Insecticides are pesticides used against insects. Most modern insecticides act by poisoning the nervous system with a dose large enough relative to the insects size to be lethal. The most prominent classes of insecticides are organochlorines, pyrethroids, organophosphates, and carbamates. Insecticides can be developed to target any stage of development as well as to neutralize on contact, after ingestion, or other routs as well. A popular formulation is the flea dip used to combat fleas.

Chemical Description

Uses

Health Effects

Environmental Effects

Regulation

Classes

• Organophosphates
• Carbamates
• Organochlorines
• Pyrethroids
  

List

External Links

• European Union - Chemical and Pesticide Information . (accessed: 4 April 2003).
  Site contains policy and other information on the use of pesticides in agriculture.
  
• World Health Organization - WHO Pesticide Evaluation Scheme (WHOPES)\ . (accessed: 4 April 2003).
  WHOPES is an "international programme which promotes and coordinates the testing and evaluation of new pesticides proposed for public health use."
  
• International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS). (accessed: 4 April 2003).
  "IPSC main roles are to establish the scientific basis for safe use of chemicals, and to strengthen national capabilities and capacities for chemical safety."
  
• U.S. National Library of Medicine's (NLM) Enviro-Health Links - Pesticide Exposure . (Accessed 21 May 2006).
  
• USDA - National Agricultural Statistics Service - Agricultural Chemical Use (Accessed 16 May 2005).
  
• Ontario College of Family Physicians Pesticides Paper (accessed: 16 June 2004). An extensive review of the health effects of pesticides.
  
• Health Canada - Pesticide Information (accessed: 9 April 2003).
  Health Canada provided a range of information on pesticides in English or French.
  
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - Office of Pesticides Programs (OPP). (accessed: 19 June 2004).
  OPP's mission is "to protect public health and the environment from the risks posed by pesticides and to promote safer means of pest control."
  
• U.S. Geological Survey - National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program (accessed: 4 April 2003).
  NAWQA provides an assessment water use in the U.S. and of pesticides in the streams, rivers, and ground water of the United States.
  
• California Department of Pesticide Regulation (accessed: 4 April 2003).
  The mission of this Department is "to protect human health and the environment by regulating pesticide sales and use, and by fostering reduced-risk pest management."
  
• En espanol (Spanish Language) - Almacenar y Desechar - Pesticidas: Regulación de Pesticidas - (Storage and Disposal of Pesticides) - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (accessed: 19 June 2004).
  
  
• Washington State University - Pesticide Education Program: education with an emphasis on personal safety, environmental protection, and effective integrated pest management. (accessed: 04 April 2006).
  
• Scorecard Information on the use of pesticides and other chemicals. Produced by the Environmental Defense Fund. (accessed: 29 August 2004).
  
• Food News Consumer information about pesticides in food. Produced by the Environmental Working Group. (accessed: 29 August 2004).
  
• Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA). (accessed: 4 April 2003).
  "PANNA works to replace pesticide use with ecologically sound and socially just alternatives." See their recent report - "Chemical Trespass - Pesticides in our bodies and corporate responsibility"
  
• Pesticide Action Network International (PANI) (accessed: 4 April 2003).
  "PANI is a network of over 600 participating nongovernmental organizations, institutions and individuals in over 60 countries working to replace the use of hazardous pesticides with ecologically sound alternatives (English, French, Spanish)."
  
• Pesticide Database site - by Pesticide Action Network North America (PAN). (accessed: 4 April 2003). //
  "The PAN Pesticide Database brings together a diverse array of information on pesticides from many different sources, providing human toxicity (chronic and acute), ecotoxicity and regulatory information for about 5,400 pesticide active ingredients and their transformation products, as well as adjuvants and solvents used in pesticide products."
  
• [National Pesticide Telecommunications Network (NPTN)http://npic.orst.edu/]. (accessed: 4 April 2003).
  NPTN is based at Oregon State University and is cooperatively sponsored by the University and EPA. NPTN serves as a source of objective, science-based pesticide information on a wide range of pesticide-related topics, such as recognition and management of pesticide poisonings, safety information, health and environmental effects, referrals for investigation of pesticide incidents and emergency treatment for both humans and animals, and cleanup and disposal procedures.//
  
• Beyond Pesticides Online. (accessed: 4 April 2003).
  "Beyond Pesticides is a national network committed to pesticide safety and the adoption of alternative pest management strategies which reduce or eliminate a dependency on toxic chemicals."
  
• EXTOXNET InfoBase Online. (accessed: 4 April 2003).
  EXTOXNET provides a variety of information about pesticides, including - the Pesticide Information Profiles (PIPs) for specific information on pesticides and the Toxicology Information Briefs (TIBs) contain a discussion of certain concepts in toxicology and environmental chemistry.
  
• [Washington Toxics Coalition (WTC).] (accessed: 4 April 2003).
  WTC provides information on model pesticide-policies, alternatives to home pesticides, and much more.
  
• The Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides (NCAP) NCAP works to protect people and the environment by advancing healthy solutions to pest problems. (accessed: 3 July 2004).
  
• Monsanto Company (accessed: 4 April 2003). Site contains information on Monsanto company pesticides and agricultural products.
  Integraed Pest Management
  
• [Integrated Pest Management (IPM)] U.S. EPA - Integrated Pest Management (IPM) | http://www.epa.gov/ebtpages/pestpestmintegratedpestmanagementip.html\]\\\- Extensive information on pest management and pesticides.
  
• University of Minnesota's electronic textbook of Integrated Pest Management
  "We plan to assemble a large number of "chapters" relating to the theory and implementation of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Our goal for this Web page is to eventually have hundreds of chapters relating to integrated pest management in the broad sense (not just insect pest management)."
  
• The Consortium for International Crop Protection (CICP), working for a quarter of a century to implement effective and environmentally-sensitive crop protection worldwide.
  
• The NSF Center for Integrated Pest Management (CIPM) - North Carolina Pest Management Information.
  {King County, Washington State, IPM program and information | http://www.govlink.org/hazwaste/interagency/ipm/index.cfm\] - excellent basic information, with section on school programs.
  

Current Events

San Francisco citizens and officials voice concern over California Department of Food and Agriculture plan to use of pheromones to eliminate invasive moth species. See full San Francisco Bay Guardian article.

References

Kamel F and Hoppin JA. Association of pesticide exposure with neurologic dysfunction and disease. Environ Health Perspect. 2004 Jun;112(9):950-8. Available online at EHPonline. (accessed: 30 June 2004).
MMWR (1999). Farm worker illness following exposure to carbofuran and other pesticides - Fresno County, California, 1998. February 19, 1999, 48(6), 113-116. (accessed: 5 July 2003)..
Dean, S. R., & Meola, R. W. (2002). Effect of diet composition on weight gain, sperm transfer, and insemination in the cat flea (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae). J Med Entomol, 39(2), 370-375.
Dryden, M. W., & Gaafar, S. M. (1991). Blood consumption by the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae)