Pesticides: Uses and Types Benefits Chapter 12 APES January 2007

General Facts about Pesticides Went from zero sales in the 1950’s to 33 billion for 2.6 million metric tons % of all pesticides worldwide are used in agriculture or food storage and shipping.

General Facts about Pesticides Wealthy countries consume ¾ of the pesticides. Developing countries 7-9% growth a year Developed countries 2-4% growth a year

Pesticide Types Inorganic pesticides Natural organic pesticides Fumigants Chlorinated hydrocarbons Organophosphates Carbamates Microbial Agents and Biological Controls

Inorganic pesticides Contains arsenic, copper, lead, or mercury. Highly toxic They may be leached out of the system by water, wind and erosion... Essentially indestructible neurotoxins

Natural organic pesticides Have a narrow target range and a very specific mode of action; Are slow acting; Have relatively critical application times; Suppress, rather than eliminate, a pest population; Have limited field persistence and a short shelf life; Are safer to humans and the environment than conventional pesticides; Present no residue problems

Natural organic pesticides Extracted from plants Nicotine from tobacco Turpentine Phenols Rotenone from the roots of deris and cube plants Aromatic oils from conifers

Fumigants Small molecules Gasify easily Penetrate rapidly Used to sterilize soil Prevent decay Stop rodent or insect infestation of grain supplies Extremely dangerous for workers who apply them.

Fumigants Dibromochloropropane

Fumigants Carbon tetrachloride

Fumigants Carbon disulfide

Fumigants Ethylene dichloride

Fumigants Ethylene dibromide

Fumigants Methylene bromide

Chlorinated hydrocarbons Organochloride is another name for them Synthetic organic insecticides Inhibit nerve membrane ion transport Block nerve signal transmission

Chlorinated hydrocarbons Fast acting Highly toxic Persist in the soil for decades Bioaccumulate in the food chain Stored in the fatty tissues of some organisms

Chlorinated hydrocarbons DDT Chlorodane Aldrin Dieldrin Toxaphene Pradichlorobenzene lindane

Chlorinated hydrocarbons DDT

Chlorinated hydrocarbons Chlorodane

Chlorinated hydrocarbons Aldrin

Chlorinated hydrocarbons Dieldrin

Chlorinated hydrocarbons Toxaphene

Chlorinated hydrocarbons Pardichlorobenzene

Chlorinated hydrocarbons lindane

Organophosphates Outgrowth of nerve gas used in WWII. They inhibit an enzyme called cholinesterase, essential for removing excess neurotransmitter from synapses in the peripheral nervous system. Extremely toxic to birds, mammals, and fish…single drop is lethal. Only last hours or days in the environs. Dangerous for workers to apply them

Organophosphates Parathion Malathion Dichlorvos Dimethyldichlorovinlyphosphate tetraethylpyrophosphate

Organophosphates Parathion

Organophosphates Malathion

Organophosphates Dichlorvos

Organophosphates Dimethyldichlorovinylphosphate

Organophosphates tetraethylpyrophosphate

Carbamates Share organiphosphate properties of: mode of action Toxicity lack of environmental persistence low bioaccumulation Extremely toxic to bees

Carbamates Sevin

Carbamates Aldicarb

Carbamates Amniocarb

Carbamates Carbofuran

Carbamates mirex

Microbial Agents and Biological Controls Living organisms used in the place of pesticides. Link to cornell

Pesticide Use and Types EPA Data World Data EPA 10 years of data EPA Look up use of each pesticide