. The inert constituents and solvents in pesticide products can also be toxic, sometimes more toxic than the pesticide. In the United States, there are more than 1000 individual pesticides marketed in approximately 20,000 products. The complexity and diversity of pesticide products necessitate that they be specifically identified in exposure situations. This can be difficult because pesticides are often transferred from their original packaging to other containers that are smaller and more convenient to use. Pesticide products are heavily regulated by federal and local laws that specify how they can be marketed, who can purchase them, and how they must be used. Some examples of common pesticides are provided in Table 24.1.
Environmental Toxins
Gia Merlo, Kathy Berra in Lifestyle Nursing, 2023
A pesticide is a broad term used to describe a substance used to destroy insects or other organisms deemed harmful to cultivated plants. Pesticides can include herbicides, which help destroy weeds; insecticides, for controlling the insect population; and fungicides, which prevent the growth of molds and mildew. Because pesticides are often used in agriculture, humans are exposed to chemicals from pesticides in the food supply (National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, 2021). Some individuals, such as those who work on farms, are exposed to pesticides during the course of their daily work—through skin and mucous membrane exposure. Organic farming systems allow use of some biologically based pesticides that have not been shown to have the same problematic health effects as chemical-based pesticides (Benbrook & Davis, 2020).
Surveillance for Pesticide-Related Disease
Ana Maria Osorio, Lynn R. Goldman in Proceedings from the Medical Workshop on Pesticide-Related Illnesses from the International Conference on Pesticide Exposure and Health, 2017
For an example of a longstanding acute pesticide intoxication surveillance system, consider the California Pesticide Illness Surveillance Program (PISP) within the California Environmental Protection Agency. In California, physician reporting of pesticide illnesses has been required since 1971. A pesticide is any substance that controls pests such as insects, fungi, weeds, rodents, nematodes, algae, viruses, bacteriaor adjuvants (chemicals added to enhance efficacy of pesticides). Physicians must report any suspected case of pesticide-related illness to their local health department within 24 hours of examining the patient. The local health department then contacts the county agricultural commissioner and completes a Pesticide Illness Report which is reviewed by PISP staff. To identify additional pesticide intoxications, a review of illness reports submitted to the California workers' compensation system is conducted. During certain years, research funds have been provided to incorporate poison control center reports. An investigation is conducted by the county agricultural commissioner staff when a report mentions a specific pesticide as a cause of injury.3
Serum cholinesterase biomarker study in farmers – Souss Massa region-, Morocco: case–control study
Published in Biomarkers, 2019
H. Sine, K. El Grafel, S. Alkhammal, A. Achbani, K. Filali
Worldwide, farmers use pesticides for protection against crop loss from pests and diseases. The worldwide consumption of pesticides is about two million tons per year, out of which 45% is used by Europe alone; 25% is consumed in the USA, and 25% in the rest of the world (De et al.2014). Pesticides are defined as any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest (Testud and Grillet 2007). The Moroccan agricultural sector occupies a total area of nearly 8.7 million hectares. It is a powerful agro-climatic system enabling it to produce a wide range of products (Chomsky 2012). As a result, the use of pesticides in Morocco evolved between 2008 and 2010, from 84.9 to 85.8 kilotons (DE Maroc 2011). The Souss Massa Region is the main vegetable producing area (Walters et al.2018). It ranks first in terms of citrus area at the national level with 39 63522 ha, or 35.1% of the total area. The Souss Massa valley is the major region for vegetable production, it ranks first in terms of citrus area at the national level with 39 63522 ha, or 35.1% of the total national area (Bazzi et al.2009). Despite their benefits, pesticides are compounds that may have toxic side effects, causing potential risk. Human exposure to pesticides through inhalation, ingestion or skin contact may result in numerous toxicological effects on health (Zhi et al.2015), including endocrine disruption, reproduction and congenital anomalies, immune system dysfunction and cancer(Adeyemi et al.2008).
Impact of intrauterine exposure to the insecticide coragen on the developmental and genetic toxicity in female albino rats
Published in Egyptian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 2022
Amel Ramadan Omar, Ahmed Emam Dakrory, Marwa Mohamed Abdelaal, Heba Bassiony
Despite the potential adverse effects of pesticides on the living organisms including human and the environment, they are still widely used in agriculture due to their benefits to control insects-borne diseases, increase agricultural productivity and control of various pests [1,2]. Pesticides could be taken into the body through oral, inhalation or dermal routes after being ingested in food, drinking water, residential or occupational ways [3]. The biological activity and severity of the pesticides’ toxicity impacts are determined by the type of chemical, the dose, the route and the period of exposure [3]. There are numerous chemical classes of pesticides, which may be insecticide, fungicide or herbicide. Ryanodine is a toxic natural alkaloid isolated from plant Ryania speciose and is best used as insecticide [4]. Chemically synthetic ryanodine compounds such as chlorantraniliprole, flubendiamide, cyantraniliprole, cyclaniliprole and tetraniliprole, are called diamide insecticides that opens muscular calcium channels [5]. Chlorantraniliprole with 18.5% or 20% SC active ingredient in insecticide, has the trade name coragen, that we have investigated in our study. Coragen is being used to fight various types of flies and their larvae [6–8].
Non-thermal techniques: a new approach to removing pesticide residues from fresh products and water
Published in Toxin Reviews, 2021
Reza Abedi-Firoozjah, Zahra Ghasempour, Sirous Khorram, Arezou Khezerlou, Ali Ehsani
Pesticides are substances intended to prevent pest infestation by controlling plant diseases, weeds, insects, microorganisms, and mice or any other animals that can inflict damage to crops or human health. These compounds are also used to regulate plant growth and improve the quality and quantity of plant products. Nevertheless, if used irrationally, pesticides may be poisonous and dangerous to pests, humans, and other wildlife (Kailani et al. 2019, Wu et al. 2019, Rodrigues et al. 2020). Considering the benefits of using fresh products, the presence of pesticide residues in these products has become a health concern for consumers from all over the world (Wang and Harnoode 2014). Health problems caused by pesticides can be both short and long term. Symptoms including headache and nausea can develop shortly after consumption, and long-term problems can result in both acute and chronic diseases, such as cancer, reproductive disease, memory disorder, immune system weakening, neurological disorders, and depression (Bonner and Alavanja 2017, Qi et al. 2018). Pesticides are not made up of single-component compounds with a specific structure, but rather include multiple mixtures and adjuvants (Wu et al. 2019). The residues of pesticides are biologically active, meaning that even minimal amounts can be highly toxic and dangerous (Qi et al. 2018).
Related Knowledge Centers
- Fungicide
- Insecticide
- Rodenticide
- Herbicide
- Nematicide
- Piscicide
- Avicide
- Insect Repellent
- Animal Repellent
- Antimicrobial